Bass Test songs --- my recommendations

[Kai Miller]

I think you definitely need to try something with serious acoustic bass to test hear how tight and natural the bass is. And, of course, the best acoustic bassist ever is Charles Mingus. Pick something; I haven't tested, so I don't remember what tracks are recorded well, but I could come up with a couple.

I just don't think a synth, or a distorted electric bass can tell you very much about the detail and accuracy, and even a clean electric bass lacks the shape and detail of a real acoustic bass.

EDIT: I just skimmed through the Mingus I have on hand, and the Original Faubus Fables (the one off of Charles Mingus Presents Charles Mingus, not the one off of Ah Um) has some killer bass and is pretty well-recorded.

 

[fengler]

Quote:

Originally Posted by harkamus I keep reading threads about burning in and using bass heavy music. This got me interested to post my favorite songs for either burning in or for all you other fellow bassheads. I'd also like to see other people's recommendations So...here goes. -Bass Mechanics - Deep Ass Bass song (this one is a bass test song...I don't have the frequency range, but I believe it goes quite low) -Dido - Do You Have A Little Time (right at around 2:20 there's a very low bass track) --- I use this one kind of as a benchmark. -Big Boi Intro from Outkast: Speakerboxxx cd (pretty good bass here) -Big Boi - Ghetto Musick (very fast, punchy bass) -Lil Jon - Move Bit*h (I found this one to have a lot of really loud bass) -Ying Yang Twins - Get Low -Ying Yang Twins - Salt Shaker -Ying Yang Twins - Say I Yi Yi (at about 3:50 a lot of low bass starts playing) -DJ Tiesto - Cry for Love -Rob Zombie - Reload (periodical bass bump) -Chemical Brothers - Come With Us (Galaxy Bounce???) -Tool - Flood -Avenged Sevenfold - Chapter Four -Avenged Sevenfold - Unholy Confessions -Avenged Sevenfold - Remenissions The last 3 don't have too much bass. Most of these songs are rap, but hey...you have to admit that rap songs have the most outrageous bass. There are some techno/trance songs and a *few* metal songs. Anyways, like I said, this was just to check the ability to reproduce bass in headphones. The Bass Mechanics song could probably do everything all of the other songs can do, since it's a frequency response test...but I don't enjoy listening to that one song over and over again. So, what is everyone elses track list for bass songs, be it for listening or for burning in. NOTE: I don't believe in burning in. EDIT: I don't listen to rap mainly as the list may suggest. My favorite bands are Avenged Sevenfold, Machine Head, and Linkin Park. Favorite song atm is My Immortal by Evanescence.

the gloaming by radiohead has the most bass i have ever heard in a song.

 

[Ttvetjanu]

Mr Oizo is good especially flatbeat.

Infected Mushroom - Psycho is excellent for impact. (do it with some Grado's)

 

[ComfyCan]

I really don't know anything about bass testing, but if you want to hear bass, cue up anything from Bachman Turner Overdrive; it's all bass.

It was fun stuff in 1975 or thereabouts. I'm not sure I could even stand to listen to it now, but perhaps I'll give it a shot for old times sake.

 

[digitalmind]

Audio bullys - Struck by the sound.

During the trumpet solo, there's an extremely deep and long bass line, repeated quite a number of times. It goes very, very deep. Really great stuff on the DT770. Should be a good test for any headphone/speaker.

 

[Enverxis]

Disembowelment - A Burial at Ornans (bass control)
Kittie - Trippin' (bass slam)
Diana Krall - Temptation (bass warmth, tightness)
Tchaikovsy 1812 Overture (yeah the one with the cannons) (Depth)

 

[Glod]

Bass impact needs to be snappy and focused, but I also value a good texture of bass tones. Take the classical double-bass, especially in large concert-halls, when the bows are drawn over the strings, you would like to hear that crisp rasp as well. Then, when the sound travels out in the hall, you would like to hear a natural, well defined, airy decay of the notes too. Difficult to get right in audio reproduction.

Timpani's are also difficult to reproduce IMO. Not only the obvious staccato, but also the low level roll. One of many examples of such is in The Swan of Tounela by Sibelius. You hear it as a distant rumble and it easily becomes woolly and slow. I often use that piece when tweaking my system or rolling tubes.

 

[Duggeh]

Azzido Da Bass - Dooms Night

 

[MaceWinnfield]

If you want amazing bass check out pretty much anything e-40 does. Like this

E-40 - Tell Me When to Go and Muscle Cars

 

[kurumaya]

Quote:

Originally Posted by stuartr Try Massive Attack, Mezzanine...it has some seriously deep bass.

Seconded.
Also Underworld's 'Riverof Bass' is what is says it is - a multilayered, textured bass trip...

Also, anything featuring Tony Levin's Chapman stick, try World Diary for starters.