Contrabass
aggressive
“It is capable of producing melodious or aggressive effects with equal ease.” Blatter, 1997, p. 68 (technique: G string)
bland
“The A string has more buzz to it but is still quite ponderous and a trifle bland.” Blatter, 1997, p. 67–68 (technique: A string)
bright
“Their lower register is dark, almost ominous, in quality, while the upper two strings are somewhat clearer and brighter in color.” Kennan and Grantham, 2002, p. 28 (technique: upper two strings)
buzz
“The A string has more buzz to it but is still quite ponderous and a trifle bland.” Blatter, 1997, p. 67–68 (technique: A string)
clear
“Their lower register is dark, almost ominous, in quality, while the upper two strings are somewhat clearer and brighter in color." Kennan and Grantham, 2002, p. 28 (technique: upper two strings)
dark
“The E String is very dark and somber.” Blatter, 1997, p. 67 (technique: E string)
dark
"Their lower register is dark, almost ominous, in quality, while the upper two strings are somewhat clearer and brighter in color." Kennan and Grantham, 2002, p. 28
distant
"Double-bass solos sound thin and distant, as can be heard in the opening measures of the second movement of Mahler's Symphony No. 1.” Adler, 2002, p. 84 (from Mahler Symphony No. 1 opening of 2nd movement)
dry
"Their tone tends to be a bit dry and lacking in focus, and they do not have the espressivo possibilities of the cellos." Kennan and Grantham, 2002, p. 28
dull
“The tone is a little dull and foreboding.” Blatter, 1997, p. 67 (technique: E string)
foreboding
“The tone is a little dull and foreboding.” Blatter, 1997, p. 67 (technique: E string)
full
“Due to the length and thickness of the strings and the resonance of the large body, the pizzicatos are warm, full, and well sustained.åÊ Blatter, 1997, p. 69 (technique: Pizzicato)
fuzzy
"Though rapid running passages are possible, they should not be too long or too frequent. Besides being strenuous for the player, they are apt to sound fuzzy and unsatisfactory." Kennan and Grantham, 2002, p. 28
gravelly
“By keeping the tessitura lower, in the range of the middle strings, Saint-Saens obtains a gravelly, tubby sound for ‘The Elephant’ from Carnival of the Animals.” Blatter, 1997, p. 70 (instrumental register: low)
humorous
"Starting in the later nineteenth century, solo bass passages or section solos were used for lugubrious or humorous effects." Adler, 2002, p. 123
incisive
"It has more incisiveness, more sense of definite pitch, in its upper and medium registers." Kennan and Grantham, 2002, p. 27 (instrumental register: middle and high)
intense
“It illustrates well the powerful intensity of the middle-upper range of these instruments.” Blatter, 1997, p. 71 (instrumental register: middle)
loud
“On the other hand, a group or section of basses, such as in the trio of the third movement of Beethoven's Symphony No. 5, can sound quite loud and raucous." Adler, 2002, p. 84
low
“Multiple stops are seldom called for in orchestral double bass parts, if only because few musical situations lend themselves to the very low, thick sounds that result." Kennan and Grantham, 2002, p. 28
lugubrious
“Starting in the later nineteenth century, solo bass passages or section solos were used for lugubrious or humorous effects." Adler, 2002, p. 123
mellow
“The D string is much more mellow, reedy and rich.” Blatter, 1997, p. 68 (technique: D string)
melodious
“It is capable of producing melodious or aggressive effects with equal ease.” Blatter, 1997, p. 68 (technique: G string)
muddy
“Some of Beethoven's passages for the bass section sound muddied, particularly when played by the larger orchestra of today; conductors have taken liberties to ameliorate this peculiar but natural acoustic phenomenon, as in the following example." Adler, 2002, p. 84
ominous
“Their lower register is dark, almost ominous, in quality, while the upper two strings are somewhat clearer and brighter in color." Kennan and Grantham, 2002, p. 28
ponderous
“The A string has more buzz to it but is still quite ponderous and a trifle bland.” Blatter, 1997, pp. 67-68 (technique: A string)
powerful
“It illustrates well the powerful intensity of the middle-upper range of these instruments.” Blatter, 1997, p. 71 (instrumental register: middle)
raucous
“On the other hand, a group or section of basses, such as in the trio of the third movement of Beethoven's Symphony No. 5, can sound quite loud and raucous." Adler, 2002, p. 84
reedy
“The D string is much more mellow, reedy and rich.” Blatter, 1997, p. 68 (technique: D string)
rich
“The D string is much more mellow, reedy and rich.” Blatter, 1997, p, 68 (technique: D string)
rich
“The highest string, the G, has a very rich quality and a larger range of expressive characteristics.” Blatter, 1997, p. 68 (technique: G string)
somber
“The E String is very dark and somber.” Blatter, 1997, p. 67 (technique: E string)
thick
“Multiple stops are seldom called for in orchestral double bass parts, if only because few musical situations lend themselves to the very low, thick sounds that result." Kennan and Grantham, 2002, p. 28
thin
“Double-bass solos sound thin and distant, as can be heard in the opening measures of the second movement of Mahler's Symphony No. 1." Adler, 2002, p. 84 (from Mahler Symphony No. 1 opening of 2nd movement.)
tubby
“By keeping the tessitura lower, in the range of the middle strings, Saint-Saens obtains a gravelly, tubby sound for ‘The Elephant’ from Carnival of the Animals.” Blatter, 1997, p. 70 (instrumental register: low)
warm
“Due to the length and thickness of the strings and the resonance of the large body, the pizzicatos are warm, full, and well sustained.” Blatter, 1997, p. 69 (technique: Pizzicato)
whisper
“The double bass uses a mute less often than the other stringed instruments because the unmuted bass tone can be reduced to a whisper and can be made to blend fairly well with the other strings muted." Kennan and Grantham, 2002, p. 65
