Can I turn any synthesized instrument into a bass by lowering the frequency?
In terms of electronic music, when I'm picking a "bass" can I choose any instrument, including leads, and just set that instrument to be of lower frequency (lowering the octave) in order to create a bass. Does a bass just depend on frequency and not the type of instrument?
theory harmony production
edited 14 hours ago
Ben Crowell
51229
asked yesterday
foreyez
4,16522373
add a comment |
In terms of electronic music, when I'm picking a "bass" can I choose any instrument, including leads, and just set that instrument to be of lower frequency (lowering the octave) in order to create a bass. Does a bass just depend on frequency and not the type of instrument?
theory harmony production
edited 14 hours ago
Ben Crowell
51229
asked yesterday
foreyez
4,16522373
2
It’s important to clarify that “bass” is the lowest voice of any given texture. Even if all of the sounds are relatively high.
– jjmusicnotes
yesterday
add a comment |
In terms of electronic music, when I'm picking a "bass" can I choose any instrument, including leads, and just set that instrument to be of lower frequency (lowering the octave) in order to create a bass. Does a bass just depend on frequency and not the type of instrument?
theory harmony production
edited 14 hours ago
Ben Crowell
51229
asked yesterday
foreyez
4,16522373
In terms of electronic music, when I'm picking a "bass" can I choose any instrument, including leads, and just set that instrument to be of lower frequency (lowering the octave) in order to create a bass. Does a bass just depend on frequency and not the type of instrument?
theory harmony production
theory harmony production
edited 14 hours ago
Ben Crowell
51229
asked yesterday
foreyez
4,16522373
edited 14 hours ago
Ben Crowell
51229
asked yesterday
foreyez
4,16522373
edited 14 hours ago
Ben Crowell
51229
edited 14 hours ago
Ben Crowell
51229
edited 14 hours ago
Ben Crowell
51229
51229
asked yesterday
foreyez
4,16522373
asked yesterday
foreyez
4,16522373
asked yesterday
foreyez
4,16522373
4,16522373
2
It’s important to clarify that “bass” is the lowest voice of any given texture. Even if all of the sounds are relatively high.
– jjmusicnotes
yesterday
add a comment |
2
It’s important to clarify that “bass” is the lowest voice of any given texture. Even if all of the sounds are relatively high.
– jjmusicnotes
yesterday
2
2
It’s important to clarify that “bass” is the lowest voice of any given texture. Even if all of the sounds are relatively high.
– jjmusicnotes
yesterday
It’s important to clarify that “bass” is the lowest voice of any given texture. Even if all of the sounds are relatively high.
– jjmusicnotes
yesterday
add a comment |
3 Answers
3
active
oldest
votes
when I'm picking a "bass" can I choose any instrument..?
Yes, you can. However, you might find that not all instruments work well to your ears as 'bass' instruments.
When you see 'bass' in a synth patch name, it usually doesn't only refer to the instrument being low - because, as you say, you can usually play low notes with any sound in a synth. Instruments designated 'bass' often have certain characteristics that make them subjectively suitable for playing in a 'bass' role - such as:
- a strong fundamental when playing low frequency notes, giving a 'solid', bassy sound (in contrast to, say, the piano - whose low notes have weak fundamentals)
- a harmonic structure that makes the pitch of the notes easy to identify
- a harmonic structure that doesn't fill up the whole frequency range and leave no 'space' for other instruments
- a reasonably fast attack, suitable for the 'bass lines' found in many genres of music
Of course not all 'bass' instruments necessarily exhibit all these characteristics, but you would expect instruments labelled 'bass' to exhibit most of them. The labels we give to sounds aren't there to restrict you, but they can be useful!
answered yesterday
topo morto
22.6k23796
1
Adding to the harmonic structure point, the instrument also needs to survive being played on some loudspeaker. This is a problem when loudspeakers can't reproduce those bass fundamentals. Higher harmonics let your brain reconstitute the fundamental, even if it isn't actually there.
– Graham
22 hours ago
add a comment |
Simple as that. Bass refers to the range of the instrument, so electronically, turn a piccolo into a bass if you want. It's much harder with fish, though. Turning a salmon into a bass doesn't seem to work as well...
answered yesterday
Tim
95.7k1098242
1
but I saw the bass is used in the instrument word such as "Double bass". I guess the word 'bass' just refers to the instrument being low then. so I could make a 'piccolo bass' then by just lowering the frequency.
– foreyez
yesterday
1
It's all about the bass.
– Robert Columbia
yesterday
1
@RobertColumbia ... no bubbles...
