Writing and creating a bassline for a Joy Division-style song?

[Fassa Albrecht]

Right, this is frustrating me and I need help!


I'm currently in the process of writing a song in the vein of Joy Division. Problem is I can't get the bassline right for the love of me.

Now I know Peter Hook played high-up on the fretboard due to his poor equipment, and there is an emphasis on strong, clean 'pedal bass' (almost droning). Other than that, I'm stuck.

Any help? You'd think I could write this stuff in my sleep...

[champbassist]

I think a melody in the high register should work in this case. Most JD songs have a bass melody as the primary hook (excuse the pun).
The melody should not be something too extravagant, just a simple line to flow well with the song.
Even though I guess you'd know it by now, the "pedal/droning bass" effect is a result of the Small Clone chorus Hook used.

In all the efforts I've made to right a JD-esque bass line, the melody based approach has worked every time.

[MalcolmAmos]

If you are not taking the following into account - this may help. The melody line and the base line should share some notes. If the melody line and the base line share some of the same notes the two lines harmonize. If the melody line has moved on to notes not found in the old chord (old bass line) we drop out of harmony and need to either add an extension (the needed harmony note) to the old chord or change chords to one that does share some notes with the new melody.

This chart helps:

C Scale melody notes Try these chords
1 C.....I (CEG).… IV (FAC).. vi .(ACE).. ii7 (DFAC)
2 D.....V (GBD).. ii7 (DFAC).iii7(EGBD)
3 E.....I (CEG)…. vi..(ACE)….iii (EGB)
4 F....IV (FAC)…. ii..(DFA)...V7 (GBDF)
5 G.....V (GBD).. I...(CEG)...iii (EGB)
6 A....IV (FAC)... ii..(DFA)…..vi (ACE)
7 B....V7 (GBDF).iii.(EGB)

The chord choices (I, IV, vi and ii7) are generic. So the chart can be used with any key.

If your melodic phrase revolves around the C note the C chord, F chord, Am chord or Dm7 will harmonize that phrase. Notice the Dm chord will not harmonize until you add the b7 or C note and make it a Dm7 chord. Sometime you only need to add one note to the chord to pull it into harmony.

Which one works best? Which ever one keeps the verse movement intact and sounds best.

Get the two lines in harmony then work on the groove.

Good luck.

[champbassist]

Originally Posted by MalcolmAmos

If you are not taking the following into account - this may help. The melody line and the base line should share some notes. If the melody line and the base line share some of the same notes the two lines harmonize. If the melody line has moved on to notes not found in the old chord we drop out of harmony and need to either add an extension (the needed harmony note) to the old chord or change chords to one that does share some notes with the new melody.

This chart helps:

C Scale melody notes Try these chords
1 C.....I (CEG).… IV (FAC).. vi .(ACE).. ii7 (DFAC)
2 D.....V (GBD).. ii7 (DFAC).iii7(EGBD)
3 E.....I (CEG)…. vi..(ACE)….iii (EGB)
4 F....IV (FAC)…. ii..(DFA)...V7 (GBDF)
5 G.....V (GBD).. I...(CEG)...iii (EGB)
6 A....IV (FAC)... ii..(DFA)…..vi (ACE)
7 B....V7 (GBDF).iii.(EGB)

The chord choices (I, IV, vi and ii7) are generic. So the chart can be used with any key.

If your melodic phrase revolves around the C note the C chord, F chord, Am chord or Dm7 will harmonize that phrase. Notice the Dm chord will not harmonize until you add the b7 or C note. An example of adding an extension to the old chord to achieve harmony. Sometime you only need to add one note to the chord to harmonize.

Which one works best? Which ever one keeps the verse movement intact and sounds best.

Good luck.

Woah, Woah, Woah! The theory aspect is all hunky dory but JD stuff is never too musically complex. The main thing with JD basslines, as with all their music is feeling. The bass line should be likeable and convey the emotion of the song. Maybe I'm getting a bit over the top too but listen to New Dawn Fades, She's Lost Control, The Only Mistake, Twenty Four Hours and you'll know what I'm talking about. Another idea here that you could use is to go with a potential vocal melody of the song, if you do not already have one. Case in point: Love Will Tear Us Apart.

@Fassa: found out what was bothering you the other day "blowing across your feet" and "electrocuting" you?

[Fassa Albrecht]

Oh help....that chart thingy looks hard.

Damn....this is going to be harder than I thought. I always thought Hook's basslines were easy.


Time to dig out the Shergold...

[thedude77md]

Most of his lines are the melody/hook up high on the G or D string and a droning note on an adjacent open string.

Also, I believe his chorus is a Clone Theory.

[Fassa Albrecht]

Originally Posted by thedude77md

Most of his lines are the melody/hook up high on the G or D string and a droning note on an adjacent open string.

Yeah, this is something you can see on video clips...

Also, I believe his chorus is a Clone Theory.

I'm going to have to make do with a Small Clone...