How do you 'notate' or write down your basslines?

[Spoombung]

I'm curious how you guys write down your bass parts. I guess a small percentage of you will [i]actually notate[/i] (people like Bilbo) but I'm curious as to how the 'rest of us' do it. Here is an example of how I do it:



It might look a mess but you can see it's a mix of chord shapes and tab. I 'sync' up the two elements with a simple line.

You can hear what this track sounds like here:

[url="https://soundcloud.com/spoombung/riff23-halved"]https://soundcloud.c...g/riff23-halved[/url]

Here is a version with just bass and drums:

[url="https://soundcloud.com/spoombung/riff23-just-bass-drums"]https://soundcloud.com/spoombung/riff23-just-bass-drums[/url]

The way I write presents certain challenges; mainly sudden leaps from the low notes to the upper notes so I have to find some way of writing it down so I can learn it. This method seems to work but I'm also interested in any other examples.

Kev

Edited April 6, 2013 by Spoombung

[xgsjx]

Learn to read music. It's not hard & you could fit all that on 1/10th of what you have there.

It's the difference between writing a sentence or drawing pictures of what you're trying to say.

Most of my rough ideas I record on my phone/mac. Songs are by memory.

Meant to say, cool tune.

Edited April 6, 2013 by xgsjx

[icastle]

I just remember them but I often forget what key they were in.

[Spoombung]

[quote name='xgsjx' timestamp='1365273554' post='2037580']
Learn to read music. It's not hard & you could fit all that on 1/10th of what you have there.

It's the difference between writing a sentence or drawing pictures of what you're trying to say.

Most of my rough ideas I record on my phone/mac. Songs are by memory.

Meant to say, cool tune.
[/quote]

Well that told me!

[xgsjx]

[quote name='Spoombung' timestamp='1365274401' post='2037593']
Well that told me!
[/quote]

Sorry. Never meant to be cheeky.

That "Bass Clef" game that keeps popping up on here is a good way to learn where the notes are & everything else about writing score isn't hard.
I learned mainly from manuscripts as they usually have everything written either in the front or back page (I started out a keys player).

[Musky]

I usually just record them but if I have to write something down I just write the chords to jog my memory. If I can't remember it from that it wasn't good enough anyway!

[bluesparky]

Traditional notation for me - by hand initially and then when I have time I manually input it into sibelius or finale etc at a later date.
However saying that I have developed a bit of short hand when it comes to notating it in a hurry and there are probably bits which are immediately obvious to anyone else.

[bobbass4k]

Reading music is an essential skill to have, sure, but I can't help but feel that people who dismiss tab and other forms of notation entirely are just elitists. Proper music notation is extremely cumbersome for jotting down quick ideas. If I just want to jot down a riff so I remember it, I either jot down the tab or the notes, tab is usually quicker. How exactly do I jot down music notation? Assuming you don't carry staff paper around (not an unreasonable assumption), you have to draw a staff and then draw the dots, it's not very quick or convenient.

Don't get me wrong, reading and writing music notation is a very important skill to have, but you can use alternatives without being a dunderheaded ignormaus.

[Spoombung]

[quote name='xgsjx' timestamp='1365275359' post='2037610']


Sorry. Never meant to be cheeky.

That "Bass Clef" game that keeps popping up on here is a good way to learn where the notes are & everything else about writing score isn't