Please help me expand off of the root - specific song

[walknbluez]

I was hoping some of you could help me with basslines and in this thread I'll be specific and post a song that I play on and you can tell me how you would play the bassline.

I'm in an original rock trio and so I need to come up with basslines to suit the riffs and songs the guitarist writes. I know that common "safe" bets are root/fifth or root/third/fifth or root/octave or whatever but I think my challenge is figuring out WHEN to use those. Many times I just get stuck on the root (a natural tendency due to the drum beat the drummer plays as you'll soon see below).

I know that some songs call for simple root playing but when I listen it just doesn't seem right or what I would hear a pro play. I want to take it to the next level.

The song below has a progression of D A C G. I play it like this with a slight variation as the song progresses:

D (on the A string) - R R R R R R 3 4 (with 3 and 4 leading to A)

A (on the D string) - R R R R R

C (on the A string) - R 5 R R R

G (on the E string) - R R R R (or sometimes R octave R etc)

Anyone want to dive in a help? Any way to improve what I'm playing (like should I have some pauses or ghost notes in there?) Here's the link to the song (rough mix):

Make It This Time.mp3 - 7.11MB

[dalconthenovice]

my recommendation is you know just playing quarter notes 8th notes and 16th notes to the root isn't enough it works but like you said its too safe

my recommendation is learning how to use the root and grooving with it, look up a guy named larry graham, he could make the root say more than most people can using the entire scale, look to GROOVE and learn to groove the root, then expand it

the feel of the song will usually tell you what will soun dgood, if you can get the drummer and guitarist to record tracks with just the too of them then listen to them and a bassline should come to your head, now you just need to get your musical thought down into your instrument

[MalcolmAmos]

Not a lot of space left for you on this one.

I'd just do as you already have - grab some roots and change with the chords. There was so much going on I had trouble hearing the chord changes. Grab a basic beat and hang on is about all I would be able to do with this.

That does not help your question about what bass line to come up with.
I hear the tonal center as being the key of D - that being the case.......

I, V, viidim, IV
D,A, C.......G ........ see if C#dim fits better

You already mentioned all the normal choices to use with a progression like this.

Over the D chord as it looks like a basic major triad do a R-3-5-3 or R-3-5-8.
Over the A chord same thing so do another R-3-5-3
Over the C#dim do a R-b3-b5-bb7 if you have the space for it. If not go R-b3-b5-b3. If the other quys are using C#dim then the b3 and b5 are important. If they are going with C then it does not matter, another R-3-5-3 will work.
Over the G chord as it is another basic major triad go back to that R-3-5-3

Or --- you basic progression revolves around the D, G and A major chords and R-3-5-3 works with all three of them. I go back to there is not a lot of space left for you beyond that repeated root and it does work fine. I doubt anyone could hear the difference in that C or C#dim anyway.

This can help with what riff to use over the chords.
http://www.looknohands.com/chordhous.../index_rb.html
C# dim7
intervals: 1,b3,b5,bb7
notes: C#,E,G,A#

[walknbluez]

Thanks Malcolm for a very detailed response. Perhaps this song just calls for mostly root notin' it? Anyone else?

[Merchant]

I thought what you had there sounded fine, had a play around on my bass and came up with this

but sometimes more notes are just wrong, save them for a more suitable song.

[walknbluez]

Originally Posted by Merchant

I thought what you had there sounded fine, had a play around on my bass and came up with this

but sometimes more notes are just wrong, save them for a more suitable song.

Yes, it could just be my perception of myself (that its sounding too "amateurish" or whatever). I'll see how your tab sounds. I appreciate you taking the time to do that!