how to make up own bass riffs...

[hoppusandriano]

I'm 15 and have been playing bass for about 2 and a half years. I can play bass fairly well and i dont just follow the guitar like i used to. I'm in a band and we have a bunch of originals and we also play covers but the bass lines are so easy so i wanna add a little flavor to them. How, in your opinion, is the best way to go about making up riffs?

[Matt Till]

I wouldn't mess with the covers, there are a reason those basslines are probably simple. Simple basslines often hold a song together.

If you want to improve your original songs, it's all about scales. Scales seem so boring until you realize they are how you make basslines! Most rock stuff is in minor pentatonic or major. Get a general understanding of theory and creating more interesting basslines will be fairly easy.

[mjwhit]

Yup i completely agree with Matt Till
With the covers, do not touch the bass lines.The composer has sat down and no doubt thought about making a more complex bass line. Any stuff you add that you think sounds good completely goes against him. Its not that the composer cant play technical lines, its the fact that he chooses not to, for whatever reason.

Again I agree with Matt.
To improve your originals learn more scales and arpeggios.
Scales are very important to help you get an idea of what note sounds good were. Arpeggios are also another idea. Music Theory in general is helpful. It may be boring as hell to sit down with a music theory book, but it can help you big time later down the track.

[Lesfunk]

I think it's important to know what the actual chords are youre playing over (ex. Dmin7/ G7/ C maj7) and what notes are in the chords and what scales coincide with them.
I also think It's important to listen to a lot of Music and steal licks from other players. Hearing how sombody else interprets a song can give you new ideas of your own.

[Matt Till]

Originally Posted by Lesfunk

I think it's important to know what the actual chords are youre playing over (ex. Dmin7/ G7/ C maj7) and what notes are in the chords and what scales coincide with them.

This is the basic theory I was talking about, this is where bass line compostion begins.