songwriting bassists

[richardjones89]

i am in a band and i am the bassist, but i spend most time writing and composing songs whenever it hits me to and coming up with melodies to fit. i find it hard to write songs with a bass, so i end up playing guitar and writing instead.

i should imagine than playing both guitar and bass should give your fingers an extra workout. but is there any bassists out there who CAN write and compose songs with playing bass?

[Marcus]

There are some bassists that compose arrangements for their band, as well as supply the melody.

Tetsu from L'Arc~En~Ciel (tremendously popular Japanese rock act) is a great example of this. Here are some videos...

Blurry Eyes in the U.S.
Poem
Anemone

You really, really should check out Tetsu's playing on Anemone. Its really something.

[mcnach]

Originally Posted by Marcus

There are some bassists that compose arrangements for their band, as well as supply the melody.

Tetsu from L'Arc~En~Ciel (tremendously popular Japanese rock act) is a great example of this. Here are some videos...

Blurry Eyes in the U.S.
Poem
Anemone

You really, really should check out Tetsu's playing on Anemone. Its really something.

How does a Japanese band get a name in Catalan[1]?

[1] Catalan: language spoken in Catalonia, Spain.

[richardjones89]

Originally Posted by Marcus

There are some bassists that compose arrangements for their band, as well as supply the melody.

Tetsu from L'Arc~En~Ciel (tremendously popular Japanese rock act) is a great example of this. Here are some videos...

Blurry Eyes in the U.S.
Poem
Anemone

You really, really should check out Tetsu's playing on Anemone. Its really something.

they sound pretty good. its cool to hear how other countries write their songs and compose them. you can see the similarities in how everyone else does it all over the globe.

you can tell that theyre a musically tight band. rock and roll!

those lyrics on Blurry Eyes are good

[Thunder Pulse]

Originally Posted by richardjones89

is there any bassists out there who CAN write and compose songs with playing bass?

Steve Harris.

[Marcus]

Originally Posted by mcnach

How does a Japanese band get a name in Catalan[1]?

[1] Catalan: language spoken in Catalonia, Spain.

Actually their band name is French for "rainbow" if I am not mistaken...

Glad you like L'Arc, Rich

[Asa Samuel]

Originally Posted by Thunder Pulse

Steve Harris.

LEDGEND

[fettbass]

geddy lee?

[Chili]

Originally Posted by richardjones89

i am in a band and i am the bassist, but i spend most time writing and composing songs whenever it hits me to and coming up with melodies to fit. i find it hard to write songs with a bass, so i end up playing guitar and writing instead.

i should imagine than playing both guitar and bass should give your fingers an extra workout. but is there any bassists out there who CAN write and compose songs with playing bass?

i come up with songs and instrumentals on bass all the time, but i dont usually write the guitar part or any other instrument parts, i leave that for the guitar player etc todo, but i'm thinking about getting piano lessons so i have more to work with and practice some guitar

[Joe Lindley]

Maybe I don't understand your question, but I think there are a lot: Sting, Paul McCartney, Chris Squire, Roger Waters, Jah Wobble, Bill Laswell, John McVie, Jack Bruce, Jaco, Les Claypool, Bootsy Collins, Stanley Clarke, Ron Carter, Willie Dixon, Tony Levin, Greg Lake, Billy Sheehan.

[jaaboy]

http://profile.myspace.com/nathanplaysbass

thats a good guy. IMHO he doesnt have the best lyrics but his playing more than makes up for it.

[DocBop]

I would say most probably compose on another instrument for multiple reasons. First chords are bass you are limited in how much you can do since close voicing tend to be register dependent or muddy.

More important usually best to write on an instrument that isn't your main instrument. When you use your main instrument you tend to use familiar patterns and scales your fingers are familiar with. That is very limiting. You write on another instrument you tend listen to the notes themselves versus playing.

I remember reading that Jimmy Page would go out into the woods with a acoustic guitar, cassette tape recorder, and a slide. He would detune the guitar, then use the slide to try and come up with melodies. If he found someting he like he'd record it, tune the guitar back up and figure out what he played and work on it.

This gets into practicing creativity and the best way to do that is thru restricting yourself. When you have your entire bass or other instrument it can be hard to figure out where to start. it scares some. This is because there are so many possibilities. But limit yourself to only a few notes of chords, only a certain range, and you force yourself to be creative.

