basse

Definition of the French term basse in music:

bass (the lowest male voice type with an approximate range of E2 to C4)
bass (the lowest member of an instrument family, though some traditions further distinguish between lower-pitched members such as great bass, contrabass, and sub-contrabass)
bass (the lowest part in four-part harmony)
bass guitar (string instrument)
double bass (string instrument)
bass (the lower part of the frequency spectrum
low
bass pipe (of an organ)
(obsolete meaning) soft (about a sound)

Language

French

Singular

basse

Plural

basses

Abbreviation

B.

Alt. abbreviations

Bs.Bass.

Synonyms

(4) guitare basse(5) contrebasse(7) bas(9) bas

French musical terms that include basse:

avec la basse continue – with the thoroughbass
basse à pistons – euphonium
basse acoustique – acoustic bass guitar...
basse chantante – singing bass (operatic bass voice with a lyrical, ...
basse chiffrée – figured bass
basse continue – thoroughbass
basse contrainte – ground bass
basse d'Alberti – Alberti bass (accompaniment figure based on broken...
basse d'harmonie – ophicleide (family of keyed brass instruments)
basse danse – basse danse (slow court dance in 6/4 or 3/2 time p...
basse de caractère – operatic bass voice type
basse de cromorne – bass cromorne (woodwind instrument used in the ear...
basse de hautbois – bass cromorne (woodwind instrument used in the ear...
basse de viole – bass viol (bass viola da gamba)
basse de violon – bass violin
basse électrique – electric bass guitar
basse figurée – figured bass
basse fondamentale – fundamental bass (term used by Jean-Philippe Ramea...
basse fretless – fretless bass guitar
basse noble – noble bass (very low operatic bass voice with a de...
basse obstinée – basso ostinato, ground bass (short recurring melod...
basse profonde – deep bass (very low operatic bass voice with a dee...
basse récitante – solo bass...
basse semi-acoustique – semi-acoustic bass guitar
basse solo – bass singer solo...
basse-bouffe – comic bass (operatic bass voice used for humorous ...
basse-contre – very deep bass voice...
basse-taille – low tenor (the lowest tenor voice, equivalent to a...
chalemie basse – bass shawm
chalemie grande basse – great bass shawm
chalumeau basse – bass chalumeau
clarinette basse – bass clarinet
clarinette basse en Si♭ – bass clarinet in B-flat
clef de basse – bass clef (F-clef placing F3 on the fourth line of...
cornamuse basse – bass cornamuse (double reed wind instrument)
cornamuse grande basse – great bass cornamuse (double reed wind instrument)
flûte à bec basse – bass recorder (recorder whose lowest note is F3)
flûte à bec basse en do – great bass recorder (recorder whose lowest note is...
flûte à bec grande basse – great bass recorder (recorder whose lowest note is...
flûte basse – bass flute...
flûte douce basse – bass recorder (recorder whose lowest note is F3)
flûte douce basse en do – great bass recorder (recorder whose lowest note is...
flûte douce grande basse – great bass recorder (recorder whose lowest note is...
grande basse de viole de gambe – great bass viol (sometimes also called violone in ...
guitare basse – bass guitar
harmonica basse – bass harmonica
marimba basse – bass marimba
sarrussophone basse – bass sarrusophone
saxhorn basse – bass saxhorn (equivalent to the modern euphonium)
saxhorn basse en Mi♭ – bass saxhorn in E-flat (equivalent to the modern E...
saxhorn basse en Si♭ – bass saxhorn in Bb-flat (equivalent to the modern ...
saxophone basse – bass saxophone
sheng basse – bass sheng
tom basse – floor tom, low tom
tournebout basse – bass crumhorn
tournebout grande basse – great bass crumhorn
trombone basse – bass trombone
trompette basse – bass trumpet
tuba basse – bass tuba
viole de gambe basse – bass viol (bass viola da gamba)
violon-basse – violone (term used for several large instruments i...

Music scores that include basse:

Charles-Marie Widor: Organ Symphony No. 5 (1901) Page 1
Gabriel Fauré: Madrigal (1883) Page 1
Gabriel Fauré: Pavane (1887) Page 1
Hector Berlioz: Grande messe des morts (1837) Page 1
Hector Berlioz: Vox populi (1849) Page 1

French musical terms related to basse:

alto – viola (string instrument)...
baryton – baritone (male voice type pitched between tenor an...
contralto – contralto (the lowest female voice type with an ap...
contreténor – countertenor (the highest male voice type with an ...
mezzo-soprano – mezzo-soprano (female voice type pitched between s...
soprano – soprano (the highest female voice type with an app...
ténor – tenor (the highest standard male voice type with a...

Combinations

Musical examples

Related terms