Your Bass Lines - How Quickly Do They Come?

[xilddx]

When you are given a new song to write a line for, how quickly do they usually come to you. How do you go about the process of writing your lines? Do your lines get changed?

Edited February 8, 2013 by xilddx

[ThomBassmonkey]

It depends. There's some songs my band has that have got to the stage of being played live and I still don't have a bassline I'm happy with and there's others that I play along with the first time I hear it and it's like I already know the bassline, it feels so natural.

It totally depends on a) my mood and how "into" the song I am.

Edited February 8, 2013 by ThomBassmonkey

[LeftyBiskit]

I listen to the drummer,
and "play what i feel"
then incorporate that with whatever chords/notes are going on.
beyond that......I cant explain

[Lowender]

It depends on the song. I always come up with SOMETHING off the bat, but it usually gets modified, edited, elaborated, etc. When composing I try a couple of things and go with what works best without over-thinking it. In the studio you better get something good by the second take or there won't be a third. `

[JamesBass]

When writing songs with my band I leave my bass lines right till last, once everything else has been sorted that way I can work out the most effect lines and put them in the most effective places where there is normally space otherwise it sounds messy to me.

[xgsjx]

I think you should change what is single choice & what is multiple choice on your poll.

Like what others have said, sometimes I come up with a bassline straight away, sometimes it can take a while & sometimes it'll start off as onething but get rewritten at a later date as I spend more time with the song. Some basslines are simple, some are complex, it depends what the song needs. Some simple basslines can be a challenge as it could be a simple 3 note sequence, but the stamina to keep it going can be pushed. Some of my complex basslines that I thought would be hard turn out to be easy to play once I get a technique going.
I've always written my own lines, but sometimes another member has said "I've got an idea for a bassline" & I'm happy to play it. When it works, it's nice to see the smile on their face.

The main things that are important to me are "I enjoyed playing that" & "does it fit the song".

[thumbo]

This is really difficult stuff to quantify. I've always played in bands that have been very open to suggestions and improvising new ideas (I wouldn't do it any other way) so ideas for songs often come about in different ways.

One thing I've always found since writing my own music is that I'll go through a period of time of producing loads of ideas, then perhaps months of coming up with nothing. I tend to use those months of 'nothing' to develop the ideas that I came up with before.

[Conan]

[quote name='LeftyBiskit' timestamp='1360285479' post='1968243']
I listen to the drummer, and "play what i feel" then incorporate that with whatever chords/notes are going on.
beyond that......I cant explain
[/quote]

That's pretty much me too, although sometimes a bassline will evolve if I get a better idea and it fits well.

In my current band, all of the material is written by the guitarist. So when I joined the band he had already recorded quite a bit of the stuff with his own basslines on. At first I simply learned his lines as they were, and then started to change them to suit my style of playing. He was perfectly happy with this, even though he is a pretty decent bass player himself.

Now when we write new stuff I mostly follow the formula above - follow the drums so that there is a solid rhythmic foundation and them work around the two guitars to bring some harmonies and counter-melodies in. Then I like to take away a recording of what we have at that point and listen to it over and over again to try to see what is good and what needs to be changed.

It works pretty well in this band, and is a method that works well for me!

[chaypup]

I normally write the songs and start with the bassline anyway, so it's the others that have to do the work fitting around that!

[alistair Sutcliffe]

I record however much of the song we've got and hum a few ideas along to it till i get something i like. Then I work out how to play what i've come up with. I find it's easier to be creative if i'm not having to play at the same time.

[Roland Rock]

The majority of my basslines are written at band practice. Someone comes up with the chords and we jam it out.
I often will come up with a good (imo) line within one or two jams.

I tend to put too many notes in at first, then, by listening to the guitar, drums and vocals, pare it down and maybe alter the timing a bit.
Space is crucial, so I'll listen for any drum/vocal/guitar parts that sound great on their own, and give that part space.

There was one song hat we just couldn't jam out, so I took it home and came up with a bassline. The one I came up with came in just after the two in each bar, and sounded great in isolation. When it came to playing it with the band, it was immediately apparent that it needed to come in on the one. It sounded great after that.

[Gust0o]

I think it depends on who is writing the song, as to how long it all takes.

But, normally, it's a case of working out the chord changes, and then adding some flourish.

I remember an old Victor Wooten lesson, where he talked about hearing the beat of the song - even when the beat is pulled back, you know what should be in that space. So I tend to find myself humming, or imagining how the line would work, and then going after that.

[Lord Sausage]

I've done the poll but non of the questions quite fit to how i work.

1) The lines come very quickly but i constantly refine them so they change a lot.

2) I've always had control over my lines but if someone (guitarist, producer, keyboard player) offers a good idea and it works i will use it

3) Sometimes I play simple music, sometimes complex, never that challenging

4) tHe amount i write a year varies

[Dave Vader]

[quote name='Lord Sausage' timestamp='1360316902' post='1968400']
I've done the poll but non of the questions quite fit to how i work.

1) The lines come very quickly but i constantly refine them so they change a lot.

2) I've always had control over my lines but if someone (guitarist, producer, keyboard player) offers a good idea and it works i will use it

3) Sometimes I play simple music, sometimes complex, never that challenging

4) tHe amount i write a year varies
[/quote]

I would like to have written that, as it is also true for me.

