Re: [Music] Creating a bass line
Posted by: famkan <famkan@...>
I know what you mean! I struggle with this, and I'm sure we all do at
various different levels... It can be really hard to come up with something
new on the spot that you are happy with, and suits the song, etc. It might
be a bit insipid, but the only the answer I really have is: play!! The only
way I've been able to come up with grooves I'm happy with is to practice it,
and to make mistakes, and to learn from the "mistakes". A lot of the time,
what might be considered a "mistake" might actually be the beginning of
something that turns out really cool!
Take a simple groove - one you already know, and the play with it. Try it
backwards, upside down. Play up the octave until the last few notes. Skip a
note - either by a rest, or by tieing two together - or split one into two
notes, and play with that new idea. For me it takes time. But in the end you
have a your own groove that you've developed, that you can pull out when you
want. You don't have to do it on the spot. Preparation might be the key
here.
But don't think you need a new and interesting groove for each and every
song every time you play. Not only is this near on impossible, its also mind
taxing, and you put yourself under an awful lot of pressure. Sometimes a
simple, obvious, pattern is really what's needed.
my 2c.
tc&gb pk
----- Original Message -----
From: "Nathan Sundberg" <darthfrodo101@family.net>
To: "churchbass" <churchbass@welovegod.org>
Sent: Wednesday, November 05, 2003 11:12 AM
Subject: [CB] [Music] Creating a bass line
> Hey list!
>
> I'm pretty sure that the subject says it all. I wouldn't exactly call
myself
> a "root-whacker", but I definitely know that my lines can be much better.
My
> main question is not necessarily "what" but "how". I have a few songs that
> have a good bass line, however, the line wasn't made by me. I want to be
> able to take a song and play it in such a way that it is "mine". I've
> noticed a good number of threads asking about certain parts of a tasteful
> line; for example the recent and on-going "chords" discussion.
>
> I have noted that the quesiton of thirds and fifths is mentioned quite
> frequently. One question that I do have is primarily where to put them. I
> can figure out where the third and fifth is but I don't know how to
> tastefully use them. Is there a certain rule or guideline that should be
> followed?
>
> TIA for the help!
>
> N
>
>
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