Bass part 3: Sub bass, 808s, bass solutions, situations, and decisions

There are countless examples of how bass the instrument and the frequency has shaped music. For a lot of people bass is their favorite part. Here are a list of examples and definitions of notable specific bass examples in music.

1. T.I. – What You Know – DJ Toomp - 2006

2. Dua Lipa – Don’t Start Now – Ian Kirkpatrick - 2020

3. Janet Jackson – Rhythm Nation - Terry Lewis (bass/percussion), Chris Brown (bass), and Jimmy Jam (synth-bass/keyboards) low-end production. - 1989

4. Korn – Got the Life - Reginald "Fieldy" Arvizu - 1998

5. Future – Commas - Southside and DJ Spinz – 2014 - 2015

6. Kendrick Lamar – Euphoria - Cardo and Kyuro, Sounwave, Johnny Juliano, and Yung Exclusive - 2024

7. Kendrick Lamar – m.A.A.d city - Dr. Dre and Anthony "Top Dawg" Tiffith - 2012

8. Prince – When Doves Cry – Prince - 1984

9. Hudson East – Dark Knight - Rascal, Scoop, Hudson East - 2016

10. Wondagurl – Rokit6 – Wondagurl - 2016

11. Estrada – Esta Noche Que Salí – Estrada - 2023

12. Digital Underground – The Humpty Dance - 1990

13. Rage Against the Machine – Testify – Tim Commerford - 2000

14. James Blake – Limit To Your Love – James Blake - 2010

15. Sade – Cherish the Day (Lovers Live) - Paul Spencer Denman – 1993

Sub bass definition: Sub-bass refers to the lowest audible frequencies in music and sound design, typically ranging from roughly 20 Hz to 60–80 Hz. These frequencies are felt as a physical, rumbling vibration in the body rather than heard clearly, often anchoring a track’s depth and power in genres like hip-hop, dubstep, and cinema.

808 definition: An "808" primarily refers to the Roland TR-808, an iconic early-1980s drum machine renowned for its deep, booming bass kick drum. It is a foundational sound in hip-hop, trap, and electronic music, often used synonymously with heavy sub-bass lines.

1. Royal procession style bass blast (synth)

2. Disco style bass break (bass guitar)

3. Tech breaking bass glitch (synth)

4. Metal disco bass line (bass guitar)

5. Bass sound that shaped Atlanta sound (synth)

6. Commanding bass drop on the 1 (synth)

7. Massive california sound (synth)

8. Famous for Prince taking the bass line out last minute (-)

9. UK style gliding bass (synth)

10. Mastermind behind the Canada sound (synth)

11. Inventor of Foogaze (bass guitar)

12. One of the most interesting bass lines of all time (synth)

13. All the way up and then all the way down (bass guitar)

14. Extremely low-frequency rumble (synth)

15. Out of nowhere groove (bass guitar)

Check out this video about this Janet Jackson bassline became a problem for a bit and how it was fixed.

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Use these examples to inspire you. See you next week.