[wateroftyne]

I'm usually left alone to do what I do.

[BigRedX]

I currently write the bulk of the music for my band so creating the bassline is just part of the overall composition process. Of course once the other musicians start to add their own personality to what I've come up with things can and do change. I don't generally think of arrangements in terms of individual instruments but as an overall band sound sound that I then break down into separate parts.

[JTUK]

If they are going to come at all..they come very quickly. I mostlly improvise my lines in all the bands I play in.

If I am not getting the track/feel/groove then it all gets a bit slow and painful.
I need the spark...

[thisnameistaken]

I don't really have a final bass part until we've got final vocals. Even then my part might change in the future if we change the arrangement or add more vocals or whatever - what I'm playing is often a reaction to what everyone else is doing so it's never really set in stone.

As for complexity and how challenging it is; the challenge for me is usually finding something nice enough to keep me interested, and something that improves the impact of the vocals, and sits in whatever space is available but without drawing too much attention to itself. I've got pretty good at it over the years I think. I don't get accused of over-playing any more.

[xilddx]

[quote name='thisnameistaken' timestamp='1360333284' post='1968819']
I don't really have a final bass part until we've got final vocals. Even then my part might change in the future if we change the arrangement or add more vocals or whatever - what I'm playing is often a reaction to what everyone else is doing so it's never really set in stone.

As for complexity and how challenging it is; the challenge for me is usually finding something nice enough to keep me interested, and something that improves the impact of the vocals, and sits in whatever space is available but without drawing too much attention to itself. I've got pretty good at it over the years I think. I don't get accused of over-playing any more.
[/quote]

That's almost exactly how I approach bass lines with Kit. It works really well generally. Playing to the vocal is my thing, playing to the drums is most definitely not as important to me as designing lines that support the vocal. I like to let the drums have a lot of space, I like to hear them shine.

[Lord Sausage]

[quote name='xilddx' timestamp='1360335150' post='1968873']
That's almost exactly how I approach bass lines with Kit. It works really well generally. Playing to the vocal is my thing, playing to the drums is most definitely not as important to me as designing lines that support the vocal. I like to let the drums have a lot of space, I like to hear them shine.
[/quote]I try to play with the drums, support the harmony, play with the geets and support/play off the vocals depending on the tune and what it's doing. as Bill Hicks says 'I am the weaver'.

[thisnameistaken]

I agree. I honestly think the whole 'lock in with the drums' advice that beginners get is pretty bad advice and because so many bass players repeat it, they think it's forbidden to do anything else. I would say that regardless of what instrument you're playing, your first job to make the vocals sound as good as possible.

[icastle]

[quote name='Lord Sausage' timestamp='1360316902' post='1968400']
I've done the poll but non of the questions quite fit to how i work.

1) The lines come very quickly but i constantly refine them so they change a lot.

2) I've always had control over my lines but if someone (guitarist, producer, keyboard player) offers a good idea and it works i will use it

3) Sometimes I play simple music, sometimes complex, never that challenging

4) tHe amount i write a year varies
[/quote]

That's closer to me as well.

The main differences being:

2) I provide the guidance to the rest of the band as to what works best and can't remember a time where someone has given me an idea to work with.

3) Complexity is a little hard to quantify, what seems complex to me may be absurdly simple to someone else and vice versa of course.

[Conan]

[quote name='xilddx' timestamp='1360335150' post='1968873']
Playing to the vocal is my thing, playing to the drums is most definitely not as important to me as designing lines that support the vocal. I like to let the drums have a lot of space, I like to hear them shine.[/quote]
[quote name='thisnameistaken' timestamp='1360335927' post='1968895']
I agree. I honestly think the whole 'lock in with the drums' advice that beginners get is pretty bad advice. I would say that regardless of what instrument you're playing, your first job to make the vocals sound as good as possible.[/quote]

I agree with both of you! But it's horses for courses (or lasagne...). In some bands the vocalist fits in with the rhythm of the drums too, so as bassist your task is slightly more complex as you then have to avoid (or comppliment) what the singer is doing in terms of phrasing or pitch...

In other bands, the vocal melody may go off at a complete tangent to the other instruments, in which case you can either 1). Ignore them and get on with providing a solid foundation, or 2). "Weave" in amongst the vocalist's phrases and melodies to add another layer that improves the track.

A lot of it stems from knowing your bandmates' styles and knowing your own style. Both take time.

Edited February 8, 2013 by Conan

[xilddx]

[quote name='thisnameistaken' timestamp='1360335927' post='1968895']
I agree. I honestly think the whole 'lock in with the drums' advice that beginners get is pretty bad advice and because so many bass players repeat it, they think it's forbidden to do anything else. I would say that regardless of what instrument you're playing, your first job to make the vocals sound as good as possible.
[/quote]

I remember a grown up musician on here (can't remember who) saying pretty much every note on the kick drum should be covered by a bass note. I honestly couldn't comprehend why anyone would believe that. Bizarre

[Conan]

[quote name='xilddx' timestamp='1360337023' post='1968925']
I remember a grown up musician on here (can't remember who) saying pretty much every note on the kick drum should be covered by a bass note. I honestly couldn't comprehend why anyone would believe that. Bizarre
[/quote]

Depends what effect you are going for I suppose. In some styles of music that could work, but it seems to be making music a prison rather than a playground. Why make up rules where there need be none?