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HM...

Discussion in 'Technique [BG]' started by touchofgrey549, Jul 17, 2003.

  1. Jul 17, 2003 #1
    touchofgrey549

    touchofgrey549

    Mar 18, 2003
    brookfield, wisconsin
    tips guys..i need em!!
    -what do you concentrate on when making your own bass line for a song?? (composing one, if you will ;) )

    -What part of the thumb do you guys use to slap accruately? thats hard for me to slap accurately on the A and D strings, without making other buzz's on E and G, is it just repetition creates perfection? or do you use effects like fuzz so the unwanted noises go unnoticed?

    THANKS!!!:bassist: :bassist:
     
  2. Jul 17, 2003 #2
    daveze

    daveze

    Jun 11, 2003
    Narangba, QLD, Australia
    Important to note, repitition does not produce perfection. All you'll do is be able to do a crappy technique well, which isn't good.

    For composing a bassline in a song, I can't really help you a whole lot. I play at a church, so I keep a lot of what I play pretty simple, using the melody or a vocal line to move between changes. I'm not sure how well that will work in a band situation though.

    For the slapping question, run a search, you'll find oodles of slap related info. Personally, when I slap, I hit with the side of the knuckle. To minimise hitting other strings when slapping I find it good to keep the thumb as parallel to the strings as possible, that way other parts of it don't hit other strings by accident.

    Practise the technique slowly, making sure you have it clean and accurate, then slowly increase the pace. By doing it that way you'll be practising a proper technique, rather than becoming faster at a poor one.

    Josh D
     
  3. Jul 24, 2003 #3
    brien_4

    brien_4

    May 19, 2003
    Prince Edward Island, Canada
    hey dude,

    i find that when i'm working on making my own basslines, it's probably best to follow the chords of your guitar players for the first while, at least until you get used to the song. after that, i like to start adding little riffs here and there. if it's possible, record the song minus bass, and then listen to it, and hum what you think might be a good bass line. try to duplicate it.

    what kind of music are you playing, tho? with rock, it's a little easier, country, easier still. jazz and funk will require a little more understanding of the scales to allow a decent sounding bassline to come through, in my humble opinion. regardless, i wish you the best of luck with all your future basslines. god bless.

    goose
     
  4. Jul 24, 2003 #4
    Vorago

    Vorago (((o)))

    Jul 17, 2003
    Antwerp, Belgium
    When slapping a A I use my fretting hand to mute the E and the D to prevent buzzes...My experience as a guitar player has helped a great deal with this I think. Also I seem to use the palm of my hand(from where you're tumb starts, you know what I mean)to mute the E string, again a concequence of 7 years of guitar playing.

    To compose basslines, initialy follow the guitar chords, then try moderating by variating hights;octaves etc, adding small licks etc and before you know it you'll have a bassline that stands like a rock :)