Can't put thoughts onto fretboard

[TriviumMartyr]

So i recently joined a band with 3 other extremely talented individuals. They write stuff with fairly advanced harmonic technique and melodies. I am ok enough to play along with the rythm but i dont want to be the odd man out talent wise. So, i try to put fills into the songs bu they never work out.'i know nearly zero when it comes to theory so i cant put my ideas from my head to the fretboard. Can anyone give me advice and tips to help me to write bass lines to match the guitars. Plus add my own flare to the songs?

[CrispyDelicious]

Originally Posted by TriviumMartyr

i know nearly zero when it comes to theory

I think you just answered your own question.

[TriviumMartyr]

Ok, well i know and can figure out alot of the basics but i can never figure out how to make what i come up with using scales and stuff work with the guitars

[kesslari]

Originally Posted by TriviumMartyr

So i recently joined a band with 3 other extremely talented individuals. They write stuff with fairly advanced harmonic technique and melodies. I am ok enough to play along with the rythm but i dont want to be the odd man out talent wise. So, i try to put fills into the songs bu they never work out.'i know nearly zero when it comes to theory so i cant put my ideas from my head to the fretboard. Can anyone give me advice and tips to help me to write bass lines to match the guitars. Plus add my own flare to the songs?

Brush up on your harmonic and melodic knowledge. It's learnable, and it's not rocket science. That's what they've got that you don't have, and you say you want to keep up.

[MalcolmAmos]

Scales are melodic -- do you need a melodic bass line? Our job is normally setting the beat and calling attention to the chord change. Chord tones do this quite well.

How you fill your bass line depends on the type of music you play. I play country anything beyond a pentatonic scale will get me the fish eye from the guys. Country is Root 5 and chromatic runs to the next chord and if you are really good then echo melody to what the vocalist is doing. But, beyond that, you will be stepping on some one's toes if you fill your bass line with "stuff". How much "stuff" does you band need?

Chord tones have played a lot of bass. How much of the chord tone are you using now? For example:

C = R-3-5-3
Cm = R-b3-5-b3
C7 = R-3-5-b7
Cm7 = R-b3-5-b7
Cmaj7 = R-3-5-7
Cm7b5 = R-b3-b5-b7
Major Pentatonic = R-1-2-3-5-6
Minor Pentatonic = R-b3-4-5-b7

Now how much of that chord tone or pentatonic you use depends on what is needed for the groove. The groove rules.
R-R-R-R or R-R-8-8 or two measures of R-3-5-b7-8-5-3-R may be what is needed - that's kinda left up to you. Song calls for a C7 your R-3-5-b7 gives you all the notes you will need. The question is, however, how much of that do you need.

Need to work on your bass line construction. See what is out there that your band needs. Ask them I bet they know what they want.

Have fun.

[TriviumMartyr]

Well my band plays metal with main influences being children of bodom and Trivium. Basically i just play the guitar lines and hold on for dear life. I would love to be able to make it a bit more technical though and be able to mess around with the chord but beyond playing the root note it is beyond me. Can anyone tell me how to effectively accentuate the chord by playing different notes? And where would be a good place to brush up on my harmonic and melodic knowledge

[puddin tame]

practice. you don't actually have to know much theory beyond how chords/scales work and creating tension/resolution if you've got a good sense of groove. over time your fingers will just know where to go, even if your brain doesn't