Bass Sounds Terminology?

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EmilyH

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Dec 29, 2016
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#1
Not sure where to post this but here goes...

I am interested in learning more about the different "categories" of bass sounds (or maybe genres?) that I keep reading about. There doesn't seem to be one particular place to go to experience and compare the different styles of just the bass sounds, at least not that I have discovered yet. People mention different things like sparkle, warmth, thump, fat when discussing the qualities of bass sound. I don't understand all the jargon yet.
 
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#3
EmilyH said:
Not sure where to post this but here goes...

I am interested in learning more about the different "categories" of bass sounds (or maybe genres?) that I keep reading about. There doesn't seem to be one particular place to go to experience and compare the different styles of just the bass sounds, at least not that I have discovered yet. People mention different things like sparkle, warmth, thump, fat when discussing the qualities of bass sound. I don't understand all the jargon yet.
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Don't forget "growl" - the thing about all of these descriptive terms is that they're entirely subjective, people may not mean the same thing when using them.
 
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#6
EmilyH said:
Not sure where to post this but here goes...

I am interested in learning more about the different "categories" of bass sounds (or maybe genres?) that I keep reading about. There doesn't seem to be one particular place to go to experience and compare the different styles of just the bass sounds, at least not that I have discovered yet. People mention different things like sparkle, warmth, thump, fat when discussing the qualities of bass sound. I don't understand all the jargon yet.
Click to expand...

I seem to recall at one point someone posted some quite technical definitions of each, but I'm not sure if they may really have been more precise than accurate, if you know what I mean. The terms are very subjective and it's all kind of "dancing about architecture," to use Zappa's phrase. I think a lot of the terms refer to various EQ balances, really, whether generated by an actual EQ control, or the strings or pickups or materials the bass is made from or whatever.

"Warm" means when you have some pretty strong lows and not a whole lot of highs. "Bright" is the opposite, weaker on the lows and pronounced highs.

"Thump" is also strong on the lows, maybe a bit pronounced in the mids to add note definition, and again light on the highs.

"Growl," on the other hand, emphasizes your upper mids and highs a lot more. It's when your bass goes "grr grr grr" rather than "boom boom boom." "Grunt" is kind of like it but more lower mids and perhaps some overdrive.

"Sizzle" or "shimmer" are when you have the highs cranked up. Lots of overtones on the note.

I still have no idea what a "piano" tone is supposed to mean or what makes a bass sound "fat."
 
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#11
hrodbert696 said:
I seem to recall at one point someone posted some quite technical definitions of each, but I'm not sure if they may really have been more precise than accurate, if you know what I mean. The terms are very subjective and it's all kind of "dancing about architecture," to use Zappa's phrase. I think a lot of the terms refer to various EQ balances, really, whether generated by an actual EQ control, or the strings or pickups or materials the bass is made from or whatever.

"Warm" means when you have some pretty strong lows and not a whole lot of highs. "Bright" is the opposite, weaker on the lows and pronounced highs.

"Thump" is also strong on the lows, maybe a bit pronounced in the mids to add note definition, and again light on the highs.

"Growl," on the other hand, emphasizes your upper mids and highs a lot more. It's when your bass goes "grr grr grr" rather than "boom boom boom." "Grunt" is kind of like it but more lower mids and perhaps some overdrive.

"Sizzle" or "shimmer" are when you have the highs cranked up. Lots of overtones on the note.

I still have no idea what a "piano" tone is supposed to mean or what makes a bass sound "fat."
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Good descriptions. It's not all about EQ either. Thump and to some extent growl are also dependent on attack - how hard you dig in plus playing with the meaty part of your finger or thumb v. the tips, or with a pick.

I think piano is just what it says - sounds like the lower piano notes. Not something I ever what to do though.
 
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#12
hrodbert696 said:
I seem to recall at one point someone posted some quite technical definitions of each, but I'm not sure if they may really have been more precise than accurate, if you know what I mean. The terms are very subjective and it's all kind of "dancing about architecture," to use Zappa's phrase. I think a lot of the terms refer to various EQ balances, really, whether generated by an actual EQ control, or the strings or pickups or materials the bass is made from or whatever.

"Warm" means when you have some pretty strong lows and not a whole lot of highs. "Bright" is the opposite, weaker on the lows and pronounced highs.

"Thump" is also strong on the lows, maybe a bit pronounced in the mids to add note definition, and again light on the highs.

"Growl," on the other hand, emphasizes your upper mids and highs a lot more. It's when your bass goes "grr grr grr" rather than "boom boom boom." "Grunt" is kind of like it but more lower mids and perhaps some overdrive.

"Sizzle" or "shimmer" are when you have the highs cranked up. Lots of overtones on the note.

I still have no idea what a "piano" tone is supposed to mean or what makes a bass sound "fat."
Click to expand...

For me (having sold pianos for a few years) "piano" tone means that everything comes out ....the full spectrum of tone. There is no "bump" in the lows, midst or highs. You get it all. It's not necessarily a good thing for me as I prefer warmer tones. Particularly grand pianos have loooong strings in the bass register and huge sound board. If the piano is made well it doesn't "favor" a particular frequency range, rather allows all frequencies to leap off the soundboard equally. This can be affected by voicing the hammers somewhat. European pianos tend to be voiced more mellow and Japanese more bright. This is accomished by harder it softer tips on the hammers and a few other factors (think playing with fingers as opposed to a pick).

Shirt version: Piano-like tone from a bass to me is akin to "uncolored" tones that many strive for with amps and cabs. One player's "clarity" is another player's "sterile", but you get the drift.
 
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#15
EmilyH said:
Not sure where to post this but here goes...

