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Writing bass lines for a rapper?

#3
JoeBbass said:
A rapper friend has asked me and a couple of buddies to write some backing music for him to rap over.
My first bass line was an arpeggio with a bit of rhythmic style.
Any tips other that simple and repetitive?
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Hi Joe. I've just launched a new youtube series all about this subject. It includes tutorials on how to analyse other parts to get rhythms, which notes to choose and how to add rhythmic variation. Part 1 is live now with the other two lessons ready for release over the next two weeks. Check it out! Hopefully you'll find it useful!

 
#8
You certainly have to have a good rhythm going and usually a little off beat helps too. Don't force it though, just lay back and groove - be funky.

Pauses/rests are very important, as are changing up your note values (half notes, 16th's, etc).

Lots of chromaticism, and/or minor scales.

Play along with the kick drum, and give some space for the snare.

I like to try to always play on the "1", whether its the beginning of a phrase, the tail end of it, or somewhere in between.

Listen to Dr. Dre's beats - most of those were recorded by real bassists in his studio, but he sampled their playing. But he, IMO, has some of the best basslines in hip hop. Other notable artists with good hip hop basslines are Outkast, Jay-Z, Tupac (with or without Dre), and A Tribe Called Quest.

Listen to tracks produced by Raphael Saadiq and J Dilla.

Also listen to D'Angelo's Voodoo album, and other NuSoul basslines by Pino Palladino.
 
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#11
I'm a rapper and a bass player and the biggest thing is, as others have stated, to keep it simple, let it breathe, and just groove. I usually do very simple riffs on the root chords of the beat/sample, seems to go over well.
 
#13
While some folks get their samples from their favorite .38 Special records,

Slough Feg Bass said:
- leave some long rests at the end of each phrase for them to riff on.
- hold out a single note for a while before starting a phrase to give them a lead in.
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This is some pretty great advice. It gives the rapper (the focus of the group) a stronger presence. Save those pauses and sustained notes for pivotal points of the song, especially during clever and quick chats
 
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#14
xgator4u said:
Well that would be subjective.
I find that in fact I have listened to MORE than enough.:thumbsup:
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Well, if you listened to old Sugar Hill Records and Enjoy Records releases then you would have heard mostly a live band re-creating funk and disco tracks of the day - not samples or synth. If you listened to records by people like Kurtis Blow in the early 80s you'd hear the same - plus some original lines. Eric B. & Rakim, Young M.C., Dr. Dre, Digable Planets, Soulive, Me'shell - there are countless examples of live bass in hip-hop throughout the 80s, 90s and 2000s....
 
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#17
Matthew_84 said:
Why people open threads geared towards music they have a negative feeling towards is beyond me... Then to go out and reply within it is even more baffling.
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Look I can ONLY speak for myself. I saw something interesting. I LEARNED that my preconceived notion of rap music being all sampled and synthed based upon the fact that EVERY rapper I have seen may have dancers and people on stage, but what I do NOT see is musical instruments, as in a live band.WAS WRONG
Therefore I commented that LIVE and LEARN.
You for some reason have a PROBLEM with that.

If I saw a thread about writing bass guitar lines for OPERA, I would find THAT interesting as well.
Would THAT offend you?
 
#18
xgator4u said:
Look I can ONLY speak for myself. I saw something interesting. I LEARNED that my preconceived notion of rap music being all sampled and synthed based upon the fact that EVERY rapper I have seen may have dancers and people on stage, but what I do NOT see is musical instruments, as in a live band.WAS WRONG
Therefore I commented that LIVE and LEARN.
You for some reason have a PROBLEM with that.

If I saw a thread about writing bass guitar lines for OPERA, I would find THAT interesting as well.
Would THAT offend you?
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Are you really surprised that your remark came off as being sarcastic when you referred to hip-hop as "THAT 'music'''?
 
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#19
xgator4u said:
Look I can ONLY speak for myself. I saw something interesting. I LEARNED that my preconceived notion of rap music being all sampled and synthed based upon the fact that EVERY rapper I have seen may have dancers and people on stage, but what I do NOT see is musical instruments, as in a live band.WAS WRONG
Therefore I commented that LIVE and LEARN.
You for some reason have a PROBLEM with that.

If I saw a thread about writing bass guitar lines for OPERA, I would find THAT interesting as well.
Would THAT offend you?
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The problem was you put quotes around "music" when you made that comment. It was intended as an insult, plain and simple, and now you're trying to backtrack.
 
#20
bass12 said:
Are you really surprised that your remark came off as being sarcastic when you referred to hip-hop as "THAT 'music'''?
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Well THAT is descriptive in as it delineates THAT music from OTHER music.
If I were talking Country music THAT music would be viewed more typically with instruments such as Acoustic guitars, steel guitars etc.

Crap if the word THAT in reference to your particular favorite genre offends you, I would suggest you report THAT.
Of course you most likely HAVE already clicked on THAT link.

Honestly.
Does THAT surprise me?
Not in the least.
 

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