It's all about the octave!

[bassmonkey]

What is it that makes that interval so funky?

I'm currently working on the Chaka Khan track "Ain't Nobody" for a wedding gig my band has in July. Now it's a synth bass part, I know,(thankyou BP and the gang for making such fine 5-stringers) and is heavily syncopated, but a lot of what makes it groove is the octaves. So it got me thinking about a lot of other groove orientated bass lines, and there is often an octave thing going on. But why so groovy.

Come on, clever forumites, answer my conundrum.

 

[adouglas]

The octave is there precisely because it sounds good...it's built into your brain to respond well to that interval.

It's widely known that even-order harmonics (like the octave) are more pleasing to the ear than odd-order harmonics, which is exactly why overdriven tube amps sound good...they emphasize even-order harmonics. Check this out for a little bit on that:

EQ Magazine - Do We Dig Distortion?

Different cultures have different scales with different intervals, but AFAIK all of them still repeat at the octave. I may be completely wrong about that, though.

 

[Psycho Ward]

Octaves are fine as long as it doesn’t make me go into uncharted territory, you know, past the 5th fret.

 

[slucas]

Considering your side of attack, would that be the 17th fret for the rest of us Chuck OK, maybe not

 

[bassmonkey]

Wow! Replies! I thought this thread would sink faster than a sinking thing!

adouglas-I never knew that about even order harmonics. Interesting concept.

 

[MrMusashi]

hehe.. they sound good cause its easy to play
nah, i guess adouglas hit it spot on, cant add anything to that

makes me think of sex machine with our now deceased godfather. man bootsy has got his own song goin inside the rest of the song!!

MrM

 

[mike not fat]

It also sounds funky because it has been used in a lot of funk songs. So your ear is used to hear "octave = funk". But you can play octaves without sounding funky and funk without using any octaves. Maybe funk is more about rythm than about intervals. But you're right in way, putting some octaves in funk song pushes the funky feeling.

Good groove !

MNF

 

[Spectre]

Key word: Syncopation

 

[PocketGroove82]

blame funk and disco

I don't think I've ever heard a disco tune where the bass didn't bounce off the octave on just about every chord.

 

[Alz®]

Also, the timing of the octaves are usually on the off beat......which just adds to the FUNK.

 

[Mu5icM@n]

Or, if you're like me, you hook up that old Boss Octaver and then you're REALLY kicking ass with octaves! One of my basses the Octaver could track down to the low G--the whole house would be shaking when I went down there.

 

[Alvabass]

I don't think I've ever heard a disco tune where the bass didn't bounce off the octave on just about every chord.

I posted this to TalkBass yesterday and just recalled this thread. Just want to add a big +1 to the coolness of disco basslines.

 

[ExLurker]

Flea has made a living out of octaves (and a liberal dosing of fifths).

 

[Slingy]

Higher Ground is a good example. Doesn't everyone learn how to slap by playing this? It's like the Enter Sandman for slap bass.

 

[JB1]

I've always liked the octave and found it very effective. When constructing bass lines using scale patterns, it's always there if you need it!

Another example of where I think it works very well (on guitar) is 'Tell Me Baby' by RHCP.

There's a little bit after the first verse where JF plays one note, then plays (I think) 3 subsequently higher octave notes above it - sounds great.

 

[syciprider]

The octave is to funk as the flat 7 is to jazzy lines