– Graham
yesterday
add a comment |
Part of the confusion here appears to be that ‘bass’ is (a) the name of a range (~16-256 Hz), (b) the name of a specific instrument, the double bass (similar to a violin, but much bigger), (c) the name of a specific instrument, the bass guitar (bigger than the regular kind, cf. (d)), and (d) used in the names of a whole lot of instruments to denote that they are either deeper than the usual (bass violin) or fall into the range of (a). (There are also a bunch of perciformes, but those are unrelated etymologically.
answered 10 hours ago
NoLongerBreathedIn
111
New contributor
NoLongerBreathedIn is a new contributor to this site. Take care in asking for clarification, commenting, and answering.
Check out our Code of Conduct.
And the word 'bass' comes from Middle English, meaning bars. Can't escape the musical connection...
– Tim
7 hours ago
add a comment |
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3 Answers
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active
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3 Answers
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active
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when I'm picking a "bass" can I choose any instrument..?
Yes, you can. However, you might find that not all instruments work well to your ears as 'bass' instruments.
When you see 'bass' in a synth patch name, it usually doesn't only refer to the instrument being low - because, as you say, you can usually play low notes with any sound in a synth. Instruments designated 'bass' often have certain characteristics that make them subjectively suitable for playing in a 'bass' role - such as:
- a strong fundamental when playing low frequency notes, giving a 'solid', bassy sound (in contrast to, say, the piano - whose low notes have weak fundamentals)
- a harmonic structure that makes the pitch of the notes easy to identify
- a harmonic structure that doesn't fill up the whole frequency range and leave no 'space' for other instruments
- a reasonably fast attack, suitable for the 'bass lines' found in many genres of music
Of course not all 'bass' instruments necessarily exhibit all these characteristics, but you would expect instruments labelled 'bass' to exhibit most of them. The labels we give to sounds aren't there to restrict you, but they can be useful!
answered yesterday
topo morto
22.6k23796
1
Adding to the harmonic structure point, the instrument also needs to survive being played on some loudspeaker. This is a problem when loudspeakers can't reproduce those bass fundamentals. Higher harmonics let your brain reconstitute the fundamental, even if it isn't actually there.
– Graham
22 hours ago
add a comment |
when I'm picking a "bass" can I choose any instrument..?
Yes, you can. However, you might find that not all instruments work well to your ears as 'bass' instruments.
When you see 'bass' in a synth patch name, it usually doesn't only refer to the instrument being low - because, as you say, you can usually play low notes with any sound in a synth. Instruments designated 'bass' often have certain characteristics that make them subjectively suitable for playing in a 'bass' role - such as:
- a strong fundamental when playing low frequency notes, giving a 'solid', bassy sound (in contrast to, say, the piano - whose low notes have weak fundamentals)
- a harmonic structure that makes the pitch of the notes easy to identify
- a harmonic structure that doesn't fill up the whole frequency range and leave no 'space' for other instruments
- a reasonably fast attack, suitable for the 'bass lines' found in many genres of music
Of course not all 'bass' instruments necessarily exhibit all these characteristics, but you would expect instruments labelled 'bass' to exhibit most of them. The labels we give to sounds aren't there to restrict you, but they can be useful!
answered yesterday
topo morto
22.6k23796
1
Adding to the harmonic structure point, the instrument also needs to survive being played on some loudspeaker. This is a problem when loudspeakers can't reproduce those bass fundamentals. Higher harmonics let your brain reconstitute the fundamental, even if it isn't actually there.
– Graham
22 hours ago
add a comment |
when I'm picking a "bass" can I choose any instrument..?
Yes, you can. However, you might find that not all instruments work well to your ears as 'bass' instruments.
When you see 'bass' in a synth patch name, it usually doesn't only refer to the instrument being low - because, as you say, you can usually play low notes with any sound in a synth. Instruments designated 'bass' often have certain characteristics that make them subjectively suitable for playing in a 'bass' role - such as:
- a strong fundamental when playing low frequency notes, giving a 'solid', bassy sound (in contrast to, say, the piano - whose low notes have weak fundamentals)
- a harmonic structure that makes the pitch of the notes easy to identify
- a harmonic structure that doesn't fill up the whole frequency range and leave no 'space' for other instruments
- a reasonably fast attack, suitable for the 'bass lines' found in many genres of music
Of course not all 'bass' instruments necessarily exhibit all these characteristics, but you would expect instruments labelled 'bass' to exhibit most of them. The labels we give to sounds aren't there to restrict you, but they can be useful!
answered yesterday
topo morto
22.6k23796
when I'm picking a "bass" can I choose any instrument..?
Yes, you can. However, you might find that not all instruments work well to your ears as 'bass' instruments.
