Same song, different bass lines…

[PKr]

Have you ever listened to a song and wondered what you would play if you were the bassist? Would the song have a new feel?

How cool it would be if there was a thread that had songs posted on it without bass and users listened to the song and reposted their new song with their own bass!

If anybody has a Song without bass, please post it! We will make what we can out of it.

[ThatOneGuyOver]

Oh, that would be cool. You could use anything from Load or ReLoad by Metallica, the bass in it isn't very noticeable. But how would people give the basslines? Would they give tabs or sheet music, or would they post recorded lines?

[PKr]

Somebody should post a song (that would be interesting to mess with) and link/word document with the existing tab of the song (if there is any bass) as an attachment. This can also use this to help you find a suitable bassline for a song your band made.
Then, we will reattach a bass-recorded-over song version and/or a new tab of the song as we see fit.

Everyone has their own unique style.

[Depth_Charge]

Eventually ... you will move past just wondering to actually writing and using your own bassline on cover songs.

90% of the crowd still won't notice

[fryBASS]

I've come to find that out :P

But hey cool idea, i might have to do something...

[dave64o]

Oddly enough, I've done that to myself a few times within a given song. On a few of our originals I ended up playing something completely different on subsequent passes through a repeated section.

I never even realized I did that and it wasn't until after we completed the songs that the guitar player pointed it out to me. He wasn't complaining, in fact he really liked what I did, but he was still amazed I wasn't aware I did that. I just played what came into my head and went with it. I also did the drums on those songs and they're different from one section to the next as well.

I never tried that with cover songs but it could be a pretty cool exercise. I'll have to try it on some songs and see what happens.

[afinalfantasy]

I do that with certain songs, if it fits the mood

Usually I just play songs as they are

[meev991]

BUMP

cuz i have nothing new to say, but its a good idea, nonetheless

[meev991]

oh wait, now i know what to do

I have "guitar pro" i dont know who else here has it, but i can just export the track, with simulated guitar and drums, and ppl can add the bass, how does that sound?

[Depth_Charge]

Originally Posted by meev991

oh wait, now i know what to do

I have "guitar pro" i dont know who else here has it, but i can just export the track, with simulated guitar and drums, and ppl can add the bass, how does that sound?

I have GuitarPro, but I don't have much TIME though

Music stores often stock notation/tab books with CD's that have the bands playing without the instrument being shown in the book, so you can play along. Recording that would work too.

[bkeating]

I always thought that this would be a great article/test lab for bass player magazine to do. select one original song and then put together about 10 well known players asking each one to put a bass line over it. it would be interesting to hear how similar the lines and feel are ect. or the drastically different ideas.

As for making up different bass lines on pre-recorded songs, i've found that the white stripes 'elephant' album is good because there are very few tracks with bass in the mix.

[meev991]

Originally Posted by bkeating

I always thought that this would be a great article/test lab for bass player magazine to do. select one original song and then put together about 10 well known players asking each one to put a bass line over it. it would be interesting to hear how similar the lines and feel are ect. or the drastically different ideas.

As for making up different bass lines on pre-recorded songs, i've found that the white stripes 'elephant' album is good because there are very few tracks with bass in the mix.

hahhaha because, a "guitar tuned an octave down" doesn't quite cut it xP

[PKr]

Originally Posted by meev991

oh wait, now i know what to do

I have "guitar pro" i dont know who else here has it, but i can just export the track, with simulated guitar and drums, and ppl can add the bass, how does that sound?

That sounds great!

Originally Posted by bkeating

I always thought that this would be a great article/test lab for bass player magazine to do. select one original song and then put together about 10 well known players asking each one to put a bass line over it. it would be interesting to hear how similar the lines and feel are ect. or the drastically different ideas.

That would be a very interesting article...
That is the same effect I am trying to get out of this thread.

[Depth_Charge]

Originally Posted by PKr

That sounds great!



That would be a very interesting article...
That is the same effect I am trying to get out of this thread.

I'd rather see what they did with new songs, or something *I* wrote, although it would still tweak my interest.

[negative space]

On some older stereo recordings, the bass is present only in one of the channels. So, you could set your balance accordingly.

[Deacon_Blues]

Not really on the topic, but at least related...

I don't think I've ever played a song EXACTLY like the original, mostly I only try to capture the feel in it (but it's only because I'm too lazy to transcribe the whole song). Mostly, I put in a few of my own ideas in the songs. They're often improvised, but sometimes also well planned, then with the goal to change something in the song.

Nobody's ever complained that I'm not playing the original bass line, but sometimes (by bandmembers) have been complaining because I've been trying to make things too complicated. Haven't happen lately though... seems I've learned something...


I don't have any recording equipment but if I had I would try to record something... It's on my wish list...