What is 'growl' ...

[4Mal]

and how does it relate to a pickup ?

Is growl distortion ?
is is a tonal characteristic ?
(like upper mid range that helps to cut through a dense mix)

Does is relate to 'punch' ?
(you know like the opposite of the very polite, or compressed take your pick, Bartolini thing...)

So what the heck do you all mean when you write the word ?

 

[FrizzleFry]

For me Even though I don't own one, Would be a MM Stingray, that thing has plenty of "growl"

 

[Wespe]

A Precision with rounds.

 

[Trevorus]

My Jazz bass, SS strings and EMG JV pcikups.

 

[NKUSigEp]

and how does it relate to a pickup ?

Is growl distortion ?
is is a tonal characteristic ?
(like upper mid range that helps to cut through a dense mix)

Does is relate to 'punch' ?
(you know like the opposite of the very polite, or compressed take your pick, Bartolini thing...)

So what the heck do you all mean when you write the word ?

"Growl" is a subjective term and means different things for different people - to me, it's the natural overdriven-like sound a bass produces without any effects or excessive EQ-ing. Certain woods enhance certain frequencies that emphasize this characteristic. The best examples are Warwicks and Spectors. The combination of woods, pickups, hardware, and strings produces a natural sound that kinda sounds like the low-pitched growl of a lion.

Just my three cents.

 

[Basshole]

This should be a sticky...

THIS is growl:



...and no, he's not really playing an upright on the recording. He's playing a Warwick Dolphin 5 fretless.

 

[#include <MK>]

It's subjective alright, LOL. I laugh every time I come across that, because the descriptions either contradict one another or just don't make any sense. Maybe it's better to just point to a sound clip.

 

[GeddyisGod]

Always loved that song.

 

[Basshole]

Yeah, that's my go-to answer for "what is growl?". Otherwise, you get into deep, subjective arguments about what is and isn't...but you know it when you hear it.

...And THAT'S IT.

 

[elpelotero]

growl:

 

[OtterOnBass]

Seems like growl is simply undulation. Similar to vibrato in singing, albeit a fast vibrato. I would also venture to guess that the undulation takes place at different pitches on different basses. My bass seems to have the most growl when I play low a to low d. That fishbone clip had some seriously low growl.

That's my theory.

 

[DeanT]

If you played a P-bass you wouldn't have to ask that question.

 

[JonathanD]

i have not played a P-bass. But I would say that an EBMM is growl. Dig in just a little. I am finding that I don't need a tube amp, I just need a stingray.
Jonathan

 

[4Mal]

This should be a sticky...

THIS is growl:



...and no, he's not really playing an upright on the recording. He's playing a Warwick Dolphin 5 fretless.

Interesting - In my trio setting, I use a similar tone - but with more bottom to it as a solo tone. I neeed the extra bottom as without it the body kinda falls outta the band. JB rear pickup full on, neck at about 1/2, rounds, roll the tone back a bit and there ya go. I tend to think of that as the 'jaco tone' as it'a one of those he used. The fishbone guy is using some OD (ain't nothing 'natural' about bass OD in my rig BTW) that I wouldn't bother with but tonally it's a nuance away... to me that's a very 80's kinda tone. Pino used it, the guy from Robert Palmers's band (Every kind a People)...

Well that wasn't what I expected at all.

If you played a P-bass you wouldn't have to ask that question.

So Mr smug. Duck Dunn has 'growl' ? Conrad Lozano ? Paul Jackson ? Geo Porter Jr ?

There are a pair of P / J's in my stable by the way... passives.

 

[Mr Matt]

Geddy growl...

 

[rduckwor]

Seems like growl is simply undulation. Similar to vibrato in singing, albeit a fast vibrato. I would also venture to guess that the undulation takes place at different pitches on different basses. My bass seems to have the most growl when I play low a to low d. That fishbone clip had some seriously low growl.

That's my theory.

To me "growl" is the result of a subharmonic that seems to very rapidly destructively interfere with the primary pitch you are playing at that moment. It sort of breaks up the smooth sound a non-growling note would make and tends to make it sound rough and aggressive. PB and JB are famous for having growl in spades. To me, the MM axes are more treble biased and clanky though that sounds great in some music.

 

[rockwarnick]

To me "growl" is the result of a subharmonic that seems to very rapidly destructively interfere with the primary pitch you are playing at that moment. It sort of breaks up the smooth sound a non-growling note would make and tends to make it sound rough and aggressive. PB and JB are famous for having growl in spades. To me, the MM axes are more treble biased and clanky though that sounds great in some music.

we may have a winner...

 

[PaulMacCnj]

Growl really is subjective. I have a P-bass and never think of it as a bass that growls. It Thumps! Now, the Fender Jazz is a perfect example of a bass that growls in the low end. Spectors growl in the midrange. Warwicks (especially the Corvette) growl in a mix of the midrange and low end.

 

[CapeBass]

To me growl is putting the bass on 10, the treble on 10, and the mids on 0. Punchy kind of growl. That's my typical EQ setting.

 

[fretman4god]

yeah, my warwick corvette has a lower midrange growl on most notes, but when you get to the low B it just purrs, reminiscent of some gospel bass.