Favourite Bassline YOU have written and recorded

[GarethFlatlands]

Green Alsation - I wasn't a fan of the first song, the vocals kind of put me off and it sounded like it was going for a psychadelia thing but the production wasn't there to back it up. Good bassline though. I enjoyed the second one a lot, imagining it with the bass removed it would be much less interesting to listen to. Shame that version doesn't have vocals really. If you have a version with them on I'd like to hear it.

steve-soar - Interesting lines, nicely locked in with the drums and a sweet bouncy tone. The song as a whole has a nice mid-late 90's alternative feel to it which I liked too.

bobbass4k - Great bit of tech metal but the fact it was all midi made it a bit odd to listen to. I'd love to hear it if you ever got it recorded with a live band (easier said than done I realise), maybe with another guitar line, vocals or something a little out of the ordinary. I only say this because I've got a bit of guitar fatigue at the moment.

Lozz - Again, not really a fan of glam/swing but most songs of those genres are made or fail on the bass and.... you nailed it. I can hear how your line would have taken the song in a different direction from your original description. As xilddx said, you look like a great party band too.

xgsjx - Really liked that first one, I'm not a fan of folkier stuff but the guitar and bass line were both very intricate and crossing over really well. The 2nd one would have sounded a little sparse without you holding it up from about the 2 minute mark but you held back where it was appropriate. Very impressive all round, such a shame about your singer :-(

risingson - Cool cross between old school songwriting and electronic elements. I really liked the crossover between the regular and bass synth, and I especially dug the middle section from about 2 minutes until the vocals kicked back in, everything just worked really well together there. The vocals are way too high in the mix for me but that's all I can think of I didn't like.

Page 1 down!

Edit for typos.

Edited February 16, 2013 by GarethFlatlands

[xilddx]

[quote name='GarethFlatlands' timestamp='1360961031' post='1979236']
I'm my own worst critic and don't like a lot of stuff I've done (or maybe it really is rubbish?) but there's been a few bits and pieces I'm fond of. The verses to 'The Cell' by inFictions (Bandcamp link in my sig) are one of them, simple but me and the drummer really locked in on the rhythm without any kind of discussion and it really makes the song stand out. There are some bits of the 1st 65daysofstatic album that I still like, although I was very green when it was done and I think it shows.
[/quote]

Just listened to the whole album, I love it! It's really excellent. What's happening with the band mate?

[risingson]

[quote name='GarethFlatlands' timestamp='1361026501' post='1979987']
risingson - Cool cross between old school songwriting and electronic elements. I really liked the crossover between the regular and bass synth, and I especially dug the middle section from about 2 minutes until the vocals kicked back in, everything just worked really well together there. The vocals are way too high in the mix for me but that's all I can think of I didn't like.
[/quote]

Thank you very much Gareth. I completely agree on the vocals by the way.

[Dingus]

[quote name='risingson' timestamp='1360969451' post='1979371']
I'm only as proud of the bass line that I've put down on a track as I am of the track itself. I've played far more 'complicated' bass parts on records we have made, but the three notes that I played on this tune are all I ever felt that it required for it to be a song that I'm very proud of. The rest of the bass is synth bass (which I also played )

[url="https://soundcloud.com/54321band/everest"]https://soundcloud.c...321band/everest[/url]
[/quote]

I really like this track . It sounds like the finished article , and very commercial . The vocals are fantastic , and is it just me that finds some of the vocal melody at the beginning reminiscent of Cry Me A River by Justin Timberlake ?

[Dingus]

[quote name='4 Strings' timestamp='1360969994' post='1979377']
Can I be proud of a made up bass line in a paternally related way?

This is the lad playing bass, the first track is the one submitted here. Better than anything I can do, I love them as they are so imaginative (and, of course, I'm biased).

[media]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UQZUizsC1tY[/media]
[/quote]

Your lad is a player , that's for sure . Some really nice creative ideas in that bass part . It may well be that I am out of touch with fashions for young people and all that , but why is he dressed like a Ghanain rug salesman ?

[Dingus]

[quote name='obbm' timestamp='1360971047' post='1979398']
Here you are Nigel. My meagre submission recorded 10 years ago in Austin.

