basnoten

Basnoten is a Dutch term for the notes that form the bass line of a piece of music. They are the lowest pitch content in a harmony and are typically written in the bass clef. In many scores they are performed by the left hand on a keyboard, a bass instrument, or by the bass voice in choral settings.

Functionally, basnoten provide the harmonic foundation and establish the root movement of a chord progression. They anchor cadences, shape spacing and voice-leading, and can function as a ground bass or as an accompanying figure. They help define the progression of chords and support the overall structure of the music.

Notation and theory-wise, bass notes align with the chord structure in tonal music; in figured bass the figures indicate intervals above the bass note. An analysis of a piece is often centered on the bass line, especially for harmonization and continuo practice. The bass line can be simple and stepwise or involve wider leaps and arpeggios to outline the harmony.

Examples commonly illustrate basnoten as a C major bass line such as C–D–E–F–G–A–B–C to outline the scale while chords change. In Baroque continuo practice, performers realize basnoten according to figures to fill the harmony.

Basnoten are distinct from the melodic line, though occasionally other instruments carry bass notes. In genres like pop and jazz, a bassline underpins harmony with rhythmic patterns, yet remains the same foundational concept: the notes that establish and drive the harmonic foundation of the music.