I am interested in learning more about the different "categories" of bass sounds (or maybe genres?) that I keep reading about. There doesn't seem to be one particular place to go to experience and compare the different styles of just the bass sounds, at least not that I have discovered yet. People mention different things like sparkle, warmth, thump, fat when discussing the qualities of bass sound. I don't understand all the jargon yet.
Click to expand...

Bass Tone Glossary | TalkBass.com
 
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#16
It also depends a lot on the style of music. Funk bass has it's terms and definitions, as does, jazz, progressive rock, bluegrass, etc... One definition for thump may be different depending on the style of music in question. Not a lot different, but in terms of tone, there may be variations.
 
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#17
hrodbert696 said:
I seem to recall at one point someone posted some quite technical definitions of each, but I'm not sure if they may really have been more precise than accurate, if you know what I mean. The terms are very subjective and it's all kind of "dancing about architecture," to use Zappa's phrase. I think a lot of the terms refer to various EQ balances, really, whether generated by an actual EQ control, or the strings or pickups or materials the bass is made from or whatever.

"Warm" means when you have some pretty strong lows and not a whole lot of highs. "Bright" is the opposite, weaker on the lows and pronounced highs.

"Thump" is also strong on the lows, maybe a bit pronounced in the mids to add note definition, and again light on the highs.

"Growl," on the other hand, emphasizes your upper mids and highs a lot more. It's when your bass goes "grr grr grr" rather than "boom boom boom." "Grunt" is kind of like it but more lower mids and perhaps some overdrive.

"Sizzle" or "shimmer" are when you have the highs cranked up. Lots of overtones on the note.

I still have no idea what a "piano" tone is supposed to mean or what makes a bass sound "fat."
Click to expand...

"Fat" bass sound.....think of certain synth bass tones....they just sound "fat' and larger than life.

Piano tone:- to me that always meant a more twangier tone. Less emphasis on bass and more emphasis on the upper mids plus treble.


"Punch" to me means pronounced lower mids emphasized. Although elsewhere some people think "punch" means good general low-end response.
But I think that just because a bass puts out quality low-end, doesn't necessarily mean it has "punch".

"Muddy":- Usually lots of low end with no clearly defined structure. Absence of treble and
good mids. A "wall of low end" that aspires to "scorched earth" policy.
 
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#18
bholder said:
Also known as "Thump". Nothing quite like the Fender thump. On the other hand, Gibsons tend to go "thud". :)
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Thump describes more of the fundamental part of the Fender P bass sound. Plonk refers to it's mids characteristics. Not to be confused with it's Twang which addresses the higher end of it's frequency spectrum. :D
 
#19
hrodbert696 said:
I seem to recall at one point someone posted some quite technical definitions of each, but I'm not sure if they may really have been more precise than accurate, if you know what I mean. The terms are very subjective and it's all kind of "dancing about architecture," to use Zappa's phrase. I think a lot of the terms refer to various EQ balances, really, whether generated by an actual EQ control, or the strings or pickups or materials the bass is made from or whatever.

"Warm" means when you have some pretty strong lows and not a whole lot of highs. "Bright" is the opposite, weaker on the lows and pronounced highs.

"Thump" is also strong on the lows, maybe a bit pronounced in the mids to add note definition, and again light on the highs.

"Growl," on the other hand, emphasizes your upper mids and highs a lot more. It's when your bass goes "grr grr grr" rather than "boom boom boom." "Grunt" is kind of like it but more lower mids and perhaps some overdrive.

"Sizzle" or "shimmer" are when you have the highs cranked up. Lots of overtones on the note.

I still have no idea what a "piano" tone is supposed to mean or what makes a bass sound "fat."
Click to expand...

To add, A piano tone (which does not mean "quiet" or "play softly" as the word "piano" does on a chart (sheet music)) refers to a kind of set of bright string harmonics that sound very similar to the twangy sound you get if you reach into a grand type piano and hammer or pluck the strings directly rather than playing the keys. In a piano the strings are normally hit with felt hammers so the highs tend to be somewhat muted. If you pluck them directly you get a LOT of high harmonics and the wound piano strings have a kind of characteristic twang or clank to them. A piano tone on a bass is when you get a similar sound out of the bass's round wound strings...usually when slapping.

And a "fat" tone refers to sort of mash-up of string harmonics rather than the pure harmonic series of an "ideal" string. Generally humbucker pickups tend to have a fatter tone because they pick up string harmonics at two different locations. A single coil jazz pickup on the other hand senses only one location and has a much more pure (often called "bell-like") tone. The opposite of fat.

Also there is "Mwaah" This occurs on a fretless bass where the strings vibrate against the fingerboard creating a kind of buzz sound. When you slide from note to note the name "mwaah" sort of imitates the sound you get.

Open, Airy or Transparent sounds are a tone that is very clear with LOTS of ultra high highs where you can almost hear the fingerprints on the strings. It is the polar opposite of "fat" or "Muddy". Generally Muddy is worse than fat in that fat means a tone with lots of low and mid harmonics but you can still easily hear the pitch of the note. Muddy on the other hand tends to mean that the notes are not easily distinguished as to pitch. A Muddy chord for example is one where you can't easily hear the individual notes of the chord but only this mash-up sound comes out.
 
#20
ZenG said:
"Punch" to me means pronounced lower mids emphasized. Although elsewhere some people think "punch" means good general low-end response.
But I think that just because a bass puts out quality low-end, doesn't necessarily mean it has "punch".
Click to expand...

I think "punch" is more about the attack of the note. It means notes have a very fast rising attack. I think some times it also means that not only to they rise fast but have shorter sustain as well. It's where the notes doesn't sneak up on you but just sort of punches you in the face.
 
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