making bass lines based on chord symbols

[g&lbass]

Hey, ive been playing bass for two or three years now, and i still suck at playing bass lines for my band. We play metal stuff, and usually i'm forced to just follow the lead guitar, which i hate. How do i make my own bass lines with just the chord progression, and how do i keep them from clashing with the lead guitar. ok this might be confusing, but eadg tells what string, the number says what fret, and the q or e tells quarter or eigth note. Say theres a guitar playing an e minor chord on the eadg strings, just appregiating E0e A2e D2q E0e A2e G0q, at around 150 bpm. I tried to make a bassline, and in my mind this should fit, sounds like it should when they are separate, fits the scale, but sounds bad together. E0e A0e E3q E0e A2e D2q. Why doesnt this fit? can anyone help me with information on how to make my own basslines, how to fix that one, and just general stuff on information like this? Thanks.

[tZer]

Making your own basslines is more of a process of listening then a science of chord deconstruction - especially for metal.

But you can try this...
Get the structure of the song down and chart out the basic chords that your guitar player is using.

For example:

| Em - - - | Am - - - | Gm - - - | Cm - - - |

Now find all the notes in each chord that work... for example:
Em scale = E F# G A B C D E :: So, if you start the Em bar on the Root (E) then work the triad (E G B), you're are safe and sound... You can also go scalar to get yourself to the next bar (Am) like so... | E E F# G | Am - - - |

For a more 'rhythm-centric' approach, you can do something like | EE B EE A EE G EE B| AA E AA D AA C AA E | where you peddal the root and selectively bounce off of other notes in the scale...

If you have more changes in a bar, hit the root, find an arpeg. note, then land on the next chord's root...

If there are fewer changes:

| Em - - - | -/- | Am - - - | - / - |

Then you could work the triad in the first bar and go scalar in the next to get you to the next chord change...

But bottom line, you need to listen to the song - work rhythmically with the drummer (emphasize the power of the drums) - melodically with the singer (if such a thing applies in metal these days ) and harmonically with the guitar player (emphasizing the occasional 'hook lick'). From my days as a metal player (back in the days of Maiden, Anthrax, Megadeath, and Metallica) the goto place for the bass was 'play really fast roots (triplets if you were speaking 'Maiden-ese') and occasionally duplicate or harmonize guitar licks' - not the most expansive world for a bass player, in my opinion...

Here is a sample of what I used to do (circa 1989) tZer does metal... - cheap, 4-track, basement recording... so forgive the quality... and we were young... oh so young....

[g&lbass]

thanks for the info, but i want to play more than simply the triad. We're not new metal, that screamy junk. We're more pantera, iron maiden, metallica, and even a huge classical influence. Classical as in orchestral, not classic rock. I want to play more like cliff burton, or someone else who dosnt just play as if theyre a useless piece of junk in the band, i want to be another instrument, an important player, as all bass players should aspire to be. I also want to know how to harmonize with the lead guitar part, as the bassist for iron maiden often does. That sounds sweet. Anyway, i dont know if you know what im talking about but any help would be appreciated.

[tZer]

Listen to the players you mentioned and learn their parts. Pretty soon you will start to get insight into how they think and how they create their lines.

Also, if you have any orchestral experience, use it. I played in the orchestras on violin and bass for all my years in junior high and high school. My first approach to bass parts was very orchestral and very conducive to 'metal' - people like Yngwie Malmsteen, Maiden, Metallica, and so on really had that 'orchestra' thing going. Not that it was as intellectual, but more 'grandios' and 'ornate'.

So, listen to your symphonies. May I recommend Bizet?

[Kickin'Fruit]

Originally Posted by G&Lbass

or someone else who dosnt just play as if theyre a useless piece of junk in the band, i want to be another instrument, an important player, as all bass players should aspire to be

+1
Truer words have never been spoken.

[Phil Smith]

Originally Posted by g&lbass

thanks for the info, but i want to play more than simply the triad. We're not new metal, that screamy junk. We're more pantera, iron maiden, metallica, and even a huge classical influence. Classical as in orchestral, not classic rock. I want to play more like cliff burton, or someone else who dosnt just play as if theyre a useless piece of junk in the band, i want to be another instrument, an important player, as all bass players should aspire to be. I also want to know how to harmonize with the lead guitar part, as the bassist for iron maiden often does. That sounds sweet. Anyway, i dont know if you know what im talking about but any help would be appreciated.

You can only play like Cliff Burton if you have his chops and with 2-3 years play time under your belt, you probably have a bit of a way to go to play on that level. Don't dispair though , instead of looking for formulas, try stuff, record the practice sessions, refine, rinse, repeat, if it sounds good it probably is good especially after you listen to it on a recording. Often times simply the roots and the fifths are all that are required to make a tune jump provided the rhythm is there and it "gels" with the mix.

Lastly, make sure the chords are correct that you're basing your lines on, but if you're listening that will be apparent.

[All_¥our_Bass]

Go Cliff!! Yeah he's one that put cool bass into metal music, also besides knowing your theory and technique you might want tro look into a Big Muff Distortion and a Morley wah (I know you did not ask about effects, but I thought I'd mention it since it's a thing Cliff used and used well). I tend to play in a Cliff like way, but I'm no where near him when it comes to chops, but his influence shines through in my playing.

[ImaStupidBaby]

what about the drums?

if theres a lot going on with the guitars, groove on the drums. theres something to be said for fast ass, heavy guitars over a slow grooving bassline.

[JimK]

I'm with you, Stubabe.

[Zebra]

One of the most important things to be aware of when wrtiting interlocking harmonies is the intervals you create. The second note of your line creates a major second interval with the guitar, or a whole step. Play the third fret on the D string plus an open G. Doesn't sound nice, does it? You also have a major sixth and minor third in there. Those are tonal intervals, but they may sound funky when you're trying to outline an Emin.

[phxlbrmpf]

It's also a good idea to listen to the vocals when working out a bass line and play a line that's similar to the vocal melody rhytmically and melodically, but "centered" around the root. I do it a lot when I write bass lines.