Michael Jackson and Bass

Mister_Jay_Tee

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Why didn't MJ use booming bass in his music? I think it compliments his voice greatly, and I'm not being ironic. You just can't go wrong with it. He liked music that "hurt him", and that's how. I just find it an interesting effect.
 
Why didn't MJ use booming bass in his music? I think it compliments his voice greatly, and I'm not being ironic. You just can't go wrong with it. He liked music that "hurt him", and that's how. I just find it an interesting effect.
What exactly do you mean when you say ‘booming bass’?
 
Maybe because he wasn't doing the right kind of music. The bass (not bass guitar) you're talking about was popular in the 1980s with some types of hip hop and dance music (Miami Bass, electrofunk). Which was not music with acoustic instruments, it was mostly programming & drum machines. Also, most people didn't have the stereo equipment & speakers where that would be noticed. That was part of lowrider culture as well.
lowrider-stereos.jpg

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What exactly do you mean when you say ‘booming bass’?
Listen to Goin' Back To Cali by LL Cool J or Paul Revere by Beastie Boys or anything by DJ Magic Mike. Stuff that is usually done with the Roland TR-808. But if you don't have the right speakers, you might not hear it well and you definitely won't feel it, lol.
 
Here's a few songs with bass. Mike didn't work with producers and/or remixers who did songs with the bass sounds. Maybe the closest song that he has to being bass is 2000 Watts, the lyrics especially. Because it is talking about a stereo. Mixed a little differently 2000 Watts could have more bass sound as well.

Bass wasn't really in much mainstream Top 40 radio music just like "chopped and screwed" (DJ Screw) wasn't. A few Miami Bass songs became radio hits in the 1990s like Whoomp! There It Is, C'mon N' Ride It (The Train), & Dazzey Duks. "Miami Bass" is the music style, not the name of a group. Probably the most known Miami Bass act is 2 Live Crew. Bass music wasn't really designed for people sitting at home listening to it. It was mainly people who spent a lot of money on car stereo systems (which is where the term "boomin' system" came from) that could make the car rattle who were into bass and it was also played in clubs, danced to by breakdancers & lockers. It was used for strippers too. Because a club is generally going to have a more expensive sound system than the average person at home who might have a cheap component stereo from the department store.

Sir Mix-A-Lot - My Hooptie
L'Trimm - Cars With The Boom
Bass Patrol - King Of Bass
 
Here are some videos where it is shown what can happen with extreme bass. Which is how the bass can be felt by a person.
 
Who Is It, is probably the closest he got to having what you describe mate.
It worked brilliantly for Who Is It, but I think sometimes it can overshadow the other intricate sounds and instruments that were hidden throughout Mike's songs.
Who Is It is definitely the one, with the most boom bap bass. It really thumps. Most of Dangerous does, Jam, She Drives Me Wild, Who Is It, and Dangerous all pulse with bass. On HIStory... this time around does. 2 Bad has a little thump. And with Invincible, the Darkchild tracks do, even We've Had Enough. And 2000 Watts like what was mentioned.
 
Why didn't MJ use booming bass in his music? I think it compliments his voice greatly, and I'm not being ironic. You just can't go wrong with it. He liked music that "hurt him", and that's how. I just find it an interesting effect.
This always bothered me. I was a Drum & Bass DJ in the 90s and grew up with rave and Jungle and especially remember when 'Dangerous' was released I was very dissapointed by the lack of bass. Like the dance segment in the 'Remember the Time' video proved it sounded much better with more bass, and Teddy's work was also much rougher.. Also the demo's. I guess MJ liked music to be loud but more for the sharp sounds, like the hard-hitting snares
 
What exactly do you mean when you say ‘booming bass’?
I hope your answer was for filled and that you were satisfied with it
This always bothered me. I was a Drum & Bass DJ in the 90s
Incredible.
I am sure you got that lol

I would say she drives me wild ?? let her get away ?? :unsure: and who is it has most base .. dangerous would be his most ...bass -iest ???
you guys make some good threads just lately
 
Who Is It, is probably the closest he got to having what you describe mate
Was just gonna say this. Jam, Scream, TTA, Heartbreaker, etc.

Because a club is generally going to have a more expensive sound system than the average person at home who might have a cheap component stereo from the department store.
This is what breaks my heart. So many people missing out on getting the most enjoyment. It's safe to assume everybody here loves music. Lots of us watch videos where they deconstruct the multitracks. So why do so many people go for the cheapest equipment possible?!