[url="http://www.myspace.com/music/player?sid=25231875&ac=now"]http://www.myspace.c...25231875&ac=now[/url]

Although many of the tracks were roughly tried here in the UK the parts really only came together in the studio. Nothing very technical or exciting but that's not my style. I reckon the bass drives the song along nicely with a nice bit of tension from the use of 3rds in the verses. Stingray 5
through a Sansamp straight into the desk. There's a bit of fret rattle as the actioned had changed following the transatlantic flight.

When I was playing for Micky this was always a popular song - the alternative title is "Die You Bitch".
[/quote]

There's something about feel on this song that reminds me of Nick Lowe / Rockpile , and I mean that as high praise indeed .

[Dingus]

[quote name='xilddx' timestamp='1360971037' post='1979397']
I have two, the first is Kit, from the first EP of two years ago, and it came very quickly. I had a crap iPhone recording from Kit of her singing and playing piano with the drummer on a leccy kit. This was the second part of the audition, to write bass lines for four songs. Kit told me she wanted staccato in the verses and long notes in the bridge and chorus. I had it done in a few hours, recorded and mixed it and sent it to her, she and the drummer loved them all, but this is my favourite for its lyrical nature and use of space and texture. They especially liked the trick low note in the middle section. This was the EP version I recorded at home over the studio mix for the EP which 51m0n later mixed and mastered beautifully for the EP. I love my tone, Warwick Corvette $$ into a POD X3 LIVE direct to desk.

[url="http://kitrichardson.bandcamp.com/track/you-always-did"]http://kitrichardson.../you-always-did[/url]

My other is the one I did for the Basschat composition challenge last December. I had great fun composing it, and what I heard in my head pushed my playing technique to my limits. I really like the composition, the madness of the middle sections and the sensitivity of the final sections, I played to the story and I've never had so much fun with the bass, and guitar keys and drum programming, I had an absolute blast doing this

[url="https://soundcloud.com/silddx/you-cant-touch-me-now-or-the"]https://soundcloud.c...h-me-now-or-the[/url]
[/quote]

I can see no reason why I wouldn't hear that Kit Richardson track just as it is on Radio 2 and similar stations alongside other established artists . Very professional sounding production . The solo track is a bit of a t[i]our de force[/i] too . Great work . You ought to be doing this for a living .

Edited February 16, 2013 by Dingus

[xilddx]

[quote name='Dingus' timestamp='1361030850' post='1980059']
Your lad is a player , that's for sure . Some really nice creative ideas in that bass part . It may well be that I am out of touch with fashions for young people and all that , but why is he dressed like a Ghanain rug salesman ?
[/quote]
It's great, I really like it, full of attitude and very well played and performed. I like $-String's nipper's outfit a lot!

[xilddx]

[quote name='Dingus' timestamp='1361031748' post='1980079']
I can see no reason why I wouldn't hear that Kit Richardson track just as it is on Radio 2 and similar stations alongside other established artists . Very professional sounding production . The solo track is a bit of a t[i]our de force[/i] too . Great work . You ought to be doing this for a living .
[/quote]

That's very kind indeed mate, thanks! As for doing it for a living, I don't have the confidence required to be a session player, and I'm also musically illiterate I have three gigs I'm very very proud of and a day job that gives me a decent living. That said, There's nothing I'd like better than to be able to make £30k a year being a muso for a living. Thanks again for your lovely words Dingus.

[BigRedX]

[quote name='owen' timestamp='1361024624' post='1979935']
I bought an Adrenalinn specifically to do that and then............. ummm........... didn't. I am now not doing it with Mainstage and a Macbook
[/quote]

I also went and bought an Adrenalinn to replace the 3 rack units that were needed to produce all the bass sounds I used in SugarBox. And then the band split...

The stuff I've been doing since then has been far more conventional. There's some nice bass work coming up on the new Terrortones EP, but that's not for public consumption just yet.

[ShergoldSnickers]

Just the first few bars of the following. The bass and guitar were improvised together, with additional guitar and the percussion added later. Done in Garageband. Not sure where the melodious nature came from, but it soon descends into a meandering rambling wedge of sound. Yeah, just those first few bars are my favourite thing I've ever done.

