Lowest of the Low

Hi.

It's something that you feel to your bones: something that vibrates through your cartilage, tendons, and muscles - that makes your adipose tissue hum. Slow and lumbering, yet somehow essential, it adds the extra layer of depth and just depth in general.

It's the lowest of the low, the lowest of low registers.

Now I realize that I have already mentioned my adoration of the lower register when it comes to male voices (Mr. Quincy, Short and Sweet), but really this fascination spreads to more: in both instrumental and vocal forms.

Why the "obsession"? I can't really put my finger on it. I could mention how I love how low frequencies travel such distances that we can't really comprehend due to the limited range of our audio receptors in our inner ear. I mean it's quite frankly amazing how the largest animals on the earth communicate across acres of distance using the power of low frequency sound waves (granted it is in part due to the size of their vocal chords...).

I could tell you that it's because I think the bass line has a vital role to all music. Maybe what it really is, is that I like the way you can not only hear, but feel the notes in the bass clef. Frankly I know from experience. Being part of the "lower" section in the orchestra/wind ensemble does provide you with that sort of proof (bass clarinet was my forte). By playing those instruments, you feel the vibrations from it through your hands and finger tips through the music. Which is probably why I wish that I could have learned cello or the string bass. Both have the capacity for the lower register. My only reason for preference for the cello is probably the size (I don't have very large hands) and its capacity to act as both a harmonic and primary instrument (i.e. can play both harmony and a lower melodic line). Also helps that you play it sitting with it in the embrace of your body, so you really get to feel its hum ^_^.

But is that really all? Maybe it's the fact that it is the base of harmony with the melodic line that carries it along with the beat. It's a fact from music all the way back in classical times. There is proof in both classical and current music.

Having learned piano since I was 4.5 years of age, I can attest to the great classical composers using the bass line for that very purpose. Be it Beethoven or Chopin or Hayden - well basically all of them, despite flirting with a lower melodic line, the notes played below middle C hold the basis for the chords in a piece. They in fact help set the tone of the theme of a composition (ok, here I start talking about piano specifically even though these composers also composed for symphonic orchestras but I've only played their pieces with relation to piano ^_^). Why do you think they put those chords in the bass clef, both moving and sustained? Well, it acts as the lower timber instruments of an orchestra and highlights the melody.

Same goes for classic jazz. Why do you think I would love to learn how to play the string bass? In some songs, there is but a string bass and a drum set supporting a lead singer. Think about it, that's a pretty powerful role to play. I feel the same way about the bass guitar ^_^ (Maybe that's why I'm always more attracted to the bass player than the more famous lead singer/guitarist :P). An awesome bass line equals an awesome song in my eyes (ex: 0:25-0:40 of this song  http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kl6Ery4Q_uE ).

Of course that's probably why I like lower register voices. Aside from their bass-ness, there is actually something quite fascinating about a set of vocal chords that can make that low of a sound. I mean, really, seriously, legitimately, awe-inspiring-ly awesome about that.


So I leave you with an a Capella cover that has me a little in love with the bass singer :P :
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hOKuAigsrec

Here's a cover I actually prefer over the one above. I highly recommend listening to this version:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=d9NF2edxy-M


And of course the original:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rKzgBViHUyY&feature=related