Ambient/Post-Rock/Textural bass playing thread

[HotelX]

Here is one of the more TB friendly pics I can post. This was setting up.
...now we are tearing down

View attachment 3030061

Yup. Those are coffins.

Are you sure you’re not a vampire?

Glad it went well. Got any pics/vids on Instagram?

 

[monsterthompson]

Are you sure you’re not a vampire?

Glad it went well. Got any pics/vids on Instagram?

I’m sure some official stuff will be popping up soon. The imagery is dark, and if you’re bothered by devil references, nudity, and/or blood (yes, actual bleeding) the pictures from the show might not be what you want to go looking for. If you are interested able to deal with such things, send me a PM and I’ll link you to the groups that were responsible for the production. I know the TB users are many and varied, and I don’t want to post anything controversial that might take things off topic and lock up a thread.

 

[HotelX]

I see how you sidestepped my first question.

 

[monsterthompson]

I see how you sidestepped my first question.

I assure you, my rates for automobile operation education are very reasonable.

 

[monsterthompson]

One of the biggest lessons learned last night is that it is worth buying extra cables and adapters, and a bag/case system for packing out.

My Gruv Gear Stadium bag made load in/out a dream. It is huge, and well partitioned for organization.

I had a few extra cables that converted the TRS 1/4" outs from my 5 channel mixer (I use for sub mixing) to XLR. I actually have a set that converts to male and another to female. The sound guy really wanted XLR connections, and it was a lot easier to just pull them out and plug them in than to find a plan B. I remember buying these adapters and thinking they would just sit in my bag forever, unused. Glad I was wrong.

I also usually use the mini TRS headphone to RCA cable to connect my laptop to the 5 channel mixer through the "tape in" connection. The Nyx synth was giving a hotter output than the laptop, Which was causing some level issues. So, I switched cables to run the mini TRS to 1/4" L/R TR outs into the mixer and boosted the gain on that channel of the mixer.

Having a few solid options just makes life easier when running a variety of gear. An extra few bucks to buy and carry these rarely used bits pays off, even if it just saves you one gig's hassle of trying to patch things together.

 

[monsterthompson]

I know this is an effects thread, but I’m curious about how folks here construct compositions. Anyone care to share a little about their approach? Key choice, harmony, melody, tempo, time signatures, etc?

I find myself in C often, since so much computer midi stuff is defaulted there. I find I’m often in a 60-80 BPM range. I’ve also started gravitating to 5/4 time, which is odd, but keeps things from feeling like 4 on the floor or backbeat rhythms.

 

[steubig]

depends. you talking about written stuff or put together in a computer? i have somewhat different processes.

i do try to do things in different key centers (though i tend to stay away from diatonic harmony).

 

[monsterthompson]

Open ended question. Any answer would be interesting.

I think a bunch of bassists, who generally are seen as holding the rhythmic and harmonic content together, are interested in music which isn’t obviously rhythmic, and often doesn’t contain conventional harmonic content.

I’m curious how folks approach composing outside of a verse/chorus/bridge structure. Right now, I find myself “feeling” my way through things, but I try to think about creating themes and responses and variations.

 

[jpTron]

I haven't contributed any music to this thread (yet), but I find I almost always start with a beat/loop of some sort; time signatures I choose can vary, and it's usually under 100bpm. Then I can either go for melody or bass after and then layer from there. The beat just seems to dictate everything I do. I bought the Rhythm Pocket Operator a couple of weeks ago and love composing a beat anywhere and inspiring myself to write to it.

 

[dukeorock]

I know this is an effects thread, but I’m curious about how folks here construct compositions. Anyone care to share a little about their approach? Key choice, harmony, melody, tempo, time signatures, etc?

I find myself in C often, since so much computer midi stuff is defaulted there. I find I’m often in a 60-80 BPM range. I’ve also started gravitating to 5/4 time, which is odd, but keeps things from feeling like 4 on the floor or backbeat rhythms.

I confess, a few of my jams are 120bpm and the key of C because I started writing in the default settings

I do tend to either go for atmospheric stuff between 65-88bpm and more ‘rock’ sounding stuff between 115-135, but it’s often fun to flip the formulas too.

