arthurhenry Posted January 29, 2017 Share Posted January 29, 2017 Have you noticed how writers seem to struggle with adjectives and superlatives for bass players. I've often read the likes of "The screaming vocals of Robert Plant, the pounding, foundation laying drums of John Bonham, the face melting guitar of Jimmy Page and John Paul Jones on bass." What suggestions do you have? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Painy Posted January 29, 2017 Share Posted January 29, 2017 I've read a description of Cliff Burton's playing where he was said to have had a "volcanic bass technique". Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
T-Bay Posted January 29, 2017 Share Posted January 29, 2017 Earth shattering, earthquake inducing, borderline brown noise, wall wobblingly loud, bowel accident inducing, Ok so not all of these were serious but..... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JoeEvans Posted January 29, 2017 Share Posted January 29, 2017 Rock solid and muscular? Lithe and propulsive? Relaxed and infectious? Dark and powerful? Deep and throbbing? Spacious and gnomic? Driving and relentless? Quick and quizzical? Warm and expressive? Depends which bass player you're talking about... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Cato Posted January 29, 2017 Share Posted January 29, 2017 I've always liked 'trouser flapping' as a descriptor for bass. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Cosmo Valdemar Posted January 29, 2017 Share Posted January 29, 2017 The lazy journalistic term is usually 'thumping'. Homer Simpson's 'bong-rattling' was always a good one! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Nicko Posted January 29, 2017 Share Posted January 29, 2017 Solid - mine Funky - Flea Hypnotic - Jah Wobble Crass - Geddy Intricate - Entwistle Overrated - see various other threads Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Davo-London Posted February 3, 2017 Share Posted February 3, 2017 [list] [*]orgasmic [*]hypnotic [*]body-moving [*]oh-yes-that's-the-spot [/list] Davo Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
spongebob Posted February 3, 2017 Share Posted February 3, 2017 (edited) Sorry - posted in error, please delete! Edited February 3, 2017 by spongebob Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
TheGreek Posted February 3, 2017 Share Posted February 3, 2017 [quote name='spongebob' timestamp='1486126027' post='3229409'] Sorry - posted in error, please delete! [/quote] Not words that I would have used but, hey, thanks for taking part.. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Geek99 Posted February 3, 2017 Share Posted February 3, 2017 in my case, compared to the other instruments at OM night, fat enough to be sliced up and served with a napkin and some chitchat Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JapanAxe Posted February 3, 2017 Share Posted February 3, 2017 Hefty? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
KK Jale Posted February 3, 2017 Share Posted February 3, 2017 My bass playing was once reviewed as "...the soulful pulse of...". It became my nickname for ages. My bandmates were merciless Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
HengistPod Posted February 3, 2017 Share Posted February 3, 2017 +1 for trouser-flapping. It was how I always described my sound when I had a 2x15 sitting horizontally on the floor with a Trace 4x10 on top of it. There's nothing like moving air. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Nicko Posted February 3, 2017 Share Posted February 3, 2017 [quote name='HengistPod' timestamp='1486135805' post='3229529'] +1 for trouser-flapping. It was how I always described my sound when I had a 2x15 sitting horizontally on the floor with a Trace 4x10 on top of it. There's nothing like moving air. [/quote] That adjective is used for something else in my house Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
skb558 Posted February 4, 2017 Share Posted February 4, 2017 [quote name='Geek99' timestamp='1486131348' post='3229477'] in my case, compared to the other instruments at OM night, fat enough to be sliced up and served with a napkin and some chitchat [/quote] Perfect! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Grahambythesea Posted February 4, 2017 Share Posted February 4, 2017 Who needs adjectives? Take us away and there's a chasmic hole in the sound! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
scalpy Posted February 4, 2017 Share Posted February 4, 2017 Buttery biscuit Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Oopsdabassist Posted February 4, 2017 Share Posted February 4, 2017 (edited) [quote name='JoeEvans' timestamp='1485686521' post='3225749'] Rock solid and muscular? Lithe and propulsive? Relaxed and infectious? Dark and powerful? Deep and throbbing? Spacious and gnomic? Driving and relentless? Quick and quizzical? Warm and expressive? Depends which bass player you're talking about... [/quote] Gnomic? GNOMIC?? What the spong does that even mean?? I mean..a gnome playing bass, does he run up and the the fretboard or what? Edited February 4, 2017 by Oopsdabassist Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ashweb Posted February 4, 2017 Share Posted February 4, 2017 [attachment=237404:StLouisGnome.jpg] Maybe there's two gnomes, right hand gnome to strike the strings and left hand gnome to run up and down the fret board? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JoeEvans Posted February 4, 2017 Share Posted February 4, 2017 [font=arial,helvetica,sans-serif][size=4]Gnomic:[/size][/font] [font=arial,helvetica,sans-serif][size=4]1. Expressed [color=#2A2A2A]in or of the nature of short, pithy maxims or aphorisms[/color][/size][/font] [font=arial,helvetica,sans-serif][size=4][color=#2A2A2A]2. [/color][color=#2A2A2A]Difficult to understand because enigmatic or ambiguous[/color][/size][/font] Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
anDy LAKIN Posted February 4, 2017 Share Posted February 4, 2017 rhythmic and funky Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SpondonBassed Posted February 4, 2017 Share Posted February 4, 2017 [quote name='JapanAxe' timestamp='1486131424' post='3229480'] Hefty? [/quote] Since you ask, phat and hefty should do for a guess. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SpondonBassed Posted February 4, 2017 Share Posted February 4, 2017 [quote name='scalpy' timestamp='1486230970' post='3230235'] Buttery biscuit [/quote] Oh yes! http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=IfeyUGZt8nk Crikey, that's five years old now. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SpondonBassed Posted February 4, 2017 Share Posted February 4, 2017 [quote name='Oopsdabassist' timestamp='1486232736' post='3230258'] Gnomic? GNOMIC?? What the spong does that even mean?? [/quote] What's a "spong"? I can understand someone playing in the style of a gnome but seriously wtf? Heeheehee Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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