I dont understand chord progression

[999Brent]

I wonder if it is the feel more than the notes or chords / scales you are playing.
To me it sounds like you have a reasonable understanding of theory, maybe throw it out the window for a few days and concentrate on feel, dynamics, gaps etc, it is possible this is why your lines sound boring and unexciting to you.
Just a thought that may help...

 

[devnulljp]

Do you know chord theory (i.e., how to build a chord from the scale)? A major chord is the 1, 3, 5, minor is 1 b3 5, etc.
Make sure you know the arpeggios.
Make sure you know how to harmonize the scale: Major scale is major minor minor major major minor diminished etc.

 

[Oldschool94]

I understand how to write one but when I try to make a bassline for it I always struggle, when im by myself. Im fine playing with a guitarist. Could this be because im not a guitar player myself when i paly the parts its just not interesting so it sounds bad?

Also I can write a decent bassline for a two chord progression but when I get into the 3s and above I cant seem to make it interesting, I just end up playing root note. I know scales and stuff but cant make anything except bassline that just loop over again after 2 bars.

I know this is fine and has a use but how do I write longer bassline that still work in the context of a song?

I heard Jeff Baxter of Steely Dan demonstrate that you can either have a complex melody and simple chord progression, or a complex chord progression and simple melody. I know there are exceptions, but I think it generally proves true.

Basslines are much the same. The more chords, the simpler the bassline probably will be. If you listen to a lot of music, you will find this largely to be true. Complicated basslines and riffs occur largely on 1 or 2 chord vamps.

However, learning to walk jazz basslines will help you learn how to connect chord changes linearly, varying things somewhat. The other thing is a term from piano accompaniment. Its called figuration.

It's where you have a certain pattern that you just transpose between all the chords. We bassists actually have a very simple version of this: playing root-fifth.

But we can come up with other ones— latin music you might hear root - fifth (above) - fifth (below the root) - root. Or maybe something like root- fifth- third (a 6th above the fifth).

The reason why figuration works is because even though it more complicated than just the root, it is predictable, and so it doesn't sound overly complicated to the ears when going through chord changes.

 

[ThePresident777]

I understand how to write one but when I try to make a bassline for it I always struggle, when im by myself. Im fine playing with a guitarist. Could this be because im not a guitar player myself when i paly the parts its just not interesting so it sounds bad?

Also I can write a decent bassline for a two chord progression but when I get into the 3s and above I cant seem to make it interesting, I just end up playing root note. I know scales and stuff but cant make anything except bassline that just loop over again after 2 bars.

I know this is fine and has a use but how do I write longer bassline that still work in the context of a song?

Have you tried chord inversions?

Are you familiar with Groove Me by King Floyd? What key is it in? What's the chord progression?



How about this?



Consider this series on writing for horns:



Try splitting the song up into parts for each instrument instead of having every instrument play the same thing. Think of each instrument as a different voice. Make space for each instrument to play. Think of rests, not just notes. Use intervals. Consider tempo changes, multiple time signatures, changes in the sub-beat pattern, and dynamics.

To go beyond two chords, you'll have to create transitions (turnarounds in blues speak).

BTW, compared to most pop music, you're setting a tall order for yourself. In much of pop music, the bass just follows the guitar. So, you might want to be careful about what pop music you listen to from now on. Much of it is very ... economical, frugal.

Consider listening to artists that write songs with more complexity than the average pop artist, like the Beatles or The High Strung:


You could write your songs for bass and make the guitarist come up with his own interesting stuff, MUHAHAHAHAHAHAHHAH.......

Most pop music is vocal music. So you might want to write a short vocal melody to start then switch to another pattern breifly to avoid too much repetition. Pay attention to what the vocals do in your favorite songs and how all the other instruments play along or against that.

You can use notation software to explore ideas. Most of them have midi instruments built in that you can use to play back your music. They do not always sound good. I guess if your song sounds good using midi instruments then you have something worth the band's time. Sound Cloud is one example. They have a free version.

 

[brianrost]

There's plenty of bass lines that don't have smooth connections to the next chord, they just jump by fourths, fifths, even octaves.

 

[Jloch86]

Learn Paul Chambers bass line on So What from the Miles Davis album Kind of Blue. There are transcriptions of it all over the web.

Only two chords are used in that piece but Chambers keeps it interesting the entire time.

 

[twinjet]

one thing I cannot get my head around is how to get thje bassline to move into the next chord

Create tension. Music wants to resolve, so play a note on the end of a measure that will make the first note of the next measure pleasing to the ear.

