Enjoy the benefits of a premium membership!
Upgrade Account
-
TalkBass has been independent since 1998. Add your voice.
Create a free account to reply to discussions, view embedded media, and browse with fewer display ads.
Join free Log in
Want zero display ads or expanded classifieds tools? Compare plans.
Creating movement / feeling?
- Thread starter Jeff Mills
- Start date
I have found there to be two very solid ways to get to a good line:
1) Listen to the song, become inspired and 'hear' a line in your head - bring that part out - done.
2) When inspiration fails (and at times it does) go to the basic mechanics - chart it - start from the roots - clarify the quality (major, minor) - see what comes from that.
Operation #2, while it feels less like an inspired, creative moment and more like cold logic (because for the most part it is) - it can remove the clutter and expose creative opportunities.
Bottom line for me is having a head filled with all of your favorite bass lines, licks and riffs - and having a pretty good understanding of why they appeal to you so much and how they work in general. That way when you hear a song that needs a line, you can look for the tell-tale signs of other songs and reach for those tried and true tricks that have already proven to work.
1) Listen to the song, become inspired and 'hear' a line in your head - bring that part out - done.
2) When inspiration fails (and at times it does) go to the basic mechanics - chart it - start from the roots - clarify the quality (major, minor) - see what comes from that.
Operation #2, while it feels less like an inspired, creative moment and more like cold logic (because for the most part it is) - it can remove the clutter and expose creative opportunities.
Bottom line for me is having a head filled with all of your favorite bass lines, licks and riffs - and having a pretty good understanding of why they appeal to you so much and how they work in general. That way when you hear a song that needs a line, you can look for the tell-tale signs of other songs and reach for those tried and true tricks that have already proven to work.
Wow I'm amazed at all the replies thanks for all the tasty nuggets.
After having read every reply. Another thing hit me. To the best of my memory, I can't remember having ever taken professional bass lessons from a real bassist. I've had several teachers over the years but they all played guitar not bass. A lot of what you guys are saying I suspect I should have learned a long time ago.
Looking back I now understand why I stopped taking lessons and got frustrated and quit playing several times. After my ear developed, I could copy most of what I wanted. Ok great, but it's just like pissing in the wind... because there is still the question "why is the bass player doing what he does?" I suspect I would have got a handle on this question by taking lessons from a bassist instead of guitar teachers.
Take the Beatles example ShoeManiac used in his reply - There is very little if any movement in between the chords coming from the guitars. It' a perfect example of how the bass is moving the song along. Without the bass moving the song along it would be dead as a squashed possum in the middle of the road.
Ok so now what? - I'm on a quest I need to find a book, or better yet a bassist to take lessons from.
Thanks everyone for taking time to reply, you guys have no idea how much you have helped me.
After having read every reply. Another thing hit me. To the best of my memory, I can't remember having ever taken professional bass lessons from a real bassist. I've had several teachers over the years but they all played guitar not bass. A lot of what you guys are saying I suspect I should have learned a long time ago.
Looking back I now understand why I stopped taking lessons and got frustrated and quit playing several times. After my ear developed, I could copy most of what I wanted. Ok great, but it's just like pissing in the wind... because there is still the question "why is the bass player doing what he does?" I suspect I would have got a handle on this question by taking lessons from a bassist instead of guitar teachers.
Take the Beatles example ShoeManiac used in his reply - There is very little if any movement in between the chords coming from the guitars. It' a perfect example of how the bass is moving the song along. Without the bass moving the song along it would be dead as a squashed possum in the middle of the road.
Ok so now what? - I'm on a quest I need to find a book, or better yet a bassist to take lessons from.
Thanks everyone for taking time to reply, you guys have no idea how much you have helped me.
What I like to do...
Record the tune, your band-mates with no bass, take it home and after a bunch of listens, sing some bass lines. 1st just think groove, then think pitch. Then find the same rhythms/line on your bass. And for extra credit, notate it so you don't forget.
I do this when writing tunes, I do it for every instrument. I think it brings out your creativity because you don't get trapped playing those same old muscle-memory patterns.
Maybe it'll work for you.
Record the tune, your band-mates with no bass, take it home and after a bunch of listens, sing some bass lines. 1st just think groove, then think pitch. Then find the same rhythms/line on your bass. And for extra credit, notate it so you don't forget.
I do this when writing tunes, I do it for every instrument. I think it brings out your creativity because you don't get trapped playing those same old muscle-memory patterns.
Maybe it'll work for you.
Take your band's music home with you and play along at home. Do stuff you normally wouldn't do. Play your riffs in different ways. Play them hard, soft, fast, slow... Introduce new notes, even those that sound off. Try different rythms for your riffs. In the end I find myself simplifying my riffs but they sound much better.
Imagine yourself being onstage with one big spotlight directed only on you, and your the only one playing. Get some feeling in there, that's what the crowd wants. What I'm saying is that sometimes its better NOT to think of what you are playing, but let your gut feeling go from your hands to your bass. Close your eyes. Play.
Imagine yourself being onstage with one big spotlight directed only on you, and your the only one playing. Get some feeling in there, that's what the crowd wants. What I'm saying is that sometimes its better NOT to think of what you are playing, but let your gut feeling go from your hands to your bass. Close your eyes. Play.
+1 to take it home and play it and experiment
If you can, presuming your band has the collective patience, take a section at a time and play it over and over again - many times - let the part itself show you what is inside.
Frequently there are one or more members who just don't have that kind of patience, so doing this bugs them to no end. But if you can, this method can expose parts that you have a much harder time finding alone. The collective energy and ongoing musical conversation leads you to more organic parts, IMO.
If you can, presuming your band has the collective patience, take a section at a time and play it over and over again - many times - let the part itself show you what is inside.
Frequently there are one or more members who just don't have that kind of patience, so doing this bugs them to no end. But if you can, this method can expose parts that you have a much harder time finding alone. The collective energy and ongoing musical conversation leads you to more organic parts, IMO.
Well they are just going to have to be patient aren't they? (Rome wasn't built in a day). We are recording a couple of songs this evening. I'll then be able to bring it home, mute or delete any instrument track with audacity or even replace the track with a new one. I'm really only interested in doing this for the bass. I think it's going to help me and the other guys alot.
How about just trying to sing what you think the bass line might be? Maybe the pressure you're putting on yourself is creating a disconnect between your brain and hands. If you sing it in your head while your listening to the tune, you will create a very intuitive bass line and it will be unique to you. Sometime when we try to be creative with the bass in our hands we tend to do the typical things that we have reinforced in our heads with muscle memory. When you sing it, you're not thinking about how to fret it, where the notes are, etc.
Maybe try to visualize your favorite player and imagine what he/she would play?
Another thing to try: just listen to the bass drum and try to play what it's playing, but with root notes. That will give you some idea of rhythmic movement. Then you can fill in other notes as you hear them in your head.
Also, make sure you're standing up during the creative process. Move around and get into the rhythm.
Maybe try to visualize your favorite player and imagine what he/she would play?
Another thing to try: just listen to the bass drum and try to play what it's playing, but with root notes. That will give you some idea of rhythmic movement. Then you can fill in other notes as you hear them in your head.
Also, make sure you're standing up during the creative process. Move around and get into the rhythm.