Have some respect for the artists and producers. MJ literally won awards for sound quality - they're very well-recorded albums. Stop using the headphones that came free with your iPod. Why spend $3000 on CDs and streaming subscriptions if you're not also gonna spend at least a few hundred on decent equipment to play it on?
 
So why do so many people go for the cheapest equipment possible?!
Because not everybody is rich. Also a lot of people live in apartments where you can't play music really loud anyway or the people next to you or upstairs/downstairs can hear it. Even in homes, depending on the neighborhood, there are deed restrictions where loud music or painting your house certain colors is not allowed. They can fine you or make you move if you break the rules. There's also the case that most people do not care about sound or video quality. DVD still outsells Blu-ray & 4K discs put together. 4K is pretty niche, lol. Not all albums are mastered the same either, some won't sound that good no matter what you play it on.

Another reason is that if a person lives in a high crime area, buying something that costs a lot of money means that it is likely to get stolen and they've wasted their money.
 
Because not everybody is rich.
Like, you don't have to spend lots of money. Just some.

Like, instead of spending $30 on a "remastered" version of Thriller, that doesn't sound any better (actually sounds worse), you'd be better off spending $30 on some new speaker cable or something. That way, all your music will sound better.


Also a lot of people live in apartments where you can't play music really loud anyway
I didn't say anything about louder. Just better. Aim for good quality sound at low volume.

There's also the case that most people do not care about sound or video quality. DVD still outsells Blu-ray & 4K discs put together. 4K is pretty niche, lol.
Indeed. That's the really sad part. People don't seem to care.

Not all albums are mastered the same either, some won't sound that good no matter what you play it on.
But MJ albums do sound great. It's a big disrespect to listen to MJ on a phone.

Another reason is that if a person lives in a high crime area, buying something that costs a lot of money means that it is likely to get stolen and they've wasted their money.
Tell me about it. I had an Arcam Alpha CD player stolen one time.

But either way, if somebody loves music, it's a shame when they can barely hear the details in the music they love.

Why clamour for more leaked/unreleased vocals of new songs, when there are vocals on Thriller that have been there all along, that you've never heard?
 
Indeed. That's the really sad part. People don't seem to care.


But MJ albums do sound great. It's a big disrespect to listen to MJ on a phone.
Decades ago a lot of people listened to music on a transistor radio or an AM only car radio. AM is mono. Also a lot of people can't tell the difference in a cheap stereo and an audiophile one or between DVD & Blu Ray or CD & MP3.
Why clamour for more leaked/unreleased vocals of new songs, when there are vocals on Thriller that have been there all along, that you've never heard?
Only a small percentage of people care about this kind of stuff or things like non-album B-sides. The general public doesn't. There's a reason that Greatest Hits/Best Of albums are popular. With some acts like Queen, Eagles, & The Carpenters, their hits compilations sold way more than any of their regular albums. Many people are only interested in the radio songs. That's why there were 45s, people only wanted the songs they heard on the radio. So they'd buy the single. Sometimes the single version was a remix or even a re-recorded version, and if people had bought the album they wouldn't get that single version.

Even with music reaction channels. most of them are reacting to old hits because those are what most people are requesting. The ones who react to album tracks or obscure songs (or songs that weren't Top 40 pop hits but R&B/country/jazz etc. hits) don't get the same amount of views.
 
(This is probably the wrong thread to post this too but it involves the bass)
I just wanted to say I really like the bass in Speed Demon. Just listen to it.
Simple and effective. Just how I like it.
 
So why do so many people go for the cheapest equipment possible?!
Bc that's all they can afford? Bc cheap is often good enough? The best bass sound I ever got was from a pair of ear buds that cost £1. Seriously! I mean, eventually they gave up but I got a good few years out of them and they were awesome. I bought them for carrying around in my rucksack and I didn't want to care about them getting ruined so I went for the cheapest. They turned out to be fabulous.
 
I wonder how the bass is on Bassouille...
BassouilleMichael Jackson, Bruce SwedienUnknownWritten in 1994 during the HIStory sessions; alternatively known as "Basszouille"; a fully complete version is known to exist.Lost
 
most tracks have the kick below the bass, contrary to popular 808-ish music. Only track I found that has this potential is Dangerous (though it's only one note lol)..........so I did a little "remaster"; Pultec style boost, a little EQ and Ozone processing. tried not to exaggerate it to the point of breaking the song though (but maybe I did lol):



 
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