creating good basslines.

[NewWaveBasser]

I am a maverick when it comes to bassline creation. Music lessons are on the way (if I get money) but right know all I have is my ear, and the basic concepts of major, minor, and pentatonic... plus the whole "either play root, another note within the chord or just break the rules"...

I figured out by logic that if I play within the scale something good comes up. Another trick is playing ascending or descending notes, as heard on many records, as much as possible.

If the guitarist comes up with the "skeleton" I start using "roots". After a while the variations and flavoring come naturally... I fiddle around with combinations... even thinking about what I've heard on records.

But this from a guy who started late, is short on cash, and is kinda handicapped on some fronts...

Nevertheless, as much as I like 3-note lines, I'll try with my limited tools to enhance what I play on the bass...

Oh well if I can't be Geddy...

just play that sucka

 

[big daddy cool]

I like to write punk/funk lines. Ive listened to flea very closely for ages now and ive realised in all of the stuff that i like most by him all he does is use a basic pantatonic scale and screw about with it by changing the octaves. This goes to show that listening to other people can help you with the building blocks for writing your own stuff. So I'll second that you need to sit down and listen to your favourite ska bassist and analyse his writing style.

BTW, does anybody know any good sites for bass scales, because believe it or not I can't seem to find any anywhere.

 

[frankencow150]

hey big daddy cool,www.libster.com lessons section.

 

[big daddy cool]

thanks mate