I love programming percussive stuff and even bass samples in Patterning (iOS app), because each drum can have a different pattern length. Great way to get evolving, long patterns going with less repetition in the groove. Lately I’ve been doing everything in my Elektron Digitakt because I’m trying to learn it better for live stuff. With that box, I tend to start on pattern 8 and fill it up as fully as I can with parts. Then, copy and paste that pattern into patterns 1-7 and remove and alter things a bit more as you go down in pattern number. So when I start in pattern 1, it’s fairly simple and sparse, but evolves as you go up each pattern number. That’s an over simplified explanation, but it’s a decent guideline to get a picture of how to build up a track.

I haven't contributed any music to this thread (yet), but I find I almost always start with a beat/loop of some sort; time signatures I choose can vary, and it's usually under 100bpm. Then I can either go for melody or bass after and then layer from there. The beat just seems to dictate everything I do. I bought the Rhythm Pocket Operator a couple of weeks ago and love composing a beat anywhere and inspiring myself to write to it.

I got the K.O. Pocket Operator...kinda frustrating at times, but you can come up with some pretty unique stuff. When I was learning it, I just made noises into the internal mic and the results were kinda fun

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[dukeorock]

Here’s an exercise I did in hotel rooms during our last run...I usually make up parts with a looper, iPad apps, Digitakt, etc, then throw everything into Logic for editing/arranging/mixing. This time I wanted to ‘perform’ everything live on the Digitakt, and record one pass in real time. The Digitakt has no song mode or pattern chaining, so you gotta do all that yourself. I’ve got a long way to go, but it was a fun workout

 

[BayingRidge]

Open ended question. Any answer would be interesting.

I think a bunch of bassists, who generally are seen as holding the rhythmic and harmonic content together, are interested in music which isn’t obviously rhythmic, and often doesn’t contain conventional harmonic content.

I’m curious how folks approach composing outside of a verse/chorus/bridge structure. Right now, I find myself “feeling” my way through things, but I try to think about creating themes and responses and variations.

I've been trying to limit myself when composing or putting pieces together. I'll usually have an idea of something in my head and then try to make it happen using a couple of bass notes and then messing around with them in 2 or 3 apps if I'm using the ipad, or a couple of effects if playing at home. Here's one I messed around with last week. It's not polished at all but I wanted to try out a few of the apps that have been mentioned here recently. This one was was 2 recorded notes on bass and then put through Patterning, Tardigrain, into Beatmaker 3 and then Auria pro on my ipad. There are just so many options out there that if I don't limit myself up front I just end up with a whole lot of noise - which is fun too!

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[dukeorock]

I've been trying to limit myself when composing or putting pieces together. I'll usually have an idea of something in my head and then try to make it happen using a couple of bass notes and then messing around with them in 2 or 3 apps if I'm using the ipad, or a couple of effects if playing at home. Here's one I messed around with last week. It's not polished at all but I wanted to try out a few of the apps that have been mentioned here recently. This one was was 2 recorded notes on bass and then put through Patterning, Tardigrain, into Beatmaker 3 and then Auria pro on my ipad. There are just so many options out there that if I don't limit myself up front I just end up with a whole lot of noise - which is fun too!

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Very cool! I love Patterning and Tardigrain a lot. BeatMaker 3 is a mixed bag for me. I can make some really nice sounding loops, but trying to assemble a whole piece is tough...things are just a bit too fussy to move around for me in that program. Maybe I’ll figure out some workarounds eventually
How do you like Auria? That one is on my list of things to try out

 

[monsterthompson]

Looks like my 0-Coast gets here on Monday, and I've got a gig with it in Tijuana on the 23rd. I need to figure out what and how I'm going to pull things off. I'm collaborating with a guy in San Diego, and I'm in Los Angeles. We don't have much time to set up and tear down, so I'm not sure what rig I'll bring and how I'll link it all. I just know we have a 60 minute window, and the only structure I know is that everything will be at 180 BPM. I'm thinking of the Novation Circuit and Pigtronix Infinity as samplers and loops. I want to plug my bass in and fuzz it out.
...Okay brain, start working.