 

[MrLenny1]

Get a good teacher

 

[micguy]

As important as it is to know when to move in a bassline, it's often more important to know when to move (and when to stay on a note). Sometimes you wanna move with the melody, sometimes (though less often) against it. Oftentimes the same note progression, but with different timing, can bring welcome variations in the feel, providing you change the timing at...the right times.

 

[HeadWind]

I'd write a book about how to do this and make a ton of money except that it would literally be half a page long.

Someone did (great book)
Looking for a Good (Complete) book on soloing/Improvisation

 

[flojob]

Dont be afraid to make mistakes and hit wrong notes. Gotta stretch

 

[Linnin]

I like to play with the rhythm section on my Zoom B3, that helps me make things up.

I do the same. Really helps your timing and meter. Never gets tired & drags. Never drops a beat. Always on the money. Yes, it can be infuriating when you discover you're having an off day.

 

[Engineer_Josh]

I understand how to write one but when I try to make a bassline for it I always struggle, when im by myself. Im fine playing with a guitarist. Could this be because im not a guitar player myself when i paly the parts its just not interesting so it sounds bad?

Also I can write a decent bassline for a two chord progression but when I get into the 3s and above I cant seem to make it interesting, I just end up playing root note. I know scales and stuff but cant make anything except bassline that just loop over again after 2 bars.

I know this is fine and has a use but how do I write longer bassline that still work in the context of a song?

Learn to use approach notes...a note or two chromatically above or below the note you want your line to "land".

If you were pumping along eigth notes under a G chord like this g g g g g g g g g g g g g g g g

this instead g g g g g g f f# g g g g g g a g#

this video explains it better than I can in text

 

[matti777]

This guy has some great lessons on constructing bass lines
Scott's Bass Lessons

 

[pbass2]

I'm all about theory and knowing WHAT you're playing...but... in this case, forget all that for a while. Play like you're singing. Don't worry about holding it down. See where it leads you. Make the bass part a song. Listen to Sir Paul.

 

[Ric5]

I understand how to write one but when I try to make a bassline for it I always struggle, when im by myself. Im fine playing with a guitarist. Could this be because im not a guitar player myself when i paly the parts its just not interesting so it sounds bad?

Also I can write a decent bassline for a two chord progression but when I get into the 3s and above I cant seem to make it interesting, I just end up playing root note. I know scales and stuff but cant make anything except bassline that just loop over again after 2 bars.

I know this is fine and has a use but how do I write longer bassline that still work in the context of a song?

Think of it this way ... you are not just playing root notes, you are not playing scales, you are not playing a memorized pattern, you are playing a melody that is counterpoint to the guitar part

 

[BaileyMan]

You ask some good and relevant questions for someone just beginning to learn the instrument and music. It sounds like you would like to study bass. I suggest finding a teacher. Watching you tube videos and getting feedback from forums are ok for some things, but finding someone to study with will take you much further.

 

[davy4575]

I have to stop and think about it. I played piano for a long time before bass, so in terms of writing a song, I still think about it from that perspective if at all. When I play and Im setting out to write a song, its just about what feels "right" for that piece. I guess think of the technical side later or not really consciously while Im writing. If I do start intentionally trying to place key changes, It kind of kills the creative zen flow. Instead, I record a lot of parts and cycle through them, most never pan out, but occasionally I may have a verse or a bridge or a chorus sitting around that connects well with another one. I guess what Im getting at, is how does it feel to you? Maybe youre thinking too much about it. We have songs as a band, that are written melodically off the bassline for the most part. By the time the guitarist and singer get a hold of it, I usually ask them what direction they want to go for a key change if needed, but nine out of 10 times, the song just finds it happy spot with em.

 

[interp]

My advice is to think of music as the language that it actually is. Your situation is similar to knowing some words and basic grammar in a language but still being unable to put words together or construct sentences in a fluent way.

The answer is to listen. Just as you spent the first 18 months of your life doing nothing but listening to others speak, so should you go back and just listen to all sort of music and players to understand how they do what you are striving to do. Of course, you can also study the "grammar" of music (theory) but you must learn to "speak" music, just like you learned to speak English. How many four-year olds who speak beautifully can diagram a sentence or explain the grammatical basis of what they are saying?

Listen.

 

[rob2966]

I find when I am coming up with basslines, I actually try and sing them over the material. Once I have something I think sounds cool singing I essentially "transcibe" it to the instrument. As a result much of my stuff is quite melodic. Another important element is silence.

Keep at it...
Rob