When I am writing a bass line I normally tend to stay away from effects because I feel that they would cause the bass line to "dominate" the song too much. Do you ever have this problem? Any ways to get around this?

When I am writing a bass line I normally tend to stay away from effects because I feel that they would cause the bass line to "dominate" the song too much. Do you ever have this problem? Any ways to get around this?

Yeah, that's a problem if you're going crazy with things in an inappropriate circumstance, but sometimes the effects "write" the song. So I have no particular rules...I just listen (either to other stimulus, or myself if I am writing alone in a vacuum) and determine the correct application and degree of texture.

JMJ

well said!

Do you still make sure that the bassline works without the effect you "write" it with?

Do you still make sure that the bassline works without the effect you "write" it with?

If it is a traditional bassline with that harmonic/rhythmic functionality, yes I will sometimes make sure of that. You can usually tell even with the effects; the bassline works or it doesn't. But if it's not a bassline and rather provides some other function (atmosphere, noise, guitaristic counterpoint, keyboard functionality, etc) but happens to be played on a bass, I obviously won't sweat it.

JMJ

I'm wondering what makes a producer or artist hire you to do atmospheric noise over them just saying lets program it in or use a synth or something along those lines?

I'm wondering what makes a producer or artist hire you to do atmospheric noise over them just saying lets program it in or use a synth or something along those lines?

Not being vain here, just telling it straight: Because people in the know are aware of the damage I can do on a bass that lies outside of the norm. It's a unique voice; it doesn't sound like synth per se...some of these kind of textures are really hard to program, and they want all the idiosyncrasies of a guy playing a stringed instrument in there (pops, clicks, scrapes, slides, etc etc) that you can't get with some dude rocking a laptop with Reaktor.

JMJ

Not being vain here, just telling it straight: Because people in the know are aware of the damage I can do on a bass that lies outside of the norm. It's a unique voice; it doesn't sound like synth per se...some of these kind of textures are really hard to program, and they want all the idiosyncrasies of a guy playing a stringed instrument in there (pops, clicks, scrapes, slides, etc etc) that you can't get with some dude rocking a laptop with Reaktor.

JMJ

Thanks, that is basically the perfect answer I think alot boils down to some producers (alot) just see bass as a thumpy instrument I know when I'm in the studio if I was to suggest some background swells and ambience using effects on bass or even stand along as occilators they'd look at me like I just shot their mothers.

Thanks