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Originally Posted by iDillo17  I can play what others have written fairly easily. I just cant write anything or improvise. Any sites or book or anything that you can recommend to help? |
Writing a
song - I do not even try to do this on my bass. I start with my rhythm guitar and move to my keyboard and when I have the lyrics and the chord progression working together I then start thinking about what bass line and melody will work together.
Improvising and writing is going to be easier if you have a structure to follow, i.e. first is what key will you write in. No big deal, but it sure speeds things up. If you have a vocalist in mind use the key they like to sing in. No one in mind use the key you like best. How about C and skip all the flats and sharps.
There are song writer sites out there try Google. Here is what I do. It really is a chicken or egg thing, does not matter where you start, when you finish several things need to be in place. Of course IMHO. The following structure works for songs or improvised phrases.....
- If you will have lyrics that is where I start. The story in a four line verse format. Three verses and one chorus. Rhyme or not is up to you.
- I next decide on what cookie cutter chord progression fits this song. I'm Country so use a I-IV-V-I progress for the first draft. Some like I-V-I-IV-V7-I or ii-V7-I or I-vi-IV-V-I at this point it does not really matter pick one as a structure. Have a complete V-I cadence in the first two lines, i.e. I like to start with the I chord (rest) and move to the IV chord (tension) near the ending of the first line. Continue with the IV chord in the beginning of the second line and near the end of the second line I bring in the V (climax) chord and then quickly resolve back to the I chord ending the second line. This is repeated for the next two lines.
- Next is moving the chords a little to the left or right so they will match up with the lyric words. Get the lyric flow to match the chord flow.
- It's now time for the melody. If the melody notes and the notes in the chords share like notes you will have harmonization - which you need for the two to sound good together. So here I use the notes of the chord's pentatonic for my melody notes. Start with the first word of the lyrics - what chord have I used over that word? Which of the chord's notes sound best with that word, i.e. C chord has the C, E & G notes - say the word and sound a C note, how did it sound. Try the E then the G the one that sounded the best to you is what you use. Working in phrases find the notes that sound good with the lyrics. Using the chord's pentatonic notes for the melody over that chord gives you three chord tones and two safe passing notes - all you will need for a first draft.
That gets you a first draft - the bare bones - now go flesh out your bare bone structure.
Try having a key in mind.
Work up your verse structure.
Pick a chord progression to use.
Move the chords around to fit the lyric flow.
Pick melody notes from the chords in play at this moment - that sound good with the lyric words. One melody note per each lyric word. Ma-ry would take two melody notes. As would lit-tle, etc.
That gets a lead sheet - no bass clef - time to work up the bass line. Do what you normally do for a bass line when you have a lead sheet or fake chord to work from.
Sit back have a beverage of your choice and enjoy your work.
I know this gives you the structure for a song. If you just want to improvise something - you probably will use a lot of the above in that. Copy down the hints that come on the screen in this video.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=r0iZ1j00wSU Pay attention to what he has to say about using three close notes then a leap. Leaving air for the piece to breath is also a good idea. Notice he has the same bass line over the entire improvisation, i.e. there is structure even with improvisation.
Have fun.
