Extracting basslines from recorded music

[tonynoriega]

I'm an older guy who plays mostly blues and classic rock and I don't read music. I can pull difficult passages from tabulature when necessary but most of what I learn comes from listening and emulating basslines in songs I've downloaded.

What setup are you guys (that learn this way) using? I'm using an old receiver/CD player setup but I had a guitarist friend that had a setup in his practice room that allowed him to just pull up a song on his computer and instantly play it, and he had hundreds of stored songs from which to choose. I didn't find out how the particular equipment integrated and worked and now we're not in contact.

I'd really appreciate it if you'd share your method and setup because I want to buy something that will be an improvement over what I'm using. One issue that comes to mind is - would I be able to isolate and loop a particular section of a song when practicing.

Thanks and Happy New Year!

Tony in Tampa

[lowendfriend]

Originally Posted by tonynoriega

I'm an older guy who plays mostly blues and classic rock and I don't read music. I can pull difficult passages from tabulature when necessary but most of what I learn comes from listening and emulating basslines in songs I've downloaded.

What setup are you guys (that learn this way) using? I'm using an old receiver/CD player setup but I had a guitarist friend that had a setup in his practice room that allowed him to just pull up a song on his computer and instantly play it, and he had hundreds of stored songs from which to choose. I didn't find out how the particular equipment integrated and worked and now we're not in contact.

I'd really appreciate it if you'd share your method and setup because I want to buy something that will be an improvement over what I'm using. One issue that comes to mind is - would I be able to isolate and loop a particular section of a song when practicing.

Thanks and Happy New Year!

Tony in Tampa

Load your cd's onto you computer as mp3 files. I would suggest using iTunes to organize your music as it is free.

Then you want to download a copy of BestPractice by googling it and finding the download link. Then install. Great free software.

When you want to play an mp3 that is in iTunes in BestPractice, right click on the song title and select the menu item "Show in Windows Explorer" then drag the mp3 file into BestPractice to play it. In BP, you can slow it down so that you can get it by ear better. You can also change key from the recorded key and save the shifted version in its own file.

[Renaissance]

I use Audacity. http://audacity.sourceforge.net/ It's a free download and a very capable product. You can EQ the song to make the bass parts easier to hear, you can slow it down without changing pitch, you can loop any portion you want, etc. Also, if you choose to do so you can use it to record straight off youtube.

[bearhart74]

transcribe is also a very useful tool.. same thing.. slow a track down and create loops

[DUC1098]

You could also go with a Tascam bass trainer. It can do everything you are looking for as well as work as a personal amp with effects.

Pricy though, $200 range.

[BassNoob1]

I do believe this is posted in the wrong section, however I use Audacity, great free software, you can also use it to record yourself if you have a microphone.

[Intenzity]

Step one is ripping, or copying, your cd's onto your computer. Itunes does this, and it is free for Windows and is already on your Mac if you have one of those.

Get a set of speakers, or a boom box with a line in, and run a cable from your computer sound card into the line in of the boom box to hear the audio from your computer.

Get Transcribe!, it is awesome. It lets you loop, slow down, mark measures, isolate the bass within the stereo field and eq it...it is built to do exactly what you want to do, figure out stuff from recordings.

Then you have a standard figuring-out-songs set up on your computer.

[tonynoriega]

This is hugely valuable information!! I had no idea programs were not only as sophisticated as those you guys describe, but some are also available free.

I'm going to start on it all tomorrow. The little speakers I currently have attached to my computer sound enemic, so I guess I'll buy a powered sound system to pump out some bass notes. Any suggestions as to a reasonably priced system (like under 100 dollars) that's doing what you want it to do?

Thanks to all - this has made my day!

Tony

[Renaissance]

Do you have a home stereo? I use the headphone jack on my laptop (with an adapter) to the aux in on my home stereo. Does exactly what I need it to do.

