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 Dec 26 at 2:13
Ben Crowell
51229
asked Dec 24 at 17:11
foreyez
4,19332473
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 Dec 26 at 2:13
Ben Crowell
51229
asked Dec 24 at 17:11
foreyez
4,19332473
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
Dec 24 at 20:46
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 Dec 26 at 2:13
Ben Crowell
51229
asked Dec 24 at 17:11
foreyez
4,19332473
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 Dec 26 at 2:13
Ben Crowell
51229
asked Dec 24 at 17:11
foreyez
4,19332473
edited Dec 26 at 2:13
Ben Crowell
51229
asked Dec 24 at 17:11
foreyez
4,19332473
edited Dec 26 at 2:13
Ben Crowell
51229
edited Dec 26 at 2:13
Ben Crowell
51229
edited Dec 26 at 2:13
Ben Crowell
51229
51229
asked Dec 24 at 17:11
foreyez
4,19332473
asked Dec 24 at 17:11
foreyez
4,19332473
asked Dec 24 at 17:11
foreyez
4,19332473
4,19332473
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
Dec 24 at 20:46
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
Dec 24 at 20:46
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
Dec 24 at 20:46
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
Dec 24 at 20:46
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 Dec 24 at 18:36
topo morto
23.1k24099
2
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
Dec 25 at 18:16
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 Dec 24 at 17:47
Tim
96k1098244
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
Dec 24 at 18:18
1
It's all about the bass.
– Robert Columbia
Dec 25 at 3:02
1
@RobertColumbia ... no bubbles...
– Graham
Dec 25 at 11:50
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 Dec 26 at 6:09
NoLongerBreathedIn
211
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
Dec 26 at 8:39
add a comment |
Your Answer
StackExchange.ready(function() {
var channelOptions = {
tags: "".split(" "),
id: "240"
};
initTagRenderer("".split(" "), "".split(" "), channelOptions);
StackExchange.using("externalEditor", function() {
// Have to fire editor after snippets, if snippets enabled
if (StackExchange.settings.snippets.snippetsEnabled) {
StackExchange.using("snippets", function() {
createEditor();
});
}
else {
createEditor();
}
});
function createEditor() {
StackExchange.prepareEditor({
heartbeatType: 'answer',
autoActivateHeartbeat: false,
convertImagesToLinks: false,
noModals: true,
showLowRepImageUploadWarning: true,
reputationToPostImages: null,
bindNavPrevention: true,
postfix: "",
imageUploader: {
brandingHtml: "Powered by u003ca class="icon-imgur-white" href="https://imgur.com/"u003eu003c/au003e",
contentPolicyHtml: "User contributions licensed under u003ca href="https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/3.0/"u003ecc by-sa 3.0 with attribution requiredu003c/au003e u003ca href="https://stackoverflow.com/legal/content-policy"u003e(content policy)u003c/au003e",
allowUrls: true
},
noCode: true, onDemand: true,
discardSelector: ".discard-answer"
,immediatelyShowMarkdownHelp:true
});
}
});
Sign up or log in
StackExchange.ready(function () {
StackExchange.helpers.onClickDraftSave('#login-link');
});
Sign up using Google
Sign up using Facebook
Sign up using Email and Password
Post as a guest
Required, but never shown
StackExchange.ready(
function () {
StackExchange.openid.initPostLogin('.new-post-login', 'https%3a%2f%2fmusic.stackexchange.com%2fquestions%2f77861%2fcan-i-turn-any-synthesized-instrument-into-a-bass-by-lowering-the-frequency%23new-answer', 'question_page');
}
);
Post as a guest
Required, but never shown
3 Answers
3
active
oldest
votes
3 Answers
3
active
oldest
votes
active
oldest
votes
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 Dec 24 at 18:36
topo morto
23.1k24099
2
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
Dec 25 at 18:16
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 Dec 24 at 18:36
topo morto
23.1k24099
2
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
Dec 25 at 18:16
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 Dec 24 at 18:36
topo morto
23.1k24099
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 Dec 24 at 18:36
topo morto
23.1k24099
edited Dec 24 at 20:37
answered Dec 24 at 18:36
topo morto
23.1k24099
answered Dec 24 at 18:36
topo morto
23.1k24099
answered Dec 24 at 18:36
topo morto
23.1k24099
23.1k24099
2
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
Dec 25 at 18:16
add a comment |
2
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
Dec 25 at 18:16
2
2
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
Dec 25 at 18:16
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
Dec 25 at 18:16
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 Dec 24 at 17:47
Tim
96k1098244
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
Dec 24 at 18:18
1
It's all about the bass.
– Robert Columbia
Dec 25 at 3:02
1
@RobertColumbia ... no bubbles...
