Meaning & use
bass line
Last updated
Meanings
nouncountablemusic
The sequence of low-pitched notes played by a bass instrument in a piece of music.
Grammar: Countable: you can say 'a bass line' or 'the bass lines'.
Patterns
- play a bass line
- a catchy bass line
- the bass line of a song
The bass line in that song is so simple but so effective.
He practiced the bass line until he could play it without looking at the music.
A good bass line makes people want to dance.
nouncountablemusic
The lowest part in a piece of classical music, often played by cellos or double basses.
Grammar: Countable: often used with 'the' when referring to a specific part.
Patterns
- the bass line
- a moving bass line
In this symphony, the bass line is played by the cellos.
The composer wrote a beautiful bass line for the lower strings.
Word forms
| plural | bass lines |
|---|
Common combinations
- play a bass line
- The bassist played a funky bass line.
- a catchy bass line
- That catchy bass line stayed in my head all day.
- a walking bass line
- Jazz often features a walking bass line.
- the bass line of a song
- I love the bass line of this song.
Synonyms and how they differ
- bass part
- A more general term that can refer to the written music for the bass, not just the notes played.
- bass
- Can mean the low-frequency sound or the instrument, but not specifically the line of notes.
Word family
Commonly confused: bass line or base line?
bass line vs base line
A 'base line' is a line used as a base or starting point, especially in baseball or surveying. 'Bass line' is only for music.
Practice
Which sentence uses 'bass line' correctly?
Choose one answer.
A bass line is a low-pitched musical part, so it can be loud and make things shake. The other options confuse 'bass' with 'base' or use it in non-musical contexts.
Make it your own
Write a sentence using “bass line”, then check it and compare it with the examples above.