Neuroscience explains why bass is a rhythm instrument.

[Crater]

The easy-to-read news story:

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The actual paper, published in Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences:

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[DreamError]

"They found that the auditory nerve responded more to the timing errors of the lower-pitched tones than to the errors of the higher-pitched tones."

All the more reason to make sure you're the best around at keeping time

 

[bongostealth]

Nothing like bass!

 

[Tupac]

There needs to be more neuroscientific studies done on things related to timing. We know absolutely nothing about it. The Wikipedia page on it has a measly two paragraphs on timing from the perspective of the musician playing!

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Cognitive_neuroscience_of_music

 

[ggunn]

"They found that the auditory nerve responded more to the timing errors of the lower-pitched tones than to the errors of the higher-pitched tones."

All the more reason to make sure you're the best around at keeping time

Well, duh. Anyone who (like yours truly) has switched or expanded from guitar to bass is painfully aware of how much slop you can get away with, rhythmically speaking, on guitar that you absolutely cannot on bass.

 

[SanDiegoHarry]

I like science.

 

[Rockin Mike]

And I thought it was because we evolved to pay more attention to the low thud of approaching dinosaur footsteps, and less attention to chirping birds.

 

[Clef_de_fa]

What about double bass solo pieces ? Their studies only works on our simplified rock music system of putting drum in charge of rythm, bass in the middle guitar on top ...

 

[nukes_da_bass]

And I thought it was because we evolved to pay more attention to the low thud of approaching dinosaur footsteps, and less attention to chirping birds.

Humans were not around when the dinosaurs were.
This is not to say it wasn't dangerous 150,000 years ago.

 

[chungweishan]

So in theory, your metronome should be playing lower bass sounds than the high pitched annoying click. Science.

It's not surprising though, and obviously extends more than just bass guitar. The kick drum. The low bass sounds when listening to electronica music through sub woofers.

This is why my drummer drives me nuts when he plays too much kick drum on every song regardless of genre. His excuse is "I'm a melodic drummer." Otherwise known as not enough motor-skills control. My explanation was, "You're killing the groove. You need to give the music space with a defined rhythm, or you'll fatigue the audience was constant noise."

 

[Rockin Mike]

Humans were not around when the dinosaurs were.
This is not to say it wasn't dangerous 150,000 years ago.

Captain Obvious, you are my hero!

 

[mstillman]

Humans were not around when the dinosaurs were.

This point (unfortunately) cannot be overstated to today's youth, and many adults as well.