When you see 'bass' in a synth patch name, it usually doesn't only refer to the instrument being low - because, as you say, you can usually play low notes with any sound in a synth. Instruments designated 'bass' often have certain characteristics that make them subjectively suitable for playing in a 'bass' role - such as:
- a strong fundamental when playing low frequency notes, giving a 'solid', bassy sound (in contrast to, say, the piano - whose low notes have weak fundamentals)
- a harmonic structure that makes the pitch of the notes easy to identify
- a harmonic structure that doesn't fill up the whole frequency range and leave no 'space' for other instruments
- a reasonably fast attack, suitable for the 'bass lines' found in many genres of music
Of course not all 'bass' instruments necessarily exhibit all these characteristics, but you would expect instruments labelled 'bass' to exhibit most of them. The labels we give to sounds aren't there to restrict you, but they can be useful!
answered yesterday
topo morto
22.6k23796
edited yesterday
answered yesterday
topo morto
22.6k23796
answered yesterday
topo morto
22.6k23796
answered yesterday
topo morto
22.6k23796
22.6k23796
1
Adding to the harmonic structure point, the instrument also needs to survive being played on some loudspeaker. This is a problem when loudspeakers can't reproduce those bass fundamentals. Higher harmonics let your brain reconstitute the fundamental, even if it isn't actually there.
– Graham
22 hours ago
add a comment |
1
Adding to the harmonic structure point, the instrument also needs to survive being played on some loudspeaker. This is a problem when loudspeakers can't reproduce those bass fundamentals. Higher harmonics let your brain reconstitute the fundamental, even if it isn't actually there.
– Graham
22 hours ago
1
1
Adding to the harmonic structure point, the instrument also needs to survive being played on some loudspeaker. This is a problem when loudspeakers can't reproduce those bass fundamentals. Higher harmonics let your brain reconstitute the fundamental, even if it isn't actually there.
– Graham
22 hours ago
Adding to the harmonic structure point, the instrument also needs to survive being played on some loudspeaker. This is a problem when loudspeakers can't reproduce those bass fundamentals. Higher harmonics let your brain reconstitute the fundamental, even if it isn't actually there.
– Graham
22 hours ago
add a comment |
Simple as that. Bass refers to the range of the instrument, so electronically, turn a piccolo into a bass if you want. It's much harder with fish, though. Turning a salmon into a bass doesn't seem to work as well...
answered yesterday
Tim
95.7k1098242
1
but I saw the bass is used in the instrument word such as "Double bass". I guess the word 'bass' just refers to the instrument being low then. so I could make a 'piccolo bass' then by just lowering the frequency.
– foreyez
yesterday
1
It's all about the bass.
– Robert Columbia
yesterday
1
@RobertColumbia ... no bubbles...
– Graham
yesterday
add a comment |
Simple as that. Bass refers to the range of the instrument, so electronically, turn a piccolo into a bass if you want. It's much harder with fish, though. Turning a salmon into a bass doesn't seem to work as well...
answered yesterday
Tim
95.7k1098242
1
but I saw the bass is used in the instrument word such as "Double bass". I guess the word 'bass' just refers to the instrument being low then. so I could make a 'piccolo bass' then by just lowering the frequency.
– foreyez
yesterday
1
It's all about the bass.
– Robert Columbia
yesterday
1
@RobertColumbia ... no bubbles...
– Graham
yesterday
add a comment |
Simple as that. Bass refers to the range of the instrument, so electronically, turn a piccolo into a bass if you want. It's much harder with fish, though. Turning a salmon into a bass doesn't seem to work as well...
answered yesterday
Tim
95.7k1098242
Simple as that. Bass refers to the range of the instrument, so electronically, turn a piccolo into a bass if you want. It's much harder with fish, though. Turning a salmon into a bass doesn't seem to work as well...
answered yesterday
Tim
95.7k1098242
answered yesterday
Tim
95.7k1098242
answered yesterday
Tim
95.7k1098242
answered yesterday
Tim
95.7k1098242
95.7k1098242
1
but I saw the bass is used in the instrument word such as "Double bass". I guess the word 'bass' just refers to the instrument being low then. so I could make a 'piccolo bass' then by just lowering the frequency.
– foreyez
yesterday
1
It's all about the bass.
– Robert Columbia
yesterday
1
@RobertColumbia ... no bubbles...
– Graham
yesterday
add a comment |
1
but I saw the bass is used in the instrument word such as "Double bass". I guess the word 'bass' just refers to the instrument being low then. so I could make a 'piccolo bass' then by just lowering the frequency.
– foreyez
yesterday
1
It's all about the bass.
– Robert Columbia
yesterday
1
@RobertColumbia ... no bubbles...
– Graham
yesterday
1
1
but I saw the bass is used in the instrument word such as "Double bass". I guess the word 'bass' just refers to the instrument being low then. so I could make a 'piccolo bass' then by just lowering the frequency.
– foreyez
yesterday
but I saw the bass is used in the instrument word such as "Double bass". I guess the word 'bass' just refers to the instrument being low then. so I could make a 'piccolo bass' then by just lowering the frequency.