 

[BayingRidge]

Very cool! I love Patterning and Tardigrain a lot. BeatMaker 3 is a mixed bag for me. I can make some really nice sounding loops, but trying to assemble a whole piece is tough...things are just a bit too fussy to move around for me in that program. Maybe I’ll figure out some workarounds eventually
How do you like Auria? That one is on my list of things to try out

Thanks! I'm having the same problem with Beatmaker 3 but I'm going to keep at it. I think I'm finally getting the Scene, Pattern and Song thing and I really think it's going to work well for this type of stuff. Auria is great. It was super-intuitive for me and pretty much no learning curve. If you're familiar with Logic, I think you will like it and find it easy to use. The best part though are the FabFilter plug-ins for a fraction of the price. I just checked FabFilter's website and the Pro-R is $199, but as an add on to Auria is was something like $30-40, and it has all the features. I ended up purchasing a lot of them, and while it does add up for an ipad app, it is nothing compared to buying the full suite as a stand alone.

 

[monsterthompson]

I got the K.O. Pocket Operator...kinda frustrating at times, but you can come up with some pretty unique stuff. When I was learning it, I just made noises into the internal mic and the results were kinda fun

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This is fun.

 

[steubig]

howdy . . .

so, composition. my **bias**: i think people overuse the term. i tend to think that "composition" means counterpoint, form, etc., written on paper. it's a nomenclature issue, not a value judgement. writing a great jazz tune or great pop tune are hard—possibly harder than writing a string quartet. (for me it's sort of like painting vs. sculpture vs. drawing vs. collage vs. ceramics, etc.)

i look at a lot of computer stuff i've done as being more assemblage or collage than real "composition"—even though some of them have used ("real") written material that was then manipulated in a computer environment (ableton) and even thought it had compositional knowledge/chops applied.

anyhoo, for stuff outside of verse/chorus/bridge, some of the classical standards (and the subversions thereof) are pretty good: sonata, rondo, etc. stravinsky's use of form in his neoclassical period is really interesting (lots of blocs juxtaposed).

as monster pointed out, theme, response, variation is a good place to work in. contrast is good (the classical forms use it a lot).

so process: i think the main thing i try to do when "composing" is to have **the idea first**—and most of the time that means away from an instrument (bass or otherwise). after that, a lot of the other stuff falls into place. if i'm on paper, i try to do as much of the big work away from any instrument; i try to hear the sections and how they flow in my head. if i'm working on computer, i tend to take an idea and then start experimenting with different things until i'm happy(-ish).

ymmv, imho, etc.

 

[monsterthompson]

...

so process: i think the main thing i try to do when "composing" is to have **the idea first**—and most of the time that means away from an instrument (bass or otherwise). after that, a lot of the other stuff falls into place. if i'm on paper, i try to do as much of the big work away from any instrument; i try to hear the sections and how they flow in my head. if i'm working on computer, i tend to take an idea and then start experimenting with different things until i'm happy(-ish).

ymmv, imho, etc.

do you have any go-to mechanisms for variations? do you ever think "I'm using C as a root for this theme, so let me figure out how to make a consonant call/response in F, or modulate to C# for a juxtoposed breakdown/bridge"? I find slower material can avoid sounding monotonous riding on a single root/chord, as long as there is some melodic movement. I've been trying to be mindful of chord shapes where you can change one or two notes and get a chord changes/inversions, without having it feel like an obvious change (like when a guitarist uses barre chords to go from a C to an F.

Do you find yourself writing in variations of 4/8/16 bar sections? I find myself writing in 5/4 time to break away from the familiar 4/4 feel, even if it isn't the most natural sounding thing I could do. I also find the Rule Of 3 pops up in my writing. I really gravitate to having three sections, or three variations on a theme, or some other use of three in the underlying architecture of the composition.

I also like the use of the word "collage" as that is often how I think of using loops and sounds that I didn't create, but I've assembled the way I like them.

 

[monsterthompson]

Anyone here using a Pigtronix Echolution? I was watching demo vids on the Infinity, and now I'm down the Pigtronix rabbit hole.

 

[BayingRidge]

Anyone here using a Pigtronix Echolution? I was watching demo vids on the Infinity, and now I'm down the Pigtronix rabbit hole.

No, but it is pretty sweet!!

Been eyeing Hologram Electronics Infinite Jets and Dream Sequence lately..