Technique to Picking out Bass Lines?

[basshero1107]

Well, i have some stuff i want to learn. There aren't tabs or videos or sheet music at all for bass so I have to learn by ear...BUT its kind of hard to pick out individual notes (its a busy song hidden under a fancy 7 and 8 time signature).

Are there any ways you could almost single out the bass or make all the other instruments quiet enough to pick it out? I know you can mess with EQ but that only helps so much...i just thought it would be cool to have a program that breaks up songs into their parts or something.

BTW the song is called Mirrors by Between the Buried and Me.
Its verrry groovy and catchy . I am covering it for a free-form jazz comp. in two weeks along with some other improv stuff.

[Hollywars]

Colors was better imo. There are programs that can take out the guitar and vocals, do a search, as there have been many threads. I feel Dan Briggs has a very unique style, and cuts through well. I would transcribe it for you, but I don't really feel like looking up their tuning or tuning my bass to it.

[fivestringgecko]

I use Cool Edit Pro (audio software, which is now apparently Adobe Audition) to slow down quick/technical passages without changing pitch. VERY handy for learning! Never had any particular need to take out other parts, either.

You could also get something like a Tascam Phrase Trainer. Never used one, but they seem quite handy as well.

Neither will really let you take out (or isolate) parts, unfortunately I don't really know of anything that will let you do that. Sorry!

5sg.

[Grantrudd]

There isnt really anything to isolate it. You can slow it down using a multitude of programs out there, which helps a bunch. this song seemed like it had a pretty well pronounced bass tone, even on my laptop speakers, and the bass part is short (only 2 minutes). If i can transcribe an entire charlie parker solo in an afternoon, im sure you can transcribe this part. just put your mind to it, lock yourself in a room with some staff paper and go!

[basshero1107]

i got it for the most part. but thanks anyways fellas.

and Hollywars, their tuning is G# C# F# B E.
and im playing it in standard.

i practiced with he band today and it sounds good.

[Hiromakuta]

Here's a simple trick. Downmix the song into mono. You'll find the bassline much more audible. But how do you change from stereo to mono? There a lot of programs for that...

[Fetusyolk]

i've got some nice speakers (relatively) and i haven't done this to learn yet, but if i unplug my speakers from my sub i can hear the bassline very well and loud
and everything in the background is quieter because..well its a sub

[Art Araya]

slow down the song and change the key to an octave higher. you can also EQ the frequency the bass line is at to make it pop out.

i use software called "Amazing Slow Downer" to achieve these manipulations.

[retardedpossum]

Originally Posted by Art Araya

slow down the song and change the key to an octave higher. you can also EQ the frequency the bass line is at to make it pop out.

i use software called "Amazing Slow Downer" to achieve these manipulations.

i just started using that last week. good program

[seanm]

I use audacity. You can slow down the song which helps for the faster bits. You can loop over one part. You can boost the bass, which helps when the bass is buried.

Aside from that, you can use it to record, edit audio files. Lots of stuff!

[Steady Eddie]

A method that has been posted on TB before is to play the music fairly loud in your living room, then go and listen to it from another room in the house. The walls filter out the high frequencies and you can hear the bass quite clearly.

[seanm]

Originally Posted by Steady Eddie

A method that has been posted on TB before is to play the music fairly loud in your living room, then go and listen to it from another room in the house. The walls filter out the high frequencies and you can hear the bass quite clearly.

Cool idea, but I don't think my wife will go for it

[4001]

Originally Posted by Steady Eddie

A method that has been posted on TB before is to play the music fairly loud in your living room, then go and listen to it from another room in the house. The walls filter out the high frequencies and you can hear the bass quite clearly.

YES!!
This IS true.
I have found it easier to actually 'hear' the bass parts of songs that are somewhat buired in the mix by standing in another room to hear it better.

Sounds goofy, but it seems to work.