One of the great classical composers (no I can't remember his name anymore, early 20th century) would teach compostion. I would tell the studend they could only use one note. That would force the students to get very creative with rhythms and space. They would have to write numerous pieces using only one note. Then he would start getting them into orchestration still composing with one note. They would really have to dig in and learn to use the timbres of the orchestra along with rhythm to create interesting music. After having to write many pieces using one note and orchestra, he would finally allow them to use a triad. The students minds were blown away. After working so hard on being creative with one note, the possibilities with three notes seems limitless. I studied with one of the composers student's, stundents (hey I'm not that old) and we started with the triad.

So when practicing writing, practicing being creative limit yourself. Force yourself to do a lot with less. Circling back to my point write on what isn't your main instrument to avoid using the familiar.

[richardjones89]

Originally Posted by DocBop

I would say most probably compose on another instrument for multiple reasons. First chords are bass you are limited in how much you can do since close voicing tend to be register dependent or muddy.

More important usually best to write on an instrument that isn't your main instrument. When you use your main instrument you tend to use familiar patterns and scales your fingers are familiar with. That is very limiting. You write on another instrument you tend listen to the notes themselves versus playing.

I remember reading that Jimmy Page would go out into the woods with a acoustic guitar, cassette tape recorder, and a slide. He would detune the guitar, then use the slide to try and come up with melodies. If he found someting he like he'd record it, tune the guitar back up and figure out what he played and work on it.

This gets into practicing creativity and the best way to do that is thru restricting yourself. When you have your entire bass or other instrument it can be hard to figure out where to start. it scares some. This is because there are so many possibilities. But limit yourself to only a few notes of chords, only a certain range, and you force yourself to be creative.

One of the great classical composers (no I can't remember his name anymore, early 20th century) would teach compostion. I would tell the studend they could only use one note. That would force the students to get very creative with rhythms and space. They would have to write numerous pieces using only one note. Then he would start getting them into orchestration still composing with one note. They would really have to dig in and learn to use the timbres of the orchestra along with rhythm to create interesting music. After having to write many pieces using one note and orchestra, he would finally allow them to use a triad. The students minds were blown away. After working so hard on being creative with one note, the possibilities with three notes seems limitless. I studied with one of the composers student's, stundents (hey I'm not that old) and we started with the triad.

So when practicing writing, practicing being creative limit yourself. Force yourself to do a lot with less. Circling back to my point write on what isn't your main instrument to avoid using the familiar.

this advice is very useful. thanks!

i do write on guitar more, and in terms of theory i dont know too much about it. i tend to write using a few chords all the way through a song, which i put down to lack of knowledge on that instrument. if i could play guitar better id find more combintations of chords and notes and put together a hot riff to work off.

im going to try that advice later i will just have a random bash around on guitar and sing what comes to mind while recording it on my mp3 player or something, then play it back and listen. i have come up with some great melodies to work off for constructing parts of songs and making them flow very nicley, but i havent had the proof to say i rarley record them

im going to study into song structures and gain a good knowledge of that, then i can try and progress further in my songwriting and playing skills.

[Orco87]

I'm slowly coming to realize that DocBop has some hardcore beautiful wisdom...

every post I've read of his has given me ideas with my own playing, even if I thought that I didn't have the problem of the OP.

The Doc rocks!

[ryco]

I enjoy writing songs on bass for a couple of reasons.

It's easy to come up with grooves because that's basically what bass does. Bass connects rhythms (beats, rhythm patterns) to notes (melodies, chords, progressions). I usually write with a simple programmable drum machine.

Since bass is usually played one note at a time I can really think about where I want that note to go. Is it a chord tone? Which one: R 3 5 7 ...? A scale tone? Outside? Sometimes writing on guitar or keys I find myself automatically going to familiar places or patterns out of habit (physically or aurally). Playing one note at a time allows me to explore a little further. Sometimes I'll end up in places I didn't expect - I really enjoy that aspect.

When writing a song I can generally hear what I would like to hear the whole band play, but I usually let everyone explore and come up with their own parts. If I think their ideas are "better" than mine I don't say nuthin'. If I don't think their idea is as strong as I would like I give them suggestions. Sometimes I'm adamant = in my mind the writer gets final say

This is an IMO YMMV post. There's many ways to write toons. I feel very comfortable writing on bass.




ps> I also very much enjoy the good Doctor's posts!

[JimmyM]

I write on whatever instrument I think speaks for the song. Some I write on bass, some I write on guitar, some I write on keyboard. Most are written on guitar, though. And I think most bassists write on guitar. Les Claypool is a notable exception.

[nysbob]

That was some great advice from docbop. I do most of my writing on guitar and piano....since I'm not technically very proficient on either it helps me concentrate on what I WANT to say as opposed to something chopsy I would probably do on a bass. Plus it's helpful to be able to experiment to more chordally with instruments voiced up in the vocal range. That's what seems to work for me, anyway.