What could you bassists do with this...

[Airsick Pilot]

..ok when I plugged my bass, I found myself playing this..It has a jazz kinda start to it...I'm working on ways to create a bassline out of this. So my question is, what are some of the ways you guys would try to work on if you already have a bassline like this.

G--------------------
D----------33-44-5--
A--0h3--4-----------
E--------------------

[Matt Till]

Well, play around with it, don't be afraid to experiment, move it around a bit. And don't ask other people to finish it for you or it won't be YOUR bassline In the words of my 2d design teacher, "Play"

[Matt Till]

And if I were a mod... I'd move this to misc

[Airsick Pilot]

Hey there. Well I wasn't trying to ask you guys to complete it for me, I myself am playing around with it and I already have a good idea what I wanna do with it but I was wondering what you guys would do with a bassline like that. Cheers

[jazzbo]

Here's an idea.


It's late.

[moley]

Originally posted by Matt Till
And if I were a mod... I'd move this to misc

This is a perfect candidate for my proposed "Composition & Songwriting [BG]" forum!

(Those who haven't already see this thread ).

[Airsick Pilot]

Okay guys...after about half an hour of tinkering with the jazz(?) bassline, I came up with this..I know, I know..this is very much kiddy stuff to you guys. I'm working on it. I wasnt even into jazz before I woke up and suddenly played a few of this basslines while still in "half-asleep" mode.

I'm still improvising it though...so I'd appreciate it if you guys would give some points...comments..remarks....if its catchy enough to use as a main bassline..

Note that Im not in the jazz band..Im in a rock band with a mix of alternative, punk, metal and grunge and Im planning to somehow blend in a bit of jazz into our music.

Allright here goes...

Jazz(?) Line

[JimK]

'Bo-
NIce job...being the yutz I am, I would make those "Db"s into "C#"s.
Your line smacks of Jaco & Jamerson; R&B-ish Funk.
(BTW, I should be hitting the Post Office this a.m).


Cone's 'original' figure is standard R&B fare.

[JimK]

'Bo-
It's on the way(sorry I wasn't a "Bee Kind To Rewind").

Anyway, as I stood there at the PO awaiting my turn, I thought about Jazzbo's line...which I like very much-
It's the sorta busy 16th note groove I love playing.

What I noticed-
There's a note being played on every downbeat(1-2-3-4)...granted, every "1" is but a 16th note. That does add some rhythmic tension & push/momentum.

Once these 6 bars are played, I would think about using some 'time' tricks-
1)Ghost some notes
2)Add some rests
3)TIE some notes
...this includes tie-ing notes across the bar line; hopefully, that will lose people(just kidding). Example: if the drummer is hammering out a 1&3/2&4 backbeat Funk line with a 16th note feel on the hat, crossing the bar line would be a nice diversion...as long as you know WHERE you are & where "1" still sits. You may want to restate "1" eventually.

Another thing to try is displacement-
Shift the entire 6 bars over to the right by starting an 1/8th note 'late'.
Or shift/displace select parts of the groove...

You cab even think about making every other bar into an ODD thing.

Not sure how "Jazzy" this is to the purists here, though.

Looking at the original figure, you're walking up to what could be an "Ab"(I'm making the note @the 4th fret, "Db" as beat "1"...the previous notes are "pick up" notes).
Once you arrive at the "Ab"(6th fret/"D"-string)-
You can play a 'tripletted drop'(in BOLD) that will put you at the "Ab" on the "E"-string on BEAT "2".

----A-C-lDb-F-Gb-GlAb/Eb/A-Ab-etc-etcl

[jazzbo]

Originally posted by JimK
'Bo-
Nice job...being the yutz I am, I would make those "Db"s into "C#"s.

While I generally don't like #s, (which, yes, I understand is a weird statement to make, I'm just sooo conditioned to flats), I have to admit that it originally was a C#. Obviously, as the passing tone, that makes some sense, but I thought I could get away with it since I was headed to F and not D.

Your line smacks of Jaco & Jamerson; R&B-ish Funk.

As does EVERYTHING I play. I have absolutely no diversity in my playing. Sad, but true.

(BTW, I should be hitting the Post Office this a.m).

You'll get no arguments here. No get out of the house and over to the Post Office.

[JimK]

Originally posted by jazzbo
As does EVERYTHING I play. I have absolutely no diversity in my playing. Sad, but true.

I know exactly what you mean...I'm still tryin' to get it right(one reason I'm not ready for solos-ville).
What I find helpful-
Playing Latin, Reggae, Soca, Calypso, Bossa, etc...
You know, those things I was not really weened on, per se.

I'm hoping you get that tape on Thursday(maybe Friday).

Hasta.

_______________
Current Favourite Drink: Starbuck's Peppermint/Mocha Decaf Frappacino.

[Matt Till]

Originally posted by moley


This is a perfect candidate for my proposed "Composition & Songwriting [BG]" forum!

(Those who haven't already see this thread ).

you just won't quit 'til you get you're own forum will ya?

[Bruce Lindfield]

Originally posted by JimK


I know exactly what you mean...I'm still tryin' to get it right(one reason I'm not ready for solos-ville).
What I find helpful-
Playing Latin, Reggae, Soca, Calypso, Bossa, etc...
You know, those things I was not really weened on, per se.

Yes - playing these thing really makes you think about the type of rhythmic ideas you were talking about - so a lot of the Latin/Salsa bass lines I play have this idea of crossing the bar line - but this is very difficult for the whole band as you say. In Salsa - you always have a percussionist playing a steady beat somewhere and giving you the on beats - but my band has found that if percussionists don't turn up to rehearsal and nobody plays this, then the restof the band is thrown out - so the horn section or soloists tend to come in on the wrong beat of the bar and everything falls apart!!

And that's after having played these tunes for several years!

I sometimes get very bored with this stuff, (little or no harmonic movement) but I know it does me good in terms of nailing rhythmic variations.

[moley]

Originally posted by Matt Till


you just won't quit 'til you get you're own forum will ya?

LOL!

[XavierG]

Originally posted by cone41
. So my question is, what are some of the ways you guys would try to work on if you already have a bassline like this.....

There are so many possibilities. Use your imagination, but more importantly, use your ears and let them guide you - There are no "wrong" answers.