Hardcore inspiration

Bushfire · #1 01-24-2006, 08:45 PM

My guitarist has sent me a guitar track regarding the way our band is going, and it is a sort of as I lay dying sort of thing (loud fast distorted guitars). I really need to listen to some music of this sort with good basslines, or is it just far too hard to move with those dueling guitars?

Thanks,
-Bernard.

Matt Till · #2 01-24-2006, 09:06 PM

Not to lock you into a certain style, but most hardcore the bass is what holds the band together. Moreso than any metal based genre... hardcore NEEDS the bass to be rock solid. But don't let that discourage you... work out some melodic ideas for breaks/intros where the time breaks up a bit and you are given a little space to shine.

Find inspiration in all music... hum a melody and figure it out. You aren't going to find much inspiration in hardcore other than maybe when it comes to tone... a lot hardcore dudes have awesome tone!! Ampegs usually.

Bushfire · #3 01-24-2006, 09:19 PM

Well, define rock solid... Thumping roots? Syncing with the kick? I'm trying to get a handle on what I actually have to play here.

I mean I'm listening to comeback kid - wake the dead right now, and the bass just follows the guitars preety much to the letter; it really does add something to the music though, it's just that it's boring, which wouldn't be too bad, but it's boring and hard!

Matt Till · #4 01-24-2006, 09:54 PM

Rock solid as in locking with the kick... new hardcore is all about the kick... EVERYBODY locking into that tha da da dumpt dumpt.

Pretty much do what your drummer's feet are doing and insert minor thirds here and there and your xhardxcorex... which is a boring genre for bassists. But, feel free to reinvent the genre... somebody's gotta do it.

Against Will · #5 01-24-2006, 10:10 PM

I haven't heard much As I lay Dying, though they sound more Metal than hardcore. I guess they're this new-fangled metalcore that all the kids are talking about.

Anyway, if you want good basslines for hardcore, the usual suspects; Early Minutemen, Descendents, Bad Brains, Some later Black Flag when they had Kira (though that's kind of far removed from metalcore). As well as Circle Takes the Square, Sex Positions, Dillinger Four. Crass had some crazy dub basslines to go along with their ****ed up guitar tones. And Artimus Pyle's bassists had a couple of interesting lines that helped carry the songs.

Matt Till · #6 01-24-2006, 10:15 PM

OH YEAH... REAL hardcore has some interesting basswork. New Hardcore (metal core) is all about the bass drums, see as I lay dying.

Geezerman · #7 01-24-2006, 10:17 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Matt Till

OH YEAH... REAL hardcore has some interesting basswork.

Try some M.o.D and S.o.D

43% burnt · #8 01-25-2006, 04:21 AM

As I Lay Dying may have short hair, but I'd say they are metal. So I'd check out some of the bands who probably influenced then like: In Flames, At the Gates, Shadows Fall, etc...I'm sure more good ones will come to me later.

You can always check out the masters of bass-driven dual guitar metal - Iron Maiden.

Oh and the newest Black Dahlia Murder album is insane.

Bushfire · #9 01-25-2006, 11:25 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Matt Till

OH YEAH... REAL hardcore has some interesting basswork. New Hardcore (metal core) is all about the bass drums, see as I lay dying.

Mmm, I see what you mean; For me, this music is nothing but great live. In recordings it's pretty flat, so live performance is the heart and soul of hardcore (metalcore), so I guess it's just a matter of finding out how to use this to my advantage.

-Bernard.

**Adam Barkley** · #10 01-25-2006, 11:33 AM

Maybe you should check out Botch.

poor_gear_whore · #11 01-25-2006, 12:55 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by 43% burnt

Oh and the newest Black Dahlia Murder album is insane.

+1000

jrthebassguy · #12 01-26-2006, 05:00 PM

Check out Every Time I Die

page · #13 01-26-2006, 05:28 PM

The RED CHORD!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

page · #14 01-26-2006, 06:39 PM

BTW Bushfire, we were born on the exact same day!

Bushfire · #15 01-26-2006, 09:43 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by page

BTW Bushfire, we were born on the exact same day!

Awesome! What time of the day? I was 10:15 am I think.

Oh, and my guitarist sent me a short Guitar Pro file of the same riff (with drums) and I wrote a line that syncs in with the kick with an open (drop) D and an occasional 5th as a passing tone. Sounds pretty good, now I just need to practice until I can play in time with the drummer!

any tips?

frankencow150 · #16 01-27-2006, 05:58 AM

Yeah ignore As I Lay Dying and stuff like that

listen to:

botch
coalesce
this day forward (transient effects has really good bass playing)
takaru

i can send you music through aim if youd like

43% burnt · #17 01-27-2006, 07:43 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by frankencow150

Yeah ignore As I Lay Dying and stuff like that

listen to:

botch
coalesce
this day forward (transient effects has really good bass playing)
takaru

i can send you music through aim if youd like

Lol, i just posted about Botch in another thread. But to me As I Lay Dying and such aren't even remotely similar sounding...besides being extreme music. Good recs though. There needs to be more bands that defy convention and popularity in the metal/hardcore scene.

I gotta check out This Day Forward & Takaru. If they're anything like Botch and Coalesce I'm sure I'll love them.

soontobedead · #18 01-27-2006, 04:25 PM

quite a lot of metalcore bands have a knack for making those jumpy, airy crunch riffs constituted of playing open strings in defined patterns with a melodic line on top of them (dunno if it's clear). You have a whole canvas to paint in there, 'cause basswork can be really versatile and varied on those parts. I specifically enjoy when a) the 2 guitars are making the crunch riff and bass serves as melodic instrument, providing the melodic line on top or b) the bass does straight notes while the guitars are crunching

Hope i could explain it clearly enough

STBD

iamlowsound · #19 01-27-2006, 06:01 PM

check out in flames (early death metal) but still great bass work. also avenge sevenfold has some good fills (metalcore) as well as killswitch engage (also metalcore)

lowsound

jjtsucka · #20 01-27-2006, 07:44 PM

to me its a ll about the tempo of the song, if your guitar players are doing a crazy dueling parts your better off just laying back and holding down a solid rythem part, but just remember those dueling leads have to end at some point and in that break we can shine and do a melodic lead. or if the verse or chorus isnt too complicated by guitar stuff you could do a nice walking line which is always fun. its all about picking your spots i guess, i was lucky the guys i started the band with knew they were getting someone who wasnt going to play just roots and they gave me freedom to explore what i liked. i guess the biggest thing is play what you want, what you like to hear it says your name for the bass credit so do what you like just dont overcomplicate things too much and listen to some sick of it all (the song step down) or warzone or agnostic front (my nyhc bias i guess lol) not just all the metalcore stuff cause maybe you'll be able to apply some of what you hear in the old school into the new and then youd have something unique