[url="https://soundcloud.com/the-halst/funny-beggers-sheep"]https://soundcloud.c...y-beggers-sheep[/url]

Edit: anyone who gets to the end is doing really well.

Edited February 16, 2013 by ShergoldSnickers

[GarethFlatlands]

[quote name='xilddx' timestamp='1361029101' post='1980025']
Just listened to the whole album, I love it! It's really excellent. What's happening with the band mate?
[/quote]

Pretty much died a death really, it was singer/guitarist Ed's project and he wanted to make an album. 3 years and 4 drummers later and it was done so he's achieved what he wanted to and has moved on to other things. We recorded a song a few months ago but never practice together or gig so apart from the occasional song every now and then purely as a recording band, I can't see much else happening.

I'm really proud of the album anyway and I got to grips with a few other instruments over the years while it was being done. I think I'm credited with about different 6 instruments in the liner notes.

Always leave them wanting more eh?

[bobbass4k]

[quote name='GarethFlatlands' timestamp='1361026501' post='1979987']
bobbass4k - Great bit of tech metal but the fact it was all midi made it a bit odd to listen to. I'd love to hear it if you ever got it recorded with a live band (easier said than done I realise), maybe with another guitar line, vocals or something a little out of the ordinary. I only say this because I've got a bit of guitar fatigue at the moment.
[/quote]

Thanks man, I've never really thought of it as tech metal before, that's just how riffs come out of my head, 7/8 seems more natural to me than 4/4, maybe I'm just weird? I know what you mean about the MIDI, the drums are okay but the bass does sound weird, I have been considering redoing it because it's quite removed from my original idea, which had a a lot of whammy pedal abuse and a vocal line that I could probably move to synth, but I've never found the time. I've been trying to get a bass/drums duo, maybe with vocals together for ages to play this sort of stuff, but there seems to be a shortage of drummers into it.

[GarethFlatlands]

[quote name='bobbass4k' timestamp='1361034137' post='1980137']
Thanks man, I've never really thought of it as tech metal before, that's just how riffs come out of my head, 7/8 seems more natural to me than 4/4, maybe I'm just weird?
[/quote]

Nah, I can't write in 4/4 either. It's either 6/8 or something utterly odd. I write riffs and as long as they fall nicely in time with my tapped foot then they're OK, then I take them to the band and our drummer has to fiddle with them until they're more sensible.

Edited February 16, 2013 by GarethFlatlands

[obbm]

[quote name='Dingus' timestamp='1361031088' post='1980064']
There's something about feel on this song that reminds me of Nick Lowe / Rockpile , and I mean that as high praise indeed .
[/quote]

Thanks. Very perceptive. I know for a fact that Nick Lowe was one of Micky's early influences. Interestingly my current band do "Cruel To Be Kind" and "Peace, Love and Understanding". Cracking bass line on the latter.

[xilddx]

[quote name='GarethFlatlands' timestamp='1361033955' post='1980134']
Pretty much died a death really, it was singer/guitarist Ed's project and he wanted to make an album. 3 years and 4 drummers later and it was done so he's achieved what he wanted to and has moved on to other things. We recorded a song a few months ago but never practice together or gig so apart from the occasional song every now and then purely as a recording band, I can't see much else happening.

I'm really proud of the album anyway and I got to grips with a few other instruments over the years while it was being done. I think I'm credited with about different 6 instruments in the liner notes.

Always leave them wanting more eh?
[/quote]

That's a damn shame. Nevermind, we have one great album to enjoy Congratulations!

[4 Strings]

[quote name='Green Alsatian' timestamp='1360974495' post='1979457']
An excellent thread - I've been watching the 'new replies added' going up while I was typing this! (Looks at clock) Will have to return to it!

[b]4-Strings[/b] - that's a very catchy tune and your bassline is spot-on for it. Definitely Motown-ish.


