Trouble writing bass lines

tallicabassist0 · #1 08-09-2011, 12:30 AM

I am the bassist of my band. I have been struggling to come up with something based on the guitar part when our band song writer brings forth a new song. Our drummer always tends to grab the bass from me and come up with something and that really irritates the hell out of me.

If I were to take the guitar part and spend a lot of time with it then I can come up with something at least basic. However it seems like I need to come up with something right there on the spot.

How can I do this? Even if it is simple. I can't really enjoy being in a band where I cannot even come up with my own parts. I am capable of learning very complex bass lines yet I cannot write a simple line when it comes to me creating something based on a guitar part shown to me.

My drummer says he just relies on the dots of the bass and doesn't do anything special but it sounds a lot better than he claims. He says I have incredible potential from simply jamming with him and being capable of doing certain techniques a lot others cannot. He encourages me constantly to be able to do my own bass line writing yet gives me crap for it at the same time claiming its too much extra work for him. It seems more natural for him to come up with stuff than it does for me.

Bottom line is, I shouldn't be struggling with such a simple thing and I come here to ask for any advice. And I agree with my drummer 100%, he shouldn't be responsible for my part.

Mirios · #2 08-09-2011, 12:37 AM

Practice and experience. Knowing the basics about theory can make writing a working line easier until you create the correct line you end up using.

I would find it very rude if someone grabbed my bass and showed me "his" way of playing the line.

If you feel you need time between practices to write the lines and it's an originals band I don't see why they should have a problem with this if they like playing with you.

If you can play what you sing it also makes a huge difference. You can sing a bass line you like while you listen to the song. Transfer it to your bass and your gold. I do this myself first time through hearing a song and often I do it in my head.

tallicabassist0 · #3 08-09-2011, 12:47 AM

I have been with this band for 3+ years now. I just need this to crack open for me. What are good ways of practicing this on my own outside the band?

Mirios · #4 08-09-2011, 12:51 AM

Hmmmm maybe try playing to tracks that don't have bass already? Free Jam Tracks and Backing Tracks comes to mind. Can you sing a line and then play it? If not you can practice that without downloading anything.

Just out of curiosity what kind of music do you play?

Session1969 · #5 08-09-2011, 12:53 AM

What you should do is explain that you need to be able to take the recordings home and work on them for a couple days alone to build up your writing skills. More importantly , hum the bass line to yourself before you play anything. If you want to come up with quality stuff it's pretty important to write with your head and not your fingers.

tallicabassist0 · #6 08-09-2011, 12:53 AM

rock, alt, and a tad grunge

Mirios · #7 08-09-2011, 12:56 AM

I have to admit it's odd that expect you to write on the fly. Can they at least email you an mp3 of the song a few days before you rehearse or something? Rushing writing is not usually a good idea.

JakeAndAirwaves · #8 08-09-2011, 12:58 AM

Play the root notes to start out. Then add some other things as you play. Alt and grunge is usually that way.

jkjgiants26 · #9 08-09-2011, 01:00 AM

use a major scale pattern, or a "box" pattern and just noodle around with those on your own. and if you can sing a line then you can just figure out where the notes are on your bass. also i find buying a phrase sampler aka a looper will expand your creativeness, it did for me

tallicabassist0 · #10 08-09-2011, 01:01 AM

Well we don't always have recording equipment with us all the time. And it's usually something very basic so we can play through the song to learn the parts, changes, and get an overall feeling. Drummer claims it is very important to be able to get something done on the spot. They don't ask for anything super complex, just something to work with while learning the song. A simple root note only line cannot really pass by with a lot of our songs. I usually prefer to begin like that but tends to not be a great approach all the time

eddievanbassman · #11 08-09-2011, 01:03 AM

I'd tell the drummer to stick to drums...hahahaha

Mirios · #12 08-09-2011, 01:04 AM

If you know what the root, third fifth of a song is you can make a line I hope. Play off the drummer too not just the guitarist. If you're feeling saucy you can even do a seventh

If the guitar player does a lot of barre chords you can play within the dominant scale pattern easily enough.

