bass drop

English

Pronunciation

• Rhymes: -ɒp

Noun

bass drop (plural bass drops)

1. (music) A pause in the percussion, followed by a reintroduction of drums accompanied by a heavy bass line.
   • 1999, Peter Shapiro, Drum 'n' Bass: The Rough Guide, →ISBN:

     Based around a wailing diva and a bass drop that had the emotional weight of a Detroit synth wash, "Remember the Roller" proved that you could be just as expressive with rhythmic elements as you could with keyboards.

   • 2013, Chuk Moran, Superactually: Micro-Essays on Post-Ironic Life, →ISBN:

     There's no way to build to a peak except to get quiet first, and after each breakdown comes another bass drop.

   • 2016, CTI Reviews, Photography, A Cultural History, →ISBN:

     In metalcore subgenres, bass drops are often utilized under the first chord of a breakdown, to emphasize the breakdown and give it a presence. A bass drop in this genre can be created by the bass, mostly known by a slide, or the drums, with an electronic pad.

   • 2017, Tom Perchard, From Soul to Hip Hop, →ISBN:

     The bass drop—like the tonic cadence in tonal music—has become a convention of the style.

Related terms

• drop the bass