– Graham
Dec 25 at 11:50
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 Dec 24 at 17:47
Tim
96k1098244
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
Dec 24 at 18:18
1
It's all about the bass.
– Robert Columbia
Dec 25 at 3:02
1
@RobertColumbia ... no bubbles...
– Graham
Dec 25 at 11:50
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 Dec 24 at 17:47
Tim
96k1098244
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 Dec 24 at 17:47
Tim
96k1098244
answered Dec 24 at 17:47
Tim
96k1098244
answered Dec 24 at 17:47
Tim
96k1098244
answered Dec 24 at 17:47
Tim
96k1098244
96k1098244
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
Dec 24 at 18:18
1
It's all about the bass.
– Robert Columbia
Dec 25 at 3:02
1
@RobertColumbia ... no bubbles...
– Graham
Dec 25 at 11:50
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
Dec 24 at 18:18
1
It's all about the bass.
– Robert Columbia
Dec 25 at 3:02
1
@RobertColumbia ... no bubbles...
– Graham
Dec 25 at 11:50
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
Dec 24 at 18:18
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
Dec 24 at 18:18
1
1
It's all about the bass.
– Robert Columbia
Dec 25 at 3:02
It's all about the bass.
– Robert Columbia
Dec 25 at 3:02
1
1
@RobertColumbia ... no bubbles...
– Graham
Dec 25 at 11:50
@RobertColumbia ... no bubbles...
– Graham
Dec 25 at 11:50
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 Dec 26 at 6:09
NoLongerBreathedIn
211
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
Dec 26 at 8:39
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 Dec 26 at 6:09
NoLongerBreathedIn
211
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
Dec 26 at 8:39
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 Dec 26 at 6:09
NoLongerBreathedIn
211
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 Dec 26 at 6:09
NoLongerBreathedIn
211
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 Dec 26 at 6:09
NoLongerBreathedIn
211
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 Dec 26 at 6:09
NoLongerBreathedIn
211
answered Dec 26 at 6:09
NoLongerBreathedIn
211
211
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
Dec 26 at 8:39
add a comment |
And the word 'bass' comes from Middle English, meaning bars. Can't escape the musical connection...
– Tim
Dec 26 at 8:39
And the word 'bass' comes from Middle English, meaning bars. Can't escape the musical connection...
– Tim
Dec 26 at 8:39
And the word 'bass' comes from Middle English, meaning bars. Can't escape the musical connection...
– Tim
Dec 26 at 8:39
add a comment |
Thanks for contributing an answer to Music: Practice & Theory Stack Exchange!
- Please be sure to answer the question. Provide details and share your research!
But avoid …
- Asking for help, clarification, or responding to other answers.
- Making statements based on opinion; back them up with references or personal experience.
To learn more, see our tips on writing great answers.
Some of your past answers have not been well-received, and you're in danger of being blocked from answering.
Please pay close attention to the following guidance:
- Please be sure to answer the question. Provide details and share your research!
But avoid …
- Asking for help, clarification, or responding to other answers.
- Making statements based on opinion; back them up with references or personal experience.
To learn more, see our tips on writing great answers.
Sign up or log in
StackExchange.ready(function () {
StackExchange.helpers.onClickDraftSave('#login-link');
});
Sign up using Google
Sign up using Facebook
Sign up using Email and Password
Post as a guest
Required, but never shown
StackExchange.ready(
function () {
StackExchange.openid.initPostLogin('.new-post-login', 'https%3a%2f%2fmusic.stackexchange.com%2fquestions%2f77861%2fcan-i-turn-any-synthesized-instrument-into-a-bass-by-lowering-the-frequency%23new-answer', 'question_page');
}
);
Post as a guest
Required, but never shown
Sign up or log in
StackExchange.ready(function () {
StackExchange.helpers.onClickDraftSave('#login-link');
});
Sign up using Google
Sign up using Facebook
Sign up using Email and Password
Post as a guest
Required, but never shown
Sign up or log in
StackExchange.ready(function () {
StackExchange.helpers.onClickDraftSave('#login-link');
});
Sign up using Google
Sign up using Facebook
Sign up using Email and Password
Post as a guest
Required, but never shown
Sign up or log in
StackExchange.ready(function () {
StackExchange.helpers.onClickDraftSave('#login-link');
});
Sign up using Google
Sign up using Facebook
Sign up using Email and Password
Sign up using Google
Sign up using Facebook
Sign up using Email and Password
Post as a guest
Required, but never shown
Required, but never shown
Required, but never shown
Required, but never shown
Required, but never shown
Required, but never shown
Required, but never shown
Required, but never shown
Required, but never shown
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
Dec 24 at 20:46