Damn, I Can't Hear The Low End

[kalo]

Okay guys,

Now I really know that I must be a guitarist at heart and this is no offense to bass players....

I've got some cover songs that I need to learn bass lines to...
No problem because as a former guitarist I am able to transcribe solo's note per note because of this cool software I have...Sooo, learning bass lines should be easy right?

WRONG Okay, let's face it root notes in eight or sixteen time is easy....But more elborate songs are a little tougher...

I am NOT used to hearing the low end!!! I believe my problem is that my computer and doesn't really have great Equalization so that I can't just filter out the low end part...

Is there anything out there that I can get to bring in more of the low frequencies? I wish there was software kind of like mixing software that can help....I might just end up getting a small mixer board....

I feel embrassed because seriously, I have a tuff time with hearing the low end...But yet I can pick out all the guitar solos...DAMN, I am embrassed...But I won't give up....

Any suggestions? Thanks, Kalo!

[GSPLBASSDC]

If you're learning from a cd, then I'd suggest a Tascam CDBTMKII. It's a cd playback machine that lets you plug your bass in and play along..either cutting out the bass part on the cd so you can play, or boosting the bass so you can hear better. I've had mine for about 2 1/2 months now and it's helped me learn tunes so much faster!

[kalo]

Well one of the songs (please don't laugh) that I had a tuff time with is Simple Man (can't spell) by Lynard Skynard...

I was able to play it on guitar, and figure out the key...Also figure out that they had tuned down 1/2 step....

I then got my bass out and proceed to figure out the lines...I was able to hear the opening riff and stuff, but futher into the song got muddle because of the mix...So, I kind of came up with my own line....

It's just that as a bass player (because I am new) I feel insecure about the line I came up with...I am also OBESSIVE by nature about figuring it out EXACTLY as the recording

I can usually pretty much pick out bass lines to groups I really like...But this Lynard Skynard stuff is different....

Kalo!

[kalo]

Awesome...Thanks, I'll check out the tascam Cd player...Thank you!!!

[seanm]

I look at it this way: If I can't hear the bass line when I am listening very carefully, then the average listener cannot hear it. Therefore, how can they tell it is wrong?

[GSPLBASSDC]

Originally Posted by kalo

Awesome...Thanks, I'll check out the tascam Cd player...Thank you!!!

It's all good..

[B-NoteCowboy]

That's strange, I can hear the bassline pretty clearly on Simple Man. It really might be the system you are listening on.

Are you listening to a live version? A lot of times, those are so muddy you can't pick out the mid range bass tones very well.

There's nothing complicated on that song. The heavier the song gets, the less busy he is on the bass line. The slower, the more noodling. Three glorious chords! Great tune.

[Marcus Willett]

Originally Posted by SMASH

No drunk has ever come up to me and said "yo, man, you're playing some approaches a bit more chromatically on "Let's Get It On" than on the recordings I am familiar with, and this discrepancy has resulted in ruining the vibe for that girl I just met and now I can't get some ... yo ... I'm complaining to the manager about you!"

Now THAT is some of the funniest shi*t I have heard in a while. If it wasn't so long, I'd use it in a sig line!

[Steve]

Originally Posted by kalo

I am also OBESSIVE by nature about figuring it out EXACTLY as the recording

I can usually pretty much pick out bass lines to groups I really like...But this Lynard Skynard stuff is different....

Kalo!

Leon was a friend of mine. I'm sure he would thank you for your efforts but tell you to just have some fun with it. He never obsessed about getting it exactly the same everytime. That was designed as a little goof groove between he and Artimas and they played around with it constantly. It was never the same twice and I heard it a bunch of times

I say that because coincidentally, Leon was the one that taught me that tune and the walk over the solo in That Smell. Other than the obvious intro line you're just working octaves in a deliberatly crude syncopation thats way down deep in the pocket so, unless your drummer is going to play it exactly the same you're better off working that groove against what he's doing.

[BurningSkies]

Picking out the bassline comes with time. Yes, a different stereo can also help (my car is the best place to listen and figure stuff out)...but it's one of those things you've got to grow.

[bassicinstinct]

In the days of vinyl albums, I always used to find that the bassline was FAR easier to hear/learn if I played them at 45 r.p.m.

No idea what use that is today of course - just thought I'd share.