Writing Basslines

fimbulwinter · Not So Newbie Joined: 17 Sep 2006 Posts: 5

Hey Guys!!!
Okay, so how does a player actually start to write their own basslines?

I know you're supposed to use different scales for different types of songs, but what do you actually do with these scales? Do you just play a bunch of them as they are? Sorry for the silly question. Thanks!!!

bubinga5 · Posted: Sat Sep 23, 2006 2:08 am Post subject:

Hey Fimbalwinter, thats a tricky question. I would get a good book or a teacher. Study the book and practice scales, then eventually it will come to you. Remember you dont have to use a whole load of notes to write a bass line. Its all in the rythm you see. To start off just stick with the root note(ie the first note usually, of the first beat in the bar,) Start learning songs, The twelve bar blues is a good one to learn from. Maybe someone else can explain this better.

Any more questions post me and i will try and help Laughing

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fimbulwinter · Not So Newbie Joined: 17 Sep 2006 Posts: 5

Thanks, I'm supposed to be getting a teacher in a few months.

Team_Steve · Tadpole Joined: 08 Oct 2006 Posts: 20 Location: Brisbane

i've found that playing along with a drum beat is awesome for writing, because it really helps with rythm, and bass is all about the grove, so i get a the rythm in my head, pick a scale, then just trial and error to see what fits and what sounds good to me.
thats how i do it anyway, some one else may have better ideas.
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KindBass · Newbie Alert Joined: 05 Feb 2008 Posts: 1

I'll just have my buddy keep playing the chord progression/riff over and over again, and I'll just start to hear the bass line in my head. Then I just figure out how to play it. Knowing the chords usually makes this rather easy.

Bass_Snake · Posted: Tue Feb 05, 2008 3:10 pm Post subject:

Playing what you sing. I would sing a line and try and play it.

I would try to find the right notes. Cool

-Ryco · Posted: Mon Feb 18, 2008 8:07 pm Post subject: NUTSHELL

The drum machine and playing around with rhythms and rhythm patterns is half of playing bass.
We bass guys basically connect drums to the chord playing instruments (geetars, keyboards).
Or we outline chord changes for melodic instruments - horns, lead geetards.

A common way to connect rhythm and chords is by coming up with a riff. Very common in rock, pop and blues. It's a repeated bassline that sets up the foundation of the song.
The pattern can stay the same and the other instruments jam over it.
Or you can keep the basic rhythmp attern and change the notes as you play over different chords.
This can really set up the "signature" of a song.

As far as notes, try playing around with the chord tones.
Root is prob the most common note the bass is heard to play.
The root is the note the chord is named after: C Major, minor, Dominant, etc etc - all have a C root for example.
Next most common is the fifth. A LOT of bass styles use root /fifth. Fifth of C is G for example. E is fifth of A. D is fifth of G. See the pattern?
Next chord note is a toss up between the 3rd (E in C Maj or Dom; or Eb in C min) and the 7th (Bb for C Dom and sometimes minor; B for Major).
The 3rd gives the "quality" of the chord and the 7th "leads" the direction the chord is going to go.

Scales are good to learn for connecting chords and chord tones together. Also for runs, licks and fills.

This is some very basic theory. You may want to get "Bass For Dummies" or check out some theory sites to get deeper into this stuff.
It's not really that hard. Especially when you start using it when playing and writing.

Here's a couple of sites with lessons and theory:
http://www.activebass.com/
http://www.studybass.com/
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Mkuk0 · Posted: Tue Feb 19, 2008 9:00 am Post subject:

Nice post Ryco, tnx for the info, very useful, even though it weren't me that asked!
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-Ryco · Posted: Wed Feb 20, 2008 7:53 pm Post subject:

Thanks for the thanks Boss. Oh, nice hoodie BTW!

Reading back over the post it seems to be a little theory heavy.
I'm not really sure if that's what the OP wanted, or if he wanted to know the process of coming up with basslines.
Theory isn't everything, but it does help to communicate musical ideas to others if they speak the language.

As for the process of coming up with basslines this is how I do it.
When making up bass lines for original tunes, I take either a very raw cassette or disc and run through it 'til I come up with something I like.

Someone handed me a rough disc of five tunes last week.

Before I even pick up the bass I spin the songs a few times listening to the feel and the words, the emotion. I listen to the overall form (intro, verse, chorus, bridge, solo sections, runs, etc)

First I figure out the chords which is challenging because a lot of "homemade" guitar players don't know what chords they are playing. Is it an F chord or a D minor - one note changes everything*. So I give it my best guess and work up a couple of options to offer when I get back to the writer ("is this the chord you want? - or this?).

Then, if there are runs and licks or riffs, I start working on those. I pick and choose which runs I'm going to accent, ignore, counterpoint or trace.

Then I just start running through the songs again and again trying out different styles and different rhythms, different beats. I'm trying to make up the best possible groove to what I feel best supports the song. Eventually something embryonic will click and start to gel. I keep my ideas really loose and fluid because I know once a drummer jumps into the mix everything is probably going to change about 180 degrees.

Once I have everyones input and I know the structure (chords, rhythm, structure) is fairly stable, I run through the song again and again with my CD/tape player experimenting with different ideas until I'm happy with it.

Then I run through it some more until it's second nature.

*This is where knowing theory helps me.

Sorry for all the blah blah but I like the subject! peace
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bobojones · Tadpole Joined: 26 Mar 2008 Posts: 16

Bass lines are composed - based on where and how the song flows. Some songs bass is supplying the bottom (glue) of the whole thing. In others bass is kind of melodic. No U do not play a bunch of scales as they are. Chords relate to scales. example: E7#9-E9-E7 progression. Bass player would be doing an E7 funk line or A-B-C# notes or B-C#-D-E-F#-A notes. All are valid because the E7 funk line is the 5th of A major. Razz

E7#9 and E9 are extended chords of E7 which is the 5th of A major scale. A to B to C# are all a major 2nd apart which is ok. B to C# to D to E to F# to E is a II-III-IV-V-VI-I (root A) progression is correct too. This one is common. Also you can walk the bass over the chords being played.

nickonbass · Sea Monkey Joined: 08 Jun 2008 Posts: 10

I start with the obvious note choices and then try other things.

I am slow to write new bass lines though - but after time, things seem to take on a good form.

A lot of it is listening to what your ear would like to do and try and emulate that. That is good when you can do that.

Knowing your scales and arpegios definately helps.