Jonathan Shaw
  • Music Appreciation Spring 2020 (Blackwood)
    • Homework
    • Syllabus & Defining Music Appreciation >
      • Activity : Judging Music
    • 1/30 Instrumentation Class 1 >
      • Instrumentation Follow-Up
    • 2/11 >
      • Texture
    • 2/13
    • 2/18
    • Melody >
      • Evolution of a Genre : Example Assignment >
        • Week 5 Assignment : Evolution of a Genre Assignment
    • 2/25
    • Quiz
    • Rhythm
    • 3/10
    • Virtual Week 1: Harmony >
      • Extra Harmony Material
    • Film Music
    • Sampling
    • Sampling Follow Up
    • The Blues
  • ONLINE Music Appreciation Fall 2020
    • Week 1
    • Week 2
    • Week 3
    • Week 4
    • Week 5 >
      • Evolution of a Genre : Example Assignment
      • Week 5 Assignment : Evolution of a Genre Assignment
    • Week 6 >
      • Film Music
      • Sampling
    • Week 7 >
      • Sampling Follow Up
      • Survey
  • Brass Methods
    • Fingering/Position Test
  • Fall 2019 Honors Appreciation
    • Day 1 >
      • Syllabus & Defining Music Appreciation >
        • Activity : Judging Music
    • Day 2
    • Characteristics of Music - Part 1
    • Instrumentation
    • Texture
    • Melody >
      • Isn't She Lovely
    • Harmony
    • Rhythm
    • Song Meaning / Analysis
    • Artistic Intention
    • Evolution of a Genre : Example Assignment >
      • Assignment : Evolution of a Genre Assignment
    • Song Form
    • Genre Thoughts
    • Sampling
    • Film Music
    • Movie Projects (Examples)
    • Early Blues
    • New Page
  • Biography
    • Resume/C.V.
  • Aural Theory II
    • Page 2
    • Practice Test
    • Final Days
  • Aural Theory I
    • Reading Material
    • Tuesday 9/4
    • Class 2 : 9/11
    • Class 3 : 9/13
    • 9/18
    • 9/20 >
      • Matching the Pitch Homework
    • Quiz Listening
    • Class 10/2 & 10/4
    • 10/9
    • 10/11
    • 10/18
    • Dictation Practice
    • 6/8 Piece
    • BassLine Singing
    • FINAL MATERIALS
  • Music Fundamentals
    • Homework
    • Class 2 : 9/11 >
      • Melody
      • Harmony
      • Intro to Rhythm
      • Instrumentation
      • Instrumentation Chart / Song Map
    • Class 3 : 9/18 >
      • Quiz
      • Matching Pitches
      • Matching the Pitch Homework
    • Class #4 : 9/25 >
      • Rhythm
      • More Rhythm....
      • Song Form
    • Class #5 : 10/2
    • Class #6 : 10/9
    • Class #7 : 10/17
    • Class #8 : 10/23 >
      • ID'ing Basslines
    • Class 9 : 10/30
    • Class #10 11/6
    • Mid Term Project
    • Mid Term Project Due Dates
    • Class 12 : 11/13
    • Class #13 : 11/20
    • Class 14 - 11/26
    • Class 15 : 12/4
    • Class 16 : FINAL
  • Music Fundamentals for Sound Engineers
    • Week 1
    • Week 2
    • Week 3
    • Week 4
    • Week 5
    • Week 6
    • Week 7
    • Week 8 >
      • Notation Practice - Test
    • Week 9
    • Week 10
    • Week 12
    • Week 13
    • Week 14
    • Week 15
  • Materials
  • Recordings/Links
  • Education
  • Contact

Bass 

Simple Definition :  The lowest Part of the harmony

Bass is really part of the harmony, as it provides the lowest notes we  are hearing in a song (hence the literal name; bass).

Example:

-The Bass Guitar / Upright Bass are literally named after their range

- The Bass Section of  a choir is named after its range
​This is because these instruments are almost always providing the bass

The lowest sound during a performance

This can be confusing, as it is generally played by and instrument called the Bass (see below) but there is always bass in songs even if there isn't a Bass instrument or Bass section. 


Why does it exist? 
-Has a Grounding effect on the Harmony
-When we add that low note, it fills out the chord, give it more body

Lower = More POWERFUL sounding


-Physically, we hear a wider range of frequencies

What instruments can provide the BASS? 

Upright Bass

       -Can be Bowed or Plucked
-Electric Bass Guitar
       - Can be Plucked or Strummed, like a regular guitar
​
  ​Upright Bass
​Electric Bass
Synthesizer

       - Electronically generated sounds, usually played on a keyboard
-Some instruments like piano and guitar can play their own bass notes
because the have a wide range already on their instrument
Types of Bass-lines
Bass lines Can have a profound effect on the groove/style/genre of the the music.  This stems from its rhythmic qualities.

Stagnant Bass
-Very little linear movement
-Only changes notes with the harmony
-not very many notes
-Usually only 1 note per chord played
-Usually not very rhythmic, except for repetition of same note
-Often Synthesized, not live instrumentation

Stagnant Examples:

Blink 182 Sheet Music
Blink 182 Video
Beyonce Sheet Music
​Beyonce Video




Walking Bass
-Opposite of Stagnant
-Constantly moving Notes
-Always moves at a steady Rhythm/Pace, Usually every beat or every other beat (rhythmically repetitive)
-Provides motion for the music (hence 'walking')

Walking Bass Examples:
Ray Brown 

Stevie Sheet Music
Stevie Sheet Music
Stevie Video




​Riffed Bass
-A Riff is a repetitive rhythmic and melodic pattern
-Repetitive bass line looped many times, sometimes for the duration of the song
-provides lowest part of harmony, as well as the rhythmic basis for the song
-Important part of the groove/beat

Riffed Bass Examples:

Jet Sheet Music
Jet Video

Cee Lo Sheet Music
Cee Lo Video


Pink Floyd Sheet Music
Pink Floyd Video

Class Activity


Find 3 Songs that you think have different kinds of bass-lines. 


Describe WHY and HOW the bass lines sound like they differ from each other. 

Take  a Guess at what kind of BassLine you think it is


So you will give me:  Song and Artist,  Explanation of WHY and HOW the bass lines are different from each other, Type of Bass Line  
x 3

When Guessing type:  Remember the biggest differing factor is

RHYTHM 

-is it rhythmically repetitive?
-steady on the beat?
-long notes?
-repeated rhythm?


Then .....

HARMONY
-Is it harmonically repetitive?
-Is it Changing Notes a lot?
-is it on the same note for multiple beats?


Proudly powered by Weebly