Starting on death metal bass...

[rbd]

I play guitar for some years and I'm starting to play bass too. My main style is kind of progressive melodic death metal, which uses a lot of 16th notes in the range of 150-180bpm.

My question is: I know it is possible, but is it common the bass to play 16th notes as the guitars or will it sound better playing 8th notes? I'm considering repeated notes, of course...

[Crumbs]

It is fairly common to play 16th notes, the thing is, you rarely hear the bass. Mortification use prety prominently on this song Scrolls of Megilloth . I think generally it's best to mix it up, playing root notes at times, but then completely different stuff which complements the guitar.

For the progressive stuff, I find it's better to slow it down, and then use speed to emphasise parts. There're no steadfast rules to it, though, and it generally depends on what serves the song the best.

[SMILEYSIXX]

In metal, I rarely keep a constant speed. If I'm playing a root, I pluck to the rhythm of the guitar, not a straightforward 16th or 8th. But, like Crumbs said, you should use speed as an emphasis.

[ysand]

Use a pick, makes 16ths clearer and more comfortable.
Listen to the drums rythm, not what the guitars play.
Play what u feel like playing, except being told to play smth specific.

[metalstorm]

I played in a lot of metal bands when I was younger and this was always the issue. I got to the point where I could play that fast but it takes alot of practice and not everyone can do it. Also there comes a point when the bass is too fast and in my opinion it doesn't sound as good. When there is a blast beat, i like to do 8th notes doubling what the kick pedal and snare are doing and it ends up sounding very powerful.

[rbd]

thanks for your replies. I think there are times when what feels right is to just follow the exact line the guitars are playing. the examples that come to my mind have lots of repeated notes, like Death's Symbolic when the bass drum and guitars play those fast 16th's with variations in between or the beginning of Misanthrope. Or the 1st section in Morbid Angel's Rapture. Not much room to spice it up DiGiorgio style...

[ninjadeathfunk]

In my opinion, it sounds great if one saves the fast 16ths bass lines for when the guitar player is doing some leads or something more technical, while you just lock in with the double-kick. When there are trem riffs that are ridiculously fast, the fundamentals of your tone get lost with the guitar, and you waste all your stamina doing something that won't be heard. In these cases, I've found that it's wiser to stick with 8ths that outline the harmony (if there is any). It'll sound much heavier too.

I just recorded a track with a band that had a simple double-kick beat with the guitarist doing a super complex 16th note riff at 154bpm and god damn did it sound/feel good to play the root at at the same speed.

Whatever keeps the groove.

[Punk player21]

There is a problem wile playing 16th notes in that oh so amazing low tuning for metal, the notes can rattle and distort threw the amps, using a pick is okay with it but if you can finger pick or get a thumb pick and use that, its hard at first but it can be done! A pedal will help just to clean up the sound and a few tempo changes isn't a bad idea, always helps with the bass being herd more. Have the lewd guitarist do something higher up on the fret bored something like a solo and play the octive notes depending on the cords he/she is using. I think that these will help out somewhat, but having a good bass rig with a good deep punch will help. If you've read any of my other posts I really push the Ampeg Pro Neo set up the 4x10's with a 1000 watt head is an amazing set up. Like I always say, practice hard by your self and harder with your band. Like others have said keep the rhythm of the double kicks and the tone of the guitar.