METAL

FunkFusion · Posted: Tue Apr 18, 2006 11:40 am Post subject: METAL

how do the majority of bass players play metal? how do you make a bass line sound like metal?
_________________
Drugs and Music make the world a better place to live in

censored · Posted: Sun Apr 30, 2006 4:58 am Post subject:

with alot of distortion and volume Smile

play_bass_or_die_trying · Posted: Mon May 15, 2006 2:32 pm Post subject:

Well when it comes to playing Metal bass guitar, if you look up the Tabs for some of your favourite Metal songs, you'll probably see that the majority of the time it is just a combination of the 0, 3 and 7th frets on the E-string. So for a basic Metal bassline, you'll find that quite a fe of the bass player from well known bands, say Killswitch Engage for example, just play the rythem of chorus on those 3 notes.

Me personally I play Metal in a band siuation. And yes, volume is a key, but not always so much distortion. If anything Tuning lower is a quick fix for a deep Metal sound, so you could drop your tuning. And other than that, you have to make your bassline's for your song's. Just feel the rythem of the music and go with it.

This is all of course just basic advice for getting started. I am by no means saying just play 0-3-7 combinations for your songs. Just try to get a really deep charging sound on your bass, the rythem is really the most important thing. So pick some deep tones that sound good together, and work with different rythem's, while playing with the song. So you can see where the rythem would fit in and such.

Creeping Death · Tadpole Joined: 22 Oct 2006 Posts: 15 Location: Oregon

However not all Metal bands follow that same dependance on the E string.

Think of Old Metallica as a great example.

Ankhanu · Posted: Thu Oct 26, 2006 3:47 am Post subject:

It's primarily in the use of short notes (1/8 and up perhaps?) Metal is primarily in the arrangement; it tends to have a more aggressive feel. I know when I used to play metal, I never used distortion... however, now that I've moved to more laid back indie styles, I use distortion a lot more :P

Chrishas · Ferret Joined: 03 Sep 2004 Posts: 113 Location: Cyprus

I play a lot of metal and IMO it matters from the style of metal, like for example heavy metal is mostly 1/8 notes,roots and builds on the guitar melody.
Extreme metal styles(death,black etc.) use more 1/16 and are less melodic.
But the hardest style(again IMHO) is progressive(Symphony X, Dream Theater), not only its fast but also complicated,it uses different measures(don't know if that's correct) and modes,for example check out Dream Theaters Erotomania(and no thats not an adult movie)

TroyE · Posted: Sun Dec 24, 2006 9:37 pm Post subject: Re: METAL

how do the majority of bass players play metal? how do you make a bass line sound like metal?

Learn a little bit about guitar chords, that helps.

I won't play bass in a metal band whose guitarist doesn't have a working grasp of music theory.

The main key to metal is minor keys, based on the open strings. Em, Am, Dm and Gm. F#m happens a lot as well and is the related minor to A Major.

I play a low-B/5-string and base a lot of basslines on the 3rd-fret position of the B-string, which is a D. Avoid a guitarist who only thinks in terms of physical positioning of his fingers. I've had them try to tell me what they're playing based on where their fingers are and have had to explain that he's playing a 6-string instrument tuned to D-flat with a dropped 6th string whereas I'm playing a 5-string tuned BEADG and maybe a halfstep down. If I guitarist can't tell you that a riff he's written in F# is in F#, he doesn't know enough about what he's doing. It's not enough to play "By Ear" or "What I Feel". You have to know scales and key signature. It doesn't matter what anybody who doesn't know theory says if they insist on not learning theory. They're being lazy. Did you get that? THEY. ARE. BEING. LAZY. It's like somebody posting to this message board and they don't speak English or have a grasp of grammer and syntax. If you can't figure out what they're saying because everything is misspelled, what's the point??? Music has a language, too. A bassist and a guitarist who both know theory can come up with all kinda great stuff. "Hey check this out: it's basicaly in Em" You hear the riff go from Em to C to D or down to B for a bridge and you put a baseline to it without even having to really think about it. In other words, a little effort learning theory to begin with saves you a whole lot of having to slap something together "by ear" latter.

Mkuk0 · Posted: Wed Dec 27, 2006 12:11 am Post subject:

Okaay........so the fact that I have little knowledge of theory means I should stop playing in my band until such time as I can write a thesis on the subject? Never mind we all get along really well, can understand what we do, and play pretty good live?

A bit harsh methinks TroyE
_________________
Visit http://www.planetrock.co.uk/default.asp You KNOW you want to!

gibson_thunder · Posted: Sun Dec 31, 2006 10:14 pm Post subject:

Troy, harsh indeed. I get where youre coming from as theory is pretty important, but on the other hand I refuse to play with a musical snob who plays with no feeling, just reading from a sheet or rigidly following a specific score with no improvisation. I doubt John Lee Hooker or the old bluesmasters know what the hell F#m is. But I guess most of em are just lazy.
_________________
--==Warum tut es weh, wenn ich pinkele?==--

timkelleher · Tadpole Joined: 13 Jul 2007 Posts: 18

well there are a couple of basic elements that make good metal bass work:
1:pentanic knowlegde go to the adress below to get good pentotanic bass scales
(http://www.cyberfretbass.com/theory/pentatonic-scales/index.php)
2:chord knowledge and key note knowledge-not saying you have to use key note's in metal basslines(in fact i discourage it) but a good knowldge of the fret board=a better bass line but kep this in mind that the lower the string you ply the note on the more "energy"which is hard to say in word just go to your bass play the open A on the A string then try it on the 5th fret on the E string you will probably sense a "thicker" note value
3:speed which is either knowing how to
A) working on your 2 finger chops( i use up to all 4 fingers like the late Cliff burton) if you a finger player or working on your pcik chops if your a pcik user
B)useing triplets if your a finger player its easier to do this with your fingers but i have seen pick players like Tom Araya(SLAYER) but either way its a good thing to work on your triplets
C)geting your endurance up in both hands-your need of endurance in your fret hand means more complex basslines(e.i.Cliff burton,Les Claypool,Steve Digorgio,Steve Harris etc.) While choping hand endurance means going faster longer
_________________
i am the riidle of life to know me is to know yourself ................
what am i?

timkelleher · Tadpole Joined: 13 Jul 2007 Posts: 18

also just try to get more into the music then flashy stuff its always ok to be flashy but make sure its music also just try to make it heavy and low
#evil

_________________
i am the riidle of life to know me is to know yourself ................
what am i?

JojoguyHxC · Little Guppy Joined: 09 Oct 2008 Posts: 33

What metal bassist do are two main things:
1. They play fast
2. They play in minor hey, so use a buncha flats
Also, alot of metalcore bassists follow along with the lead guitarists, so if you're in a band and your guitarist has a groovy riff you like, play along with it.

confusedqueen · Lion King Joined: 19 Sep 2004 Posts: 1082 Location: pfft.

minor keys dont necessarily have lots of flats though, they can have either sharps or flats, and probably on average more sharps because the 7th is always sharpened and sometimes the 6th as well..
_________________
~ruler of northern europe and forum authority on all things space aged and cat related~

JojoguyHxC · Little Guppy Joined: 09 Oct 2008 Posts: 33

Thank you for the correction
_________________
My gear:
Ibanez GSR 200
'98 Fender American Jazz
Ibanez EWB10ASEO
GK Backline 110 Combo Amp
GK 700-RB II Amp Head
SWR Goliath III Cab
Ampeg Classic Cab
Boss ME-20B Effects Pedal

Lets be friends, message me for FB or Myspace