– foreyez
yesterday
1
1
It's all about the bass.
– Robert Columbia
yesterday
It's all about the bass.
– Robert Columbia
yesterday
1
1
@RobertColumbia ... no bubbles...
– Graham
yesterday
@RobertColumbia ... no bubbles...
– Graham
yesterday
add a comment |
Part of the confusion here appears to be that ‘bass’ is (a) the name of a range (~16-256 Hz), (b) the name of a specific instrument, the double bass (similar to a violin, but much bigger), (c) the name of a specific instrument, the bass guitar (bigger than the regular kind, cf. (d)), and (d) used in the names of a whole lot of instruments to denote that they are either deeper than the usual (bass violin) or fall into the range of (a). (There are also a bunch of perciformes, but those are unrelated etymologically.
answered 10 hours ago
NoLongerBreathedIn
111
New contributor
NoLongerBreathedIn is a new contributor to this site. Take care in asking for clarification, commenting, and answering.
Check out our Code of Conduct.
And the word 'bass' comes from Middle English, meaning bars. Can't escape the musical connection...
– Tim
7 hours ago
add a comment |
Part of the confusion here appears to be that ‘bass’ is (a) the name of a range (~16-256 Hz), (b) the name of a specific instrument, the double bass (similar to a violin, but much bigger), (c) the name of a specific instrument, the bass guitar (bigger than the regular kind, cf. (d)), and (d) used in the names of a whole lot of instruments to denote that they are either deeper than the usual (bass violin) or fall into the range of (a). (There are also a bunch of perciformes, but those are unrelated etymologically.
answered 10 hours ago
NoLongerBreathedIn
111
New contributor
NoLongerBreathedIn is a new contributor to this site. Take care in asking for clarification, commenting, and answering.
Check out our Code of Conduct.
And the word 'bass' comes from Middle English, meaning bars. Can't escape the musical connection...
– Tim
7 hours ago
add a comment |
Part of the confusion here appears to be that ‘bass’ is (a) the name of a range (~16-256 Hz), (b) the name of a specific instrument, the double bass (similar to a violin, but much bigger), (c) the name of a specific instrument, the bass guitar (bigger than the regular kind, cf. (d)), and (d) used in the names of a whole lot of instruments to denote that they are either deeper than the usual (bass violin) or fall into the range of (a). (There are also a bunch of perciformes, but those are unrelated etymologically.
answered 10 hours ago
NoLongerBreathedIn
111
New contributor
NoLongerBreathedIn is a new contributor to this site. Take care in asking for clarification, commenting, and answering.
Check out our Code of Conduct.
Part of the confusion here appears to be that ‘bass’ is (a) the name of a range (~16-256 Hz), (b) the name of a specific instrument, the double bass (similar to a violin, but much bigger), (c) the name of a specific instrument, the bass guitar (bigger than the regular kind, cf. (d)), and (d) used in the names of a whole lot of instruments to denote that they are either deeper than the usual (bass violin) or fall into the range of (a). (There are also a bunch of perciformes, but those are unrelated etymologically.
answered 10 hours ago
NoLongerBreathedIn
111
New contributor
NoLongerBreathedIn is a new contributor to this site. Take care in asking for clarification, commenting, and answering.
Check out our Code of Conduct.
answered 10 hours ago
NoLongerBreathedIn
111
New contributor
NoLongerBreathedIn is a new contributor to this site. Take care in asking for clarification, commenting, and answering.
Check out our Code of Conduct.
answered 10 hours ago
NoLongerBreathedIn
111
answered 10 hours ago
NoLongerBreathedIn
111
111
New contributor
NoLongerBreathedIn is a new contributor to this site. Take care in asking for clarification, commenting, and answering.
Check out our Code of Conduct.
New contributor
NoLongerBreathedIn is a new contributor to this site. Take care in asking for clarification, commenting, and answering.
Check out our Code of Conduct.
NoLongerBreathedIn is a new contributor to this site. Take care in asking for clarification, commenting, and answering.
Check out our Code of Conduct.
And the word 'bass' comes from Middle English, meaning bars. Can't escape the musical connection...
– Tim
7 hours ago
add a comment |
And the word 'bass' comes from Middle English, meaning bars. Can't escape the musical connection...
– Tim
7 hours ago
And the word 'bass' comes from Middle English, meaning bars. Can't escape the musical connection...
– Tim
7 hours ago
And the word 'bass' comes from Middle English, meaning bars. Can't escape the musical connection...
– Tim
7 hours ago
add a comment |
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2
It’s important to clarify that “bass” is the lowest voice of any given texture. Even if all of the sounds are relatively high.
– jjmusicnotes
yesterday