drum'n'bass
LowInformal, Specialist/Music
Definition
Meaning
A genre of electronic dance music characterized by fast breakbeats and heavy, prominent basslines.
A subculture associated with the music genre, including its fashion, events, and production techniques.
Linguistics
Semantic Notes
The term is a contraction of 'drum and bass'. It primarily refers to the musical genre originating in the UK in the early 1990s. The spelling varies (drum and bass, D&B, dnb, drum'n'bass), with the contracted form reflecting informal/colloquial usage within the scene.
Dialectal Variation
British vs American Usage
Differences
The term originates from and is overwhelmingly more common in British English. In American English, it is recognized primarily within electronic music communities.
Connotations
In the UK, it carries strong cultural and historical associations with specific urban scenes (e.g., London, Bristol). In the US, it is often viewed as a more niche, imported genre.
Frequency
High frequency within UK music/media contexts; low-to-medium frequency in US specialist music contexts.
Vocabulary
Collocations
Grammar
Valency Patterns
[verb] + drum'n'bass (e.g., produce, mix, listen to)drum'n'bass + [noun] (e.g., drum'n'bass music, drum'n'bass culture)adjective + drum'n'bass (e.g., old-school drum'n'bass)Vocabulary
Synonyms
Strong
Neutral
Weak
Vocabulary
Antonyms
Phrases
Idioms & Phrases
- “All that jazz and drum'n'bass (playful extension of 'all that jazz')”
Usage
Context Usage
Business
Rare, except in music industry contexts (e.g., 'The label signed several drum'n'bass acts').
Academic
Used in musicology, cultural studies, or sociology papers analyzing electronic music subcultures.
Everyday
Recognized by many, but actively used mainly by fans of electronic music (e.g., 'We're going to a drum'n'bass night').
Technical
Precise term within music production and DJing to denote a specific tempo range (typically 160-180 BPM), rhythmic structure, and production style.
Examples
By Part of Speech
verb
British English
- The DJ will drum'n'bass the second hour of his set.
- They've been drum'n'bassing that club night for years.
American English
- The producer loves to drum'n'bass his hip-hop tracks.
- Can you drum'n'bass this section a bit more?
adverb
British English
- The track builds and then drops drum'n'bass.
- He mixed it drum'n'bass style.
American English
- The song suddenly goes full drum'n'bass.
- She produces more drum'n'bass than techno.
adjective
British English
- It's a proper drum'n'bass anthem.
- He's a drum'n'bass DJ through and through.
American English
- The festival has a strong drum'n'bass lineup.
- That's a very drum'n'bass vibe.
Examples
By CEFR Level
- I like drum'n'bass music.
- This music is very fast.
- We listened to some drum'n'bass at the party.
- He is a famous drum'n'bass producer.
- The evolution of drum'n'bass from jungle is a key part of UK music history.
- She prefers the more melodic, liquid subgenre of drum'n'bass.
- Critics argue that the commercialisation of drum'n'bass in the late 90s diluted its underground edge.
- His production technique seamlessly fuses jazz harmonies with intricate drum'n'bass rhythms.
Learning
Memory Aids
Mnemonic
Think of the essential elements: DRUM beats drive it, and the BASS shakes it. The 'n' in the middle is like the quick, clipped sound of the music itself.
Conceptual Metaphor
MUSIC IS A PHYSICAL FORCE (e.g., 'The drum'n'bass hit me like a wall of sound').
Watch out
Common Pitfalls
Translation Traps (for Russian speakers)
- Avoid a literal translation like 'барабан и бас', as it loses the genre-specific meaning. The established loan translation is 'драм-энд-бэйс'.
- Do not confuse with general descriptions of instrumentation ('в песне есть барабаны и бас-гитара').
Common Mistakes
- Misspelling as 'drum and base'.
- Using it as a countable noun (e.g., 'a drum'n'bass' is incorrect; use 'a drum'n'bass track' or 'a drum'n'bass artist').
- Confusing it with its precursor 'jungle', though they are closely related.
Practice
Quiz
Which of the following is a direct precursor to drum'n'bass?
FAQ
Frequently Asked Questions
They are closely related. Jungle is the direct precursor from the early 1990s, often more complex and sample-heavy. Drum'n'bass evolved from it, becoming more polished and streamlined. The terms are sometimes used interchangeably, but purists make a distinction.
It is pronounced as written: 'drum-n-bass', with the main stress often on 'bass'. The 'and' is reduced to a schwa /ən/.
Yes, informally. It is commonly used attributively (e.g., 'drum'n'bass scene', 'drum'n'bass producer') to describe things related to the genre.
The tempo is typically fast, ranging from approximately 160 to 180 beats per minute (BPM).