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Main Forums => The Bass Zone => Topic started by: Blazer on March 25, 2008, 07:11:39 PM

Title: Examples of Bass jargon
Post by: Blazer on March 25, 2008, 07:11:39 PM
Lately I noticed that Bassplayer magazine has created their own words for describing destinct bass sounds and so I figured to make a little list of the best known recordings of those sounds.

"Mwaah" - The sound of a glissando performed on a fretless bass.

Best known recorded examples of "Mwaah"
"You can call me Al." - Paul Simon, Bassplayer: Bakhiti Kumalo
"Come back and stay" - Paul Young, Bassplayer: Pino Paladino
Anything by Jaco Pastorious.

"Growl"- The sound of a bass through an overdriven amp/ distortion pedal.

Best known recordings of "Growl"
"I'd rather be with you" - Bootsy Collins.
Anytime Larry Graham switches on his distortion pedal.
"No one knows" - Queens of the stone age, Bassplayer: Nick Oliverti
"For who'm the bells tolls" - Metallica, Bassplayer: Cliff Burton
Anything by Motörhead.

"Grind" - Powerful pick driven clean sound, most often played on the bridge pickup of the bass.

Best known recordings of "Grind"
"Roundabout" - Yes, Bassplayer: Chris Squier.
"No more heroes" - The Stranglers, Bassplayer: JJ. Brunel
"Louie, Louie" - The kingsmen, Bassplayer: ?

okay feel free to add more.
Title: Re: Examples of Bass jargon
Post by: ramone57 on March 27, 2008, 10:00:47 AM
mud - no explanation needed!
Title: Re: Examples of Bass jargon
Post by: Barklessdog on March 27, 2008, 10:20:28 AM
Plays like "Butter"

Piano String tone


Title: Re: Examples of Bass jargon
Post by: Barklessdog on March 27, 2008, 10:21:33 AM
Thud

Thump


slap
Title: Re: Examples of Bass jargon
Post by: nofi on March 27, 2008, 03:14:27 PM
my back is killing me
Title: Re: Examples of Bass jargon
Post by: uwe on March 28, 2008, 06:37:07 AM
ooomph
Title: Re: Examples of Bass jargon
Post by: Dave W on March 28, 2008, 09:27:50 AM
Punch.

I always liked Mesa's definition of great tone, from the Bass 400+ description in their catalog:

The essential ingredients of great bass tone are Pitch, Punch and Power. Pitch, so the frequency of the note is identifiable and accurate, not the flubby rumble often heard. Punch, so the attack of each note is a precise event in time. And Power to deliver these two with authority and headroom …and to disembowel the first five rows!  :)
Title: Re: Examples of Bass jargon
Post by: TBird1958 on March 28, 2008, 10:03:51 AM

 All credit to George (Old man C)  for this:

ANGRY PIANO.........................  ;D

 The sound of a Thunderbird with all the knobs at 10 played with a pick. Helps to have an amp with a functional treble feature....
Title: Re: Examples of Bass jargon
Post by: Chris P. on March 30, 2008, 07:20:51 AM
"......."

[nothing]

Accidentally pulled my lead out of my amp in the middle of a song.


I also want to discuss smells of amps! Vox amps have a very special odour. And so do all tube amps. But Voxes smell different. My former guitar player and I think we'll buy a modeling amp if they can recreate the smells!
Title: Re: Examples of Bass jargon
Post by: Dave W on March 30, 2008, 10:15:09 AM
Chris, that distinctive Vox odor probably comes from overheating.  :D  My experience comes from old Vox guitar amps. They generally only ran two ways: extremely hot or actually bursting into flames.
Title: Re: Examples of Bass jargon
Post by: Chris P. on March 30, 2008, 11:39:56 AM
A burning amp (AC50s are known for that..) will be nice on stage:)
Title: Re: Examples of Bass jargon
Post by: TBird1958 on March 30, 2008, 11:43:29 AM
 Well,  

GK's don't make any odor when operating, but when it comes to electrical things I love the smell of HO scale electric trains..............  Ahhhh............ childhood  :D
Title: Re: Examples of Bass jargon
Post by: lowendgenerator on April 01, 2008, 02:32:24 PM
Hum - The sound of single coil pickups with poor shielding/grounding.

Buzz - The sound of excessively low action coming through the pickup.

Ping - The sound of my pick attack.

