Entry · Tuesday, June 16, 2026
Plate N. A jazz quintet negotiates the spatial demands of an upright double bass.
Photo by James Ertl on Unsplash
Double Bass, Upright
duh-bul BAYSS, UP-right n.- 1. A stringed instrument of formidable stature and considerable posterior beam, often anchoring jazz ensembles with its resonant low end.
- 2. colloq. A sonic titan of the orchestra pit, its sound waves displace air as confidently as its bulk does floor space.
In a sentence,
"The jazz band struggled to fit the thiccc double bass on stage without a shifting tectonic plate. The drummer's stool became a casualty."
Etymology,
From Italian 'basso' meaning 'low' and 'doppio' meaning 'double', reflecting both its range and the Herculean effort required to move it. Symphonic logistics never saw it coming.