This really is amazing, the amount of input from everyone has been incredible. I urge anyone who isn't a member but browses the site occasionally (as I did for years) to sign up. This really is a great community, no egos, just good vibes throughout!

 

Exactly my experience , creative people often got depth,less ego. Wonderful, that’s what the world needs desperately!

 

I never thought I would ever do it, but I got myself a real bass guitar. It is a really inspirational instrument to play. You cannot get the same kind of percussive response from a synth bass, although both are useful. For me this is a very good way to explore baselines and even bass melodies.

 

Last edited: Jan 29, 2018

always thought this intro bass line was very melodic

Gotta learn the language. There are no short cuts unfortunately

 

SOME BASSLINE SECRET TIPS

in your KEY you have 7 notes or modes (chords
lets say in KEY of C
so
1.C
2.D
3.E
4.F
5.G
6.A
7.B

you skip every other note to find the chord for each\
1.CEGBDFA
2.DFACEGB
3.EGBDFAC
4.FACEGBD
5.GBDFACE
6.ACEGBDF
7.BDFACEG

now if we take the first 1 , CEGBDFA
the C is tonic, the E is third the G is fifth the B is seventh the D is ninth the F is eleventh the A is thirteenth.
you want them in that order from low to high (left to right)
so if your starting note is C and you want to add in the ninth you add a D but octave higher ( not the one right next to your starting note)


in your key C note, chord or mode is HOME ( no feeling of traveling)

the fifth mode is called DOMINANT ( tension,away from home) a feeling of traveling in the music
5.GBDFACE
G is tonic B is third D is fifth F is seventh A is ninth C is elevnth E is thirteenth



now the baseline secret tips

if your music is playing a C chord (home) for four beats.

on the bassline you play 1 2 3 5 ( for C that is C,D,E,G)

four 8 beats you play 1 2 3 5 ,1 2 3 (leading tone) {a leading tone is one semi tone away from your landing note)

if i was repeating the pattern then it would be C,D,E,G,C,D,E,C# then C,D,E,G,C,D,E,B
the C# resolves to the next C the B at the end resolves up to The C


if my song chords went Amin7,Dmin7, G7, Cmaj7 in other words( ACEG,DFAC,GBDF,CEGB) each for 4 beats

my pattern would be 1,2,3(leading tone)
here it is
A,B,C,C#,(D,E,F,F#,(G,A,B,C#(C,D,E,G#) then repeat A,B,C,C#,(D,E,F,F#,(G,A,B,C#(C,D,E,G#)

so with basslines the last note of a measure (before the next note of new bar)
is a half step above or below the new note of the next bar.

 

play the note low then go high as ths will help your ears distinguish each note

 

Make bass lines to a drum track or a beat is easier and think like playing the real bass always helps. Actually playing synth instruments like the real instruments as opposed to a piano, is key to helping make it sound right.

 

personally sometimes write a complicated bassline and then start dropping out notes; you'll know which ones alter 'the vibe'. do this through multiple passes. This can help strip out the unnecessary notes*, leaving you with a powerful, albeit minimal, bass presence.

*room for drum accents

 

It is much more alive the way I have always heard it, even while singing the melody. The switch doesn't work for me.

 

Last edited by a moderator: Jan 30, 2018

now it is no longer a secret :D