 
Title: Re: Examples of Bass jargon
Post by: angrymatt on April 03, 2008, 11:42:24 AM
Bonk -- Either a note or a measure (absolute meaning is contextual), borrowed from Paul Simonon.
Title: Re: Examples of Bass jargon
Post by: Blazer on April 03, 2008, 07:24:13 PM
The now defunct Brittish mag "Bassist" had a really funny description of a Rickenbacker's sound.

"A Rickenbacker ought to sound like an overloaden cargo ship running aground at a gravel shore."
Title: Re: Examples of Bass jargon
Post by: Chris P. on April 03, 2008, 11:53:07 PM
Wasn't it someone at the Pit who described his recorded Rickenbacker sound as 'Like playing a bass in a workshop, where's also someone repairing his Buick.'  Or something like that? I kinda like that!

Normally all those hisses and things dissapear on recordings when the drummer kicks in.
Title: Re: Examples of Bass jargon
Post by: TBird1958 on April 07, 2008, 04:13:33 PM
 I always thought my 4001 sounded like a bass banjo........  ;)
Title: Re: Examples of Bass jargon
Post by: Dave W on April 07, 2008, 06:04:03 PM
I always thought my 4001 sounded like a bass banjo........  ;)

It does, in a way.
Title: Re: Examples of Bass jargon
Post by: Basvarken on April 09, 2008, 11:19:23 PM
Knor - that is the typical sound of a bass played near the bridge. Often Jazz basses are judged on wether they have the "knor" or not. But in fact, any bass can have the knor ;)

Knor is the Dutch word for the growling noise that a pig makes. And the Dutch word for pig is varken.
The Dutch word for bass is bas
Title: Re: Examples of Bass jargon
Post by: Dave W on April 09, 2008, 11:38:04 PM
Knor is the Dutch word for the growling noise that a pig makes. And the Dutch word for pig is varken.
The Dutch word for bass is bas

Ah-ha (lightbulb in Dave's head clicks on).  :)
Title: Re: Examples of Bass jargon
Post by: Basvarken on April 09, 2008, 11:39:39 PM
Ah-ha (lightbulb in Dave's head clicks on).  :)
I can hear the click from here ;D
Title: Re: Examples of Bass jargon
Post by: Chris P. on April 10, 2008, 10:19:43 AM
Thanks for the explanation, Rob! I was wondering for years! ::)
Title: Re: Examples of Bass jargon
Post by: Barklessdog on April 10, 2008, 10:22:51 AM
Many light bulbs lit up all across the globe-

Bass Pig huh?

What about the infamous Nose Big?
Title: Re: Examples of Bass jargon
Post by: Basvarken on April 10, 2008, 11:59:11 AM
Many light bulbs lit up all across the globe-
What about the infamous Nos(e)Big?
Ask Uwe; DP mk I






btw Big is Dutch for baby pig
Title: Re: Examples of Bass jargon
Post by: Barklessdog on April 10, 2008, 12:06:18 PM
Pig nose, like the amplifier

This only gets better !

I guess I am the American Pig Dog?

(http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v104/Fenderbird/Basenjis/pigdog.jpg)


Title: Re: Examples of Bass jargon
Post by: Basvarken on April 10, 2008, 12:13:33 PM
Yeah, and my brother baptised my Ampeg V4B the Electric Love Hog! ;D
Title: Re: Examples of Bass jargon
Post by: Dave W on April 10, 2008, 04:02:41 PM
John, you never figured out Nosbig?

Ellivro Nosbig is probably turning in his grave.  ;)
Title: Re: Examples of Bass jargon
Post by: gweimer on April 10, 2008, 04:32:59 PM
Clack - the sound of aggressive playing and low action as the strings smack the fretboard.

Another term from the old pit (I think it came from Harleyyy), was describing punch as a Harley-esque roar.
Title: Re: Examples of Bass jargon
Post by: Chris P. on April 11, 2008, 01:39:46 AM
Ellivro Nosbig is probably turning in his grave.  ;)

:)

I'll gues he's in a band now up there with Eol Rednef, Derf Hcsterg and Hploda Rehcabnekcir. I hope Mij llahsraM and Sel Luap won't join them fast.
Title: Re: Examples of Bass jargon
Post by: chromium on April 11, 2008, 02:54:40 PM
REDNEF

(http://i87.photobucket.com/albums/k125/0chromium0/forums/rednef.jpg)
Title: Re: Examples of Bass jargon
Post by: gweimer on April 11, 2008, 05:54:06 PM
Excellent!
Title: Re: Examples of Bass jargon
Post by: TBird1958 on April 11, 2008, 10:38:21 PM

LMAO!!!!! :D