Crafting bass lines by ear

[mjnyc]

I understand the theory behind walking bass lines (scales, arpeggios, approach notes). But do people consciously use these rules in the actual process of creating a bass line?

If I'm following a chord progression and playing the root note on the one (I realize that's not always the case), I feel like I have an easier time making my way to the next root note by ear/imagination. I have a fairly good ear but have a lot of trouble going from rule to note quickly enough. I feel like this is a product of how my brain functions.

Wondering about other people's approach to this. I worry that playing by ear is being lazy, much as I enjoy it.

Michael

 

[bigdaddybass12]

Ear player here too. I have to say I am more “root” player. But making your way to the next note is up to you. Unless you are playing a cover and want to play exactly as original. Do have several different runs/riffs to accomplish this. Or you will be playing the same thing over and over.

 

[sean_on_bass]

well first we need to recognize they are not RULES, but CONCEPTS. And yes i use those concepts extensively in the creation of all types of bass lines. now that we know these are not rules, we can come to the conclusion that following your ear is not a bad practice and your ear can be trained to utilize these concepts...or not...and it is still OK.

 

[mjnyc]

well first we need to recognize they are not RULES, but CONCEPTS...

Thanks, "concepts" helps put it into much better perspective.

 

[thehindteet]

I spent probably 12-15 years just transcribing walking lines and memorizing standards. I started out pretty much in complete ignorance of harmony, but going through all that memorization, playing the tunes with groups of people wiser than me, which inevitably include a lot of conversations about the theory aspects of a tune, gave me a lot of opportunities to learn the theory on the job so to speak.

Once I had memorized most of the standards that were common in the community of people I play with, I had spent so much time hearing and playing those tunes that I had built up this vocabulary of phrases, and because you're going to be playing over the same turnarounds so often you wind up with lines that you like that you can fit into probably half the standards you know since something like a ii-V-I is everywhere.

When I am playing, if I think about theory at all, it's usually in the split second after I've played something with a familiar sound and will think "tritone!", but for me (and a lot of the players I know, but I also know some who use patterns for almost everything) I have already heard a line in my head and played what I heard before I could analyze it.

The pianists I play with I are doing waaaay more work than I am with respect to harmony, and it involves so much coordination that I think they quickly develop a sense to be able to say what they are going to play before they play it, but I think that they're often hearing the sound they want but very quickly being able to say what it is, if that makes sense, and that phenomenon of hearing a thing you want to play is I think the result of having a very developed vocabulary of phrases.

There are so many flavors of musicians that I don't want to generalize, but the fact that there are really adept jazz players who are clueless about theory means that the ability to improvise can emerge from some kind of knowledge other than academic theory training. But that being said, every bit of it I've learned has been helpful and its rewarding as I'm able to understand more of what I read than when I was brand new. But boy did it take a long time.

 

[StereoPlayer]

I understand the theory behind walking bass lines (scales, arpeggios, approach notes). But do people consciously use these rules in the actual process of creating a bass line?

If I'm following a chord progression and playing the root note on the one (I realize that's not always the case), I feel like I have an easier time making my way to the next root note by ear/imagination. I have a fairly good ear but have a lot of trouble going from rule to note quickly enough. I feel like this is a product of how my brain functions.

Wondering about other people's approach to this. I worry that playing by ear is being lazy, much as I enjoy it.

Michael

I try to up with a counter melody/bass line. I don’t really want to “copy” the song structure…if that makes sense.

 

[Wasnex]

My mind shifts between a range of different mental processes when when playing. Sometimes I think more about foundational theory concepts. For example I might think about chord tones or the key center and scale. Other times I play by ear. This entails sort of anticipating what comes next harmonically, while simultaneously imagining and playing a line. I find that I can play about 90% of common jazz standards, but many tunes tend to have a couple of points where the changes throw me off. So unfortunately this ties me to the pages of the Real Book.

If I get lost in one process, another process may help me cover. For example if I am playing a jazz standard by ear and get to a point where I don't know what to do next, I simply look at the page and revert back to thinking about chord tones or some other foundational concept. I may play most of the A section of a tune by ear and the need to look at the music to work my way through a few changes. Then I may play through most of the B section by ear, until I need to look at the music again.

My belief is the chord symbols became archetypes. Over the years I have built up a library of automated playing processes and knowledge. When I see a chord symbol it opens up a knowledge-base so I can choose an automate response or thought process.

My ears are always part of the process. I tend to play different in response to others. So, IMHO it's important to listen to what is going on around you, even when reading notes on a page.

 

[mjnyc]

for me (and a lot of the players I know, but I also know some who use patterns for almost everything) I have already heard a line in my head and played what I heard before I could analyze it.

That makes a lot of sense, thanks.

 

[Groove Doctor]

Agree with all above.