JakeAndAirwaves · #13 08-09-2011, 01:07 AM

Tell him to record it on his cellphone and text it to you a few days ahead. What exactly are you looking for to go with it? What bands are your influences?

recreate.me · #14 08-09-2011, 01:09 AM

Dude, I read this and thought I wrote it and forgot lol This is my situation exactly. Seriously, my band does this too, our guitarist/singer brings in new stuff that he has worked out with the other guitarist and plays it at practice and expects the drummer and I to just know what to play. Its tricky a lot of the time, and takes me about 3 practices (6 hours or so) to finish a song and play it well with the band.

Heres my method, its not perfect but it will get the band off your back and will produce great lines (In your opinion

):
1) Have them play the song / part for you, while you just listen, and watch the hands of the guitarists.
2) Have them break the song down in its parts for you and play each part on its own, just the guitar (your pick, rhythm is easier usually i ask to see both)
3) Focus on each part until you have something written. I find it best to start with playing roots, 5th, 7th's if fitting. Repeat until you have something basic for the song.

Thats what you do in practice, you apply those steps until you have the basic flow of the song. After you have learned that you can leave it, or start messing with what notes to accent, what to play and what not to play, and way to make it fancier. Use those roots as your skeleton and flesh it out later at home so when you return for the next practice you can try some stuff out and see what works best with the rest of the band.

This is what i do, it starts slow but its all i can do unless someone rights out the guitar parts for me and I follow that, but they wont do that lol so i make them play it until I can write out the guitar parts in my head and then write my bassline to go with it!

(its fun this way because every time i play my songs they get a bit more complex and i get to try new things all the time)

**jmattbassplaya** · #15 08-09-2011, 01:10 AM

A few ideas:

1. Start listening to different kinds of music
2. Start paying more attention to different instruments and their parts
3. Start transcribing everything you listen to (this is the most important!)

I have trouble coming up with parts all the time, and I'm in a jam band! It just takes practice, a decent ear, and a good vocabulary of musical licks and ideas.

JakeAndAirwaves · #16 08-09-2011, 01:17 AM

When you have music going, just analyze the bass. Figure out what the bassist is doing in relation to the guitarist. When I am in the car everyone gets mad at me for not listening to what they say, because I am doing this. It's not a good idea to do this while driving, it's a distraction. I take no responsibility.

Mirios · #17 08-09-2011, 01:18 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by jmattbassplaya

A few ideas:

1. Start listening to different kinds of music
2. Start paying more attention to different instruments and their parts
3. Start transcribing everything you listen to (this is the most important!)

All good ideas. Number 3 can really help.

fearceol · #18 08-09-2011, 05:37 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Mirios

If you can play what you sing it also makes a huge difference. You can sing a bass line you like while you listen to the song. Transfer it to your bass and your gold.

+1 to this.

Without your bass, try singing some bass lines to a given part.

OP, I can understand you feeling a bit humiliated by that drummer. See if you can get some music in advance to work on at home.

panda bass · #19 08-09-2011, 06:42 AM

Everything above is really good stuff! Remember basic patterns: Root, R-5, R-5-6, Octave, R-5-flat7. Arpeggios, scales and the like will also be crucial. Take it baby step by baby step. If you break it down it will make it 1 million times easier. Just explain to them that if they want you to come up with quality bass lines they need to work with you! Take it beat by beat. Have them break down the riff and place the first measure on repeat. While they play listen, Then start playing along just with some roots, Then add say a fifth in between and a flat seventh at the beginning until you have some catchy grove then throw in the second measure and before you know it bam you have a bass line!

Also, tell your drummer that you can do it just fine and you would appreciate it if he would back off a little bit. Good luck!

BROKEN OHMS · #20 08-09-2011, 11:21 AM

When I run into this problem I'll leave the room while the rest of the band plays something new and just listen from the hall. Helps me "hear" what I should play. Our singer is also really good at just singing parts for the band to play. I don't mind playing what he's come up with if it's better than what I was doing.