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08-09-2007, 03:51 AM
| | Registered User | | Join Date: Apr 2007 Location: Cornwall, UK. | | | Been asked to write happy basslines.
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well i'm joining a band in the next couple of months and i've been asked to write 'happy' basslines.
what sort of things can i listen to to give me some idea of what sort of stuff i should be playing?
Thanks for the help.
Bass_Junkie
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Last edited by Asa Samuel : 08-09-2007 at 03:55 AM.
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08-09-2007, 04:31 AM
| | Registered User | | Join Date: Jul 2007 Location: Sochi, Russia | | By "happy" you mean "major"? Listen to James Brown - his music is happy like a TB`er who just got a free Lakland 
Plus, try to improvise on Major pentatonic - whatever you play, it always sound pretty cheery. |
08-09-2007, 11:27 AM
| | Registered User | | Join Date: Jun 2002 Location: Edinboro, PA | | Quote:
Originally Posted by Aged_Clayman  By "happy" you mean "major"? Listen to James Brown - his music is happy like a TB`er who just got a free Lakland
Plus, try to improvise on Major pentatonic - whatever you play, it always sound pretty cheery. |
Yup. Major is like the music way of saying "happy." Other than that, listen to some happy music and figure out what the bassist is doing. Check out the band XTC, often mind bogglingly happy, good basslines too. Also, early Beatles.
This is like happy from a rock context, depends on what you're adding basslines to.
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08-09-2007, 11:48 AM
| | Registered User | | Join Date: Jul 2007 Location: Socorro, NM | | Quote:
Originally Posted by Aged_Clayman By "happy" you mean "major"? Listen to James Brown - his music is happy like a TB`er who just got a free Lakland
Plus, try to improvise on Major pentatonic - whatever you play, it always sound pretty cheery. | Not to thread steal, but will a minor pentatonic sound "sad"? I would go see for myself but I'm at work 
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08-09-2007, 11:52 AM
| | Registered User | | Join Date: Jun 2006 Location: Oregon | | | Pixies bass lines like Debaser all sound pretty happy to me.
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08-09-2007, 12:01 PM
| | Registered User | | Join Date: Jul 2007 Location: Sochi, Russia | | Quote: |
Not to thread steal, but will a minor pentatonic sound "sad"? I would go see for myself but I'm at work
| My opinion is that minor pentatonic sounds cool Heavy, rusty, mean and cool. |
08-09-2007, 02:30 PM
|  | Registered User | | Join Date: Feb 2003 Location: Torrance, CA | | Major is considered happy and minor sad in the most basic sense, but there's lots of songs which break those rules. Anything from the types of instruments to the rhythm to the vocals and lyrics can play a big part in the mood of a song.
As long as you don't play in D minor (the "saddest of all keys") you should be fine. 
The Spinal Tap reference had to be made. |
08-10-2007, 08:27 AM
| | Registered User | | Join Date: Jul 2007 Location: Sochi, Russia | | Quote: |
The Spinal Tap reference had to be made.
| What`s that? |
08-10-2007, 08:31 AM
| | Registered User | | Join Date: Aug 2006 Location: bloomfield, michigan | | | check out ska... its usually pretty happy( up beat, even if the lyrics arent) |
08-10-2007, 10:09 AM
| | Registered User | | Join Date: Feb 2003 Location: Torrance, CA | | Quote:
Originally Posted by Aged_Clayman What`s that? | It's a mockumentary based around a fictional metal group. http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0088258/ |
08-10-2007, 10:21 AM
| | Registered User | | Join Date: Jul 2006 Location: Grand Rapids MI | | Quote:
Originally Posted by Aged_Clayman What`s that? | 
Get to your nearest movie store as soon as possible.
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08-10-2007, 10:24 AM
| | Registered User | | Join Date: Dec 2003 Location: Big Sound Central | | | Root, Maj. 3rd, 5th, root (or maj 3rd)
Major arpeggios are just about the happiest sounding line you can write, it's almost ridiculous.
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08-10-2007, 10:26 AM
| | Registered User | | Join Date: Jul 2001 Location: Canada & USA | | | I think upbeat, happy basslines come from not only the tonality but the rhythm of what's being played. |
08-10-2007, 12:25 PM
| | uncle petey? | | Join Date: Jun 2007 Location: outer banks, nc | | | Happy basslines come from Unicorns and Puppies. Unicorns are like the guardian angels to puppies...
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08-10-2007, 02:07 PM
| | Registered User | | Join Date: Jun 2002 Location: Edinboro, PA | | | Seriously, listen to a lot of ska. It doesn't get ANY happier.
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08-10-2007, 02:58 PM
| | Registered User | | Join Date: Apr 2006 Location: Las Vegas, NV. | | Quote:
Originally Posted by Matt Till Yup. Major is like the music way of saying "happy." Other than that, listen to some happy music and figure out what the bassist is doing. Check out the band XTC, often mind bogglingly happy, good basslines too. Also, early Beatles.
This is like happy from a rock context, depends on what you're adding basslines to. | +1 on XTC. Mayor of Simpleton may be the "happiest" bass line I've ever heard IMO. |
08-14-2007, 04:38 PM
| | Registered User | | Join Date: Jul 2002 Location: Branford, CT | | | Playing ahead of the beat yet relaxed with a swing/ska feel definitely helps.
Major arpeggios too!
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08-16-2007, 11:24 AM
| | Registered User | | Join Date: Jan 2006 Location: Brooklyn, NY | | | Find yourself a recording of Phish playing "Ya Mar" and do what Mike is doing.
Playing happy? Done. | | Thread Tools | Search this Thread | | | | 
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