Develop your your knowledge from transcribing & analysing & internalising. I deep dived into Ray Brown when I started out 30 years ago and his playing shaped my thinking.

But develop your ear by listening and singing the bassline or melody. This makes for more listenable walking bass lines and esp bass solos for the other players but especially the audience IMHO.

 

[Groove Doctor]

My ears are always part of the process. I tend to play different in response to others. So, IMHO it's important to listen to what is going on around you, even when reading notes on a page.

1000% agree.

 

[Rib 13]

Music is one of the earliest forms of communication. If I can sing a bassline pleasantly without sounding like a bunch of gibberish, it's a good bassline

Overplaying is saying too much.....but I also believe that the converse/underplaying, saying too little, can often also be true

 

[Killing Floor]

Probably some of both. I definitely will walk through the sundry bits of scale and explore/fail a little until I like it. That’s the thing. You can start from a proper theoretical perspective or play with little or no training and nearly every time if it sounds good it tracks with the lessons, so to speak. Remember that music came before music theory. Sometimes beginners get intimidated but the entire point of music theory is to catch and catalog what already sounds good so it can be communicated and repeated. So if you wander by ear everything you do still makes “musical sense” even if you don’t know it.

 

[Aussie Player]

I understand the theory behind walking bass lines (scales, arpeggios, approach notes). But do people consciously use these rules in the actual process of creating a bass line?

If I'm following a chord progression and playing the root note on the one (I realize that's not always the case), I feel like I have an easier time making my way to the next root note by ear/imagination. I have a fairly good ear but have a lot of trouble going from rule to note quickly enough. I feel like this is a product of how my brain functions.

Wondering about other people's approach to this. I worry that playing by ear is being lazy, much as I enjoy it.

Michael

There is nothing wrong with playing by ear as you are critiquing every note you select. Saw an interview with Billy Sheean once where he said he wouldn't know what note he was playing, he'd have to figure it out. Lots of great players like that because they are uninhibited and play to create what pleases their own ear.

 

[JimmyM]

Ear trumps all, but sometimes my ears tell me that a more conventional bass line works better

 

[N4860]

I think most will agree that playing well by ear is also the result of a lot of practice, and not just any practice in general (like playing along to random tunes) but actively practicing with a goal in mind to do better at a particular task. For example, if you're looking to get better at walking between chords, it's a good idea to sit down and practice different ways to get between different chords. When I used to do more blues or jazz walking, I'd start practicing something like moving between a I chord and IV chord and try to find a few different alternatives that sound good. You could do something like R-V-R-3 into the 4 or R-2-b3-3 into the 4. Or R-3-5-b5. Learning little moves like these and practicing them until they're second nature helps a lot when playing by ear or from a chart as this all just becomes vocabulary that your hands can pull off while you're looking to the next chords and beyond.

 

[jtrom]

Really depends on context and goals.

I use my ear because I’ve been swimming in Western Art Music Theory and performance for 25 odd years and have done my time in the trenches so to speak. Usually I can hear what I want to play in my head and then figure out how to play it (a fancy word for this to use at parties is “audiation”). If I can’t hear the harmony in my head then I’ll listen to some recordings and mess around with root, third, fifth, seventh to get inside it. This was a goal of mine that I worked towards.

If your goal is to play with heavy jazz folks then every note you play should be intentional and justifiable. Cause someone with perfect pitch and will flex their chops and be all like “why did you play a natural 9 over my b9?” … speaking from experience.

If you’re playing in other contexts with folks like me who used to be jazz heads but really don’t care anymore, use your ear lol! Regardless of context, transcribing is the way to go.

But also keep in mind, a good hang is better than the “right notes” 8 times out of 10. A good feel is better than the “right notes” 11 times out of 10.

 

[Lowendchamp]

I would say that as long as you can get back to the one in your intended timing then you are a bassist!

 

[Thumpin6string]

I'm self-taught, don't read music and I play by ear. I took some theory to help me understand why some lines work with a certain chord when it seems like it shouldn't. I do have the ability to hear something and remember it in key even after long periods of time. Makes it easier to figure out songs.

 

[Bar Band Bassman]

Sometimes the obvious route is the best. Other times, when circumstances allow, I enjoy taking the approach of "any which way gets me to a chord tone". Best applied when there's little going on melodically and/or harmonically, e.g. when the guitars and/or keys are just comping chords. It's easier to play stuff that's "out" then. Any note can fit depending on what follows it. Stuff like "Rhythm changes" work not because the chords play nice with the previous chords but because they lead the ear to the subsequent chord. And the music goes round and round and it ends up back at I! Secondary dominants, tritone substitutions, leading tones, approach notes, it's all about where the music is going rather than where it came from. IMO, of course.

The Bar Band Bassman

 

[Bass Motifs]

Ear all the way if you've got it

Sadly I don't, so I lean heavily on my theory knowledge. Do whatever you can to get there.