what inspires your riffs\lines?

[BryLMoo]

has this ever happened to you?
you're having a dry spell...ya known, writers block. you can't come up with anything that sounds even remotely original....and then alluva sudden...one day, you start pulling the weirdest **** right outta your ass...

that just happened to me. i was just practicing...and got inspired to write a few riffs and lines...and they just melded together.

it makes me want to ask the question, what inspires you all to come up with new inventive riffs and bass lines?

[sargebaker]

I just end up with stuff sometimes that sounds really good that I could imagine in a band setting but usually end up not working (mostly cause I play with the wrong bands). Another thing I usually forget them the day after...then it's back to I,V,I,V...
This is in the wrong forum BTW

[BryLMoo]

oh, sorry..

if someone would move it to the appropriate thread. i apologize in advance...i don't post here very often.



i'm still interested in what inspires people...

[Snarf]

The Muses.

[jow83]

Originally Posted by BryLMoo

oh, sorry..

if someone would move it to the appropriate thread. i apologize in advance...i don't post here very often.



i'm still interested in what inspires people...

the guitarist i write with, stuff just seems to happen when we start writing, most of the stuff i write when we are jamming songs out is so much more original and creative then anything i can come up with while playing solo. Im not saying i follow him - a lot of the main motifs and ideas belong to me, i just seem to be more creative when working with other people compared to working solo.

[BryLMoo]

Originally Posted by jow83

the guitarist i write with, stuff just seems to happen when we start writing, most of the stuff i write when we are jamming songs out is so much more original and creative then anything i can come up with while playing solo. Im not saying i follow him - a lot of the main motifs and ideas belong to me, i just seem to be more creative when working with other people compared to working solo.

you see, it's just the opposite with me. i can come up with riffs on my own, and then play them for my friend who then just interprets them how he see's fit.

sometimes i just fly by the seat of my pants, but i find it to be harder than just noodling around on my own at home in my bedroom.

[BryLMoo]

if it get's moved, i want to know where....

but i'm being really serious about this...cuz i'm trying to form a complete band...and it's hard to write material sometimes.

[ehiunno]

i really hate to say it for fear of sounding well... poseresque, but i find with the music that i play if i start a goove off by simply playing one of jacos lines and messing with it and grrooving in th same key with a similiar mindset i can find myself comeing up ith whole new lines that i wouldnt have though of and that most importantly sound nothing like what i started out with

[sargebaker]

it'll go to Miscelanious I presume. And yeah sometime's grooving over other peoples lines, or alongside songs can yield some interesting stuff. I've had some neat little ditty'S and solo's come from playing along side jams from Bitches Brew...

[BryLMoo]

Originally Posted by ehiunno

i really hate to say it for fear of sounding well... poseresque, but i find with the music that i play if i start a goove off by simply playing one of jacos lines and messing with it and grrooving in th same key with a similiar mindset i can find myself comeing up ith whole new lines that i wouldnt have though of and that most importantly sound nothing like what i started out with

i used to do that with RATM lines. they are very simple...but also inventive at the same time...many things can come from them.

sometimes that works for me...but most of the time i try to be even more original...and just NOT copy anyone.

not saying that finding inspiration from anothers work is a bad thing though....i just prefer to be myself on the instrument.

[lbanks]

Wine...

[Iruleonbass]

I sit down on the couch with my bass and watch law and order and things just come to me. Im dead serious too...

[jow83]

I do this at the computer sometimes, or infront of Lost much to my roommates dismay

[Marcus]

"What would Jesus play?"

[Bg Man]

Cartoons and a fat, sassy tone.

[infamousxtopher]

stuff...yeah i think that's about right...but sitting down and watching law and order is on my list too

[nataku]

Originally Posted by Iruleonbass

I sit down on the couch with my bass and watch law and order and things just come to me. Im dead serious too...

+1

i came up with my bands latest song while laying down on the couch and messing around.

if someone else writes a song, and im required to come up with a bass part, i try to stay away from roots, and play the oddest things i can think off (finger positions, patterns, etc.) until i find something cool and original, then add roots when i need too. this is probably why most of my bands songs sound like sh*t...

[hiderebirth]

Originally Posted by lbanks

Wine...

beer for me

[kazuhank]

one way to mix things up and get the creative juices flowing is to add a new element. it could simply be transcribing a horn solo or something you never thought of before. it tends to get you out of any ruts.

another thing that worked for me recently has been playing bass synth in addition to bass. i use both a foot pedal and standard midi controller. in both cases the 'new' instrument forced me to look at bass lines in a different way. the foot controller is sweet as i can play basic 'rhythm' bass parts under my electric basslines. it's a blast. check out the link in my sig for more details.

good luck!

[Whafrodamus]

The Funk... not funk, the music genre.. but the Funk. The entity which surrounds funkiness and giving inspiraiton to all who need it.