Writing Basslines - HOLD THE CHEESE

[spikypunker]

Hi guys

I'm in a band with some great musicans, and we're about to start writing a new album and take the whole deal more seriosuly as we're all now renting a big house with band practise cellar.

The new stuff we're writing is far more professional and more mainstream, my basslines are sounding really pro but incredibly cheesy, i'm wondering if there's any tricks to move away from the cheese

Most of them are simple deep root notes with small linking melodies to support the vocals, was proud of the new track we wrote on saturday, but yeah, sounds pretty cheesy.

Anyone got any pointers? I could perhaps record and post this recent bass part?

Peace! Chris

[f'nar f'nar]

It would be easier if we could hear what kind of stuff you're playing, it's difficult to tell you what to do different if we don't know what you're doing in the first place

Also I don't think that a cheesy bass line is a bad thing, as long as it serves the song...

[spikypunker]

I did link to the band, but tonight i will record the new bassline i'm talking about specifically and then maybe can get some critisims!

peace

[Chris K]

Originally Posted by spikypunker

I did link to the band, but tonight i will record the new bassline i'm talking about specifically and then maybe can get some critisims!

peace

Same to you my friend.

Not my cheese of cake, but I liked the numbers 1, 2 (much) and 4. Very Britsh I would say. Nice drive yet with a touch of flegma.

Wouldn't do too much about 1,2, and 4. 3 is so&so, 5 is

The unison parts with the lead guitar could be more exact - you're a bit sloppy sometimes (sometimes too fast on the fast notes). If I hear correctly you are plucking - maybe you should try picking. I like your sound, but is it suitable for this kind of music? A touch of brilliance could help.

You might also not play unison with the lead guitar, but try to 'twine' your parts in some clever way. Also try for some weird, psychic intervals to freshen up lines that are too predictable, like your line in nr. 3.

Cheesy = ...?

[spikypunker]

Yes thanks very much for the input, much appreciated!

They are all fairly old songs and we've tried to change our "style" a bit upon writing some new tunes, i will record a verse and chorus bassline i wrote for the new track and upload it for some picking apart by ppl tomorrow

Thanks again!

Peace, Chris

[spikypunker]

And yes well heard, all plucked, however been learning some more funky stuff recently (just learned J5 - IWYB....awesome) so trying to develop the pluck style a bit more.

[Hookus]

I think the lines sound fine for the most part, and I think you will refine it the more you play them. However, as an aside, seems like the bass is a little high in the mix, really too far out front on some tracks, and kind of has a little bit of weird resonance that I would probably mix out of there. On the track where you have overdrive, it sounds better. Sounds like a little bit too much low-mids when clean.

Anyway, I played in a pop-punk band for a while, and at first I thought it was all cheese, but after a while learned to work with it, and get a little farther away from the guitarists lines. Maybe use some more passing tones, but overall, seems like the bass line fits just fine in that group.