need help.

DanTodd · #1 08-01-2006, 11:11 AM

hey, i'm having an issue with my new band and i was wondering if someone could give me some advice.

alright so here's the situation. my band has a show in two weeks. i don't know any of the music yet. and i don't really have any experience of writing my own bass parts. in my old band 95% of the bass was the same as the guitar. and the other 5% was bassically the guitar parts but easier. my old guitarist was more lenient about me considering when i joined the band i had only been playing 3 months. but now i've been playing only about 8 months and i still can't really come up with bass parts.

Albot · #2 08-01-2006, 11:15 AM

When I have a lot of material to learn and lines to write, I take the recordings of the songs and compile them onto one cd. From there I listen to the cd incessently, I mean multiple times daily. And play along with the cd daily. When you know these songs so well that you dont even have to think about them (hearing them in your dreams) and you have all the root chord changes beyond memorized. Your mind will be free to wander about the bass line and you will start to hear, feel and play interesting lines.

DanTodd · #3 08-01-2006, 11:38 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Albot

When I have a lot of material to learn and lines to write, I take the recordings of the songs and compile them onto one cd. From there I listen to the cd incessently, I mean multiple times daily. And play along with the cd daily. When you know these songs so well that you dont even have to think about them (hearing them in your dreams) and you have all the root chord changes beyond memorized. Your mind will be free to wander about the bass line and you will start to hear, feel and play interesting lines.

that actually helps. our guitarist is going to do some rough recordings of the songs, and tab out the root notes and such. i guess after i get those down i'll be able to change stuff.... i hope.

Dkerwood · #4 08-01-2006, 11:39 AM

So are you saying that you CAN'T come up with the bass lines without a guitarist to feed them to you?

Welcome to the real world, friend.

First, of all, do as Albot says. Get recordings of everything and listen to it until your ears bleed. Next, tabs can be your friend, although they're not always right. Getting chords online can be helpful, too. Eventually, you'll get to the point where you can just hear the bass part and follow along, but it's all good. It takes a while.

When my sister picked up the bass to play in my band, I had to spoon feed basslines to her. Heck, we'd nickname songs "the rectangle song," etc, based upon the shape of the notes she'd play. She didn't know note names, just string and fret numbers. She'd watch my hand incessantly. Then one day, I decided that she was going to learn to do it right. I just stopped telling her chords, and made her figure them out for herself. Plus, we were playing originals, so there were no other recordings to listen to. Boy, was she mad for the first few rehearsals like that. Then, slowly, she realized that she could cope and even excel. Her basslines now are her own, and she comes up with excellent ways to complement my guitar lines.

So stick in there, pal. It will get easier. For now, I would demand a lot of rehearsal time. Reminds me of my first band, when we had a gig after 2 rehearsals. That's rather mindblowing when you're 14.

DanTodd · #5 08-01-2006, 11:44 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Dkerwood

So are you saying that you CAN'T come up with the bass lines without a guitarist to feed them to you?

Welcome to the real world, friend.

First, of all, do as Albot says. Get recordings of everything and listen to it until your ears bleed. Next, tabs can be your friend, although they're not always right. Getting chords online can be helpful, too. Eventually, you'll get to the point where you can just hear the bass part and follow along, but it's all good. It takes a while.

When my sister picked up the bass to play in my band, I had to spoon feed basslines to her. Heck, we'd nickname songs "the rectangle song," etc, based upon the shape of the notes she'd play. She didn't know note names, just string and fret numbers. She'd watch my hand incessantly. Then one day, I decided that she was going to learn to do it right. I just stopped telling her chords, and made her figure them out for herself. Plus, we were playing originals, so there were no other recordings to listen to. Boy, was she mad for the first few rehearsals like that. Then, slowly, she realized that she could cope and even excel. Her basslines now are her own, and she comes up with excellent ways to complement my guitar lines.

So stick in there, pal. It will get easier. For now, I would demand a lot of rehearsal time. Reminds me of my first band, when we had a gig after 2 rehearsals. That's rather mindblowing when you're 14.

it's not that i CAN'T write my own bass lines. it's just that i don't know how to write bass lines that compliment the guitar lines. which i guess is pretty much the same?

Albot · #6 08-01-2006, 01:09 PM

A tip, Try to get out of the mind set of complimenting the guitar. Yes, you want you notes to jive, but when you are writing a great bass line, first start with the bass drum for your accents and rhythm. Then listen to the vocal melody and rhythm for complimentaty notes,harmony,minor accents, and note duration. Then make sure the guitar is following you! Im serious, its you and the drums man.

DanTodd · #7 08-02-2006, 05:23 AM

lots of help guys. thanks a lot.

TheDarkReaver · #8 08-02-2006, 06:16 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Albot

A tip, Try to get out of the mind set of complimenting the guitar. Yes, you want you notes to jive, but when you are writing a great bass line, first start with the bass drum for your accents and rhythm. Then listen to the vocal melody and rhythm for complimentaty notes,harmony,minor accents, and note duration. Then make sure the guitar is following you! Im serious, its you and the drums man.

but you can also work with the guitar quite well too. imo you need to work with all the other intruments, not just the drums. remember it's you and the drums and the guitars. but yeah get accents and **** off the drums...but also follow the guitar...i dunno i think i just confused myself.

Dkerwood · #9 08-02-2006, 10:14 AM

Above all, don't stress too much over it. A good band will also be following you as much as you're following them. A band should be a solid team - each player capable of holding his own, but working together, playing off each other, to create a whole greater than the sum of its parts.

As long as you've got the roots and a decent sense of rhythm, you should be solid.

Of course, I'm a drummer turned guitarist turned bassist, so take it or leave it...