[jazz3625tonic]

Go here-------> http://www.ronimusic.com/

[beelzelboss]

I have the Logitech z4 system personally. It's a great sound system. Any computer sound system with a sub should be enough. The one I have is an 80w system, 40w goes to sub, and the other 40w goes to the two desktop speakers with 3 tweeters in them each.

Something like this would probably work fine:
http://www.logitech.com/en-gb/speake...s/devices/5861

or something similar from bose or whomever you like to buy your speakers from. I got mine from circuit city when they were about to close. They usually go for about $200, but they were marked down to about $125. In some songs that are really bass heavy I can shake the plaques on my wall, and my dad in the office below me has dust falling from his light fixtures.

[tonynoriega]

Somewhere in the middle of the night it occured to me that I may be able to go out of the computer and in to my Yamaha powered mixer. That would obviously save the expense of an add-on powered system - I just don't know if it can be done.

Anyone have experience doing that?

Thanks again for the advice!

[Staredge]

Wow. I like Best Practice. Can't figure out how to get mp3s to it, but I already have a bunch of discs burned for my Tascam (guitar model...doesn't work well for bass). Using the karaoke feature to enhance the bass. Works pretty good!!!! I'm going to try the line out into my amp later....see how it sounds through that.

[dug dog]

Originally Posted by tonynoriega

I may be able to go out of the computer and in to my Yamaha powered mixer.

Anyone have experience doing that?

That's exactly how I run my powered computer speakers. Same thing but on a different scale. All you need is the proper cord or adapters. 1/8 stereo on the computer end and probably RCA on the line in of your mixer. Don't turn up your computer's volume too much at first until you find what works best. Have fun.

[tonynoriega]

Originally Posted by dug dog

That's exactly how I run my powered computer speakers. Same thing but on a different scale. All you need is the proper cord or adapters. 1/8 stereo on the computer end and probably RCA on the line in of your mixer. Don't turn up your computer's volume too much at first until you find what works best. Have fun.

I ordered and then today received the adapter cable....all of 4 bucks shipped... and it works perfectly. The 1/8" plug from my computer goes into the adapter which goes in to the RCA line in on the mixer, and "boom" it does precisely what I wanted it to. Now I'm on to the software you guys suggested and I'm sure one will be my favorite. Thanks for all the input!

[klokker]

Originally Posted by beelzelboss

. Any computer sound system with a sub should be enough.

I read music pretty well, but we're probably about the same age, certainly the same kind of music. I get all my parts from listening to YouTube or Grooveshark etc. for my bass playing of cover songs. Its easy to play a section that goes by quickly over a few times until you can get it. I've done 100 or so songs like that this year. I find its helpful to "copy" the bassline first exactly (or pretty darn close anyway), then it seems that the stuff I come up with fits better.

Its a problem at times if you have other band members sort of faking their way through it, or think that "its sort of like this" is good enough, but that's a different issue I guess.

[TEDFENDER]

For my two cents worth

Yes Mp-3's on the Computer using I-tunes or whatever means to get the songs. Now what I use is a Creative Soundworks Xi-Fi Card. This acts as the central hub for recording and or monitoring music.

With this card I can connect my BR-900 Recorder and record or I can Plug in The bass to the computer, plug in my headphones, Via I-tunes I can bring up the song and play along as if I were in the group.

This is very helpful when practicing at 3:00 AM no one can hear you. The soundcard is very versatle for any in/out recording or monitoring funcitons. A very worhty inestment if you plan on recording your studio rehearsal making MP-3's to listen to your music.

Good Luck
TEDFENDER

[BobaFret]

Originally Posted by Renaissance

I use Audacity. http://audacity.sourceforge.net/ It's a free download and a very capable product. You can EQ the song to make the bass parts easier to hear, you can slow it down without changing pitch, you can loop any portion you want, etc. Also, if you choose to do so you can use it to record straight off youtube.

+1. I use Audacity all the time.

[PrietoBass]

Originally Posted by bearhart74

transcribe is also a very useful tool.. same thing.. slow a track down and create loops

+ 1 on Transcribe!
+ 1 on Best Practice

On my iPhone I use Amazing Slow Downer.