[quote name='jakenewmanbass' timestamp='1376176536' post='2170623']
I make a living playing music, and that often involves playing in a studio, often creating basslines for a song.
My view is to start with the absolute bare minimum when routining songs, literally just marking out the chords, then when the producer asks for a bit more it legitimises my input. I always put the song first before any 'lick' I might want to play so I figure, if it isn't adding it's detracting, so drop it... I will listen back to the routine takes and when we are tracking for real I have worked out what I'm going to do where... It's also something that you work out with the other players.
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Absolutely nailed it for me.
At the amateur originals level I'm at more often than not I'm expected to instantly produce a whizzy bass line on one listen to the song (i.e whoever wrote it will say it goes like this, now play the bass line). Amateur in both senses