Haha, it worked then! Thanks mate, appreciate you listening and the comment. Of all my bass lines, its not the most complicated but, I think, achieves what it set out to most.
[/quote]

[4 Strings]

[quote name='Dingus' timestamp='1361030850' post='1980059']
Your lad is a player , that's for sure . Some really nice creative ideas in that bass part . It may well be that I am out of touch with fashions for young people and all that , but why is he dressed like a Ghanain rug salesman ?
[/quote]

Good question! Actually he spend a couple of months teaching music in Nigeria and came back with a load of outfits he liked. His little theme I think. The sunglasses do not reflect his true persona, all three lads are really nice, humble boys!

[Green Alsatian]

[quote name='GarethFlatlands' timestamp='1361026501' post='1979987']
Green Alsation - I wasn't a fan of the first song, the vocals kind of put me off and it sounded like it was going for a psychadelia thing but the production wasn't there to back it up. Good bassline though. I enjoyed the second one a lot, imagining it with the bass removed it would be much less interesting to listen to. Shame that version doesn't have vocals really. If you have a version with them on I'd like to hear it.
[/quote]

Thanks Gareth. A lot of the earlier recordings we made ('Apology' included) were only ever really rough idea demos and we never got around to any proper recordings, sadly. The US/Canadian side were via an old Fostex 4-track tape recorder, converted to .wav and emailed to me to add my bits via Goldwave. None of us knew anything of EQ or any production techniques other than dubbing over parts. I can't even make out my basslines on some of the recordings - probably for the best!

The irony of the second one is that the only recorded version I know of with lyrics (when we played my brother's wedding) has no bass, as I'd dropped onto keys. We're pretty much a 'twice a year' band now, with the other fellows having families and other commitments, so I don't know if we'll ever get around to recording again but it's fun when we reunite.

Edited February 16, 2013 by Green Alsatian

[steve-soar]

[quote name='xilddx' timestamp='1360967411' post='1979342']
Oof, that's a clanky old sound mate! Like it! It's beautifully timed in the verses, really pulling the beat back deep into pocket, and the hihat and you seem to slightly battle for tempo which sounds very live and urgent. Great tempo for the song. Your feel is really confident, and you have better timing than the drummer, but it's all good. Top!
[/quote]Thanks.

[steve-soar]

I should have said that I don't have a favourite bassline that I've done, yet.

But I always try to make them super simple and try to get some groove in there. Another attempt from a once younger man.


[url="http://soundcloud.com/steve-soar/04-freedom-thirteen"]http://soundcloud.co...reedom-thirteen[/url]

KGB headless into Neve desk and Peavey MkIV into 2x15 Black Widow.

Edited February 16, 2013 by steve-soar

[steve-soar]

One more.

[url="http://soundcloud.com/steve-soar/05-honeykill-1"]http://soundcloud.co.../05-honeykill-1[/url]

Jaydee MK,into a Neve. Amp as above. Backing vocals too.

Edited February 16, 2013 by steve-soar

[Lord Sausage]

There's too much stuff to comment on all of it. A real variety and enjoyed quite a lot.

Nige, that first Kit one i started listening to the bass but then got carried away by the song but what i remember was good! I remember the demon fiddler one, it was pretty intense.

Edited February 16, 2013 by Lord Sausage

[Lord Sausage]

Ok, here's mine. I wouldn't say it's my best, but it's my favourite just for it's simplicity.

It copies the geets in the heavier bits. But in the one verse the bass is in it starts off slow and real simple and develops melodically as the verse progresses until it's playing a similar sympathetic line to the vocal. Then in the guitar solo its starts off with little staccato burst mixed with the occasional longer note then picks up into a heavy 16th phrase. I used to love playing this song. It's pretty old and we don't anymore!

https://soundcloud.com/dreaded-ted/losin-control

[steve-soar]

[quote name='Lord Sausage' timestamp='1361047245' post='1980432']
Ok, here's mine. I wouldn't say it's my best, but it's my favourite just for it's simplicity.

It copies the geets in the heavier bits. But in the one verse the bass is in it starts off slow and real simple and develops melodically as the verse progresses until it's playing a similar sympathetic line to the vocal. Then in the guitar solo its starts off with little staccato burst mixed with the occasional longer note then picks up into a heavy 16th phrase. I used to love playing this song. It's pretty old and we don't anymore!

https://soundcloud.com/dreaded-ted/losin-control
[/quote]Some very tasteful runs around 2:30 onwards, would love to hear this live.