Book excerpt: When Leo Fender invented the electric bass in the early 1950s, little did he know the musical revolution that would follow. Dozens of musical styles were born as a direct result of his invention. Mel Bay's Encyclopedia of Bass Riffs is an overview of over 40 different musical styles, covering 50 years of electric bass playing. Through a wide variety of stylistic examples, this book explores many musical genres that may have never existed without the electric bass guitar. These examples will undoubtedly add diversity to your musical vocabulary and supplement your style.