Compiling a "tone directory" (or something)

[KingRazor]

I think something that would be really nice for talkbass would be to compile a list of the different terms used to describe tone and explain them using examples.

It would go something like this: We have the term "warm". There would be a brief "definition" of the term and an example of how it sounds. Then, we would have it's opposite, which many would consider "bright" and do the same. Then continue to do this with other terms, always countering by listing their polar opposite. I'm looking for extreme examples here, the example for warm shouldn't be bright at all, the example for bright should be REALLY bright, that way people get the idea.

I did an experiment one time by playing a bass that was considered very bright and a bass that was considered very dark, it wasn't until I played them side by side that I really began to understand what those terms meant.

Obviously, these terms are all subjective. But there's no way they'd be used so heavily in the music industry if there wasn't some sort of consensus on how they sounded.

I'd avoid really, really broad terms like "modern" and "vintage". Tone shouldn't be described by era IMO.

Anyone else think this would be a neat idea? I can try to come up with examples but I'd prefer to leave it to people that are more familiar with these terms.

Examples of some terms to define:

Warm
Bright
Punchy
Boomy
Grindy
Hollow
Fat
Smooth
Muddy
Clear
Smooth

[FunkMetalBass]

I vote, instead, that people stop using arbitrary tonal descriptions. Nobody will agree (ever) on a concise definition of muddy, warm, growly, etc. However, nobody can disagree with the definition of "a slight bump around 1.2kHz" or "very prominent low-mids" (<- this one is pushing it, but it still gives an of what the frequencies would look like if charted).

[c_thur]

http://www.talkbass.com/wiki/index.p..._Tone_Glossary

[KingRazor]

Originally Posted by c_thur

http://www.talkbass.com/wiki/index.p..._Tone_Glossary

Wow thanks for this!

btw Funk I do agree, but even the big companies use those terms and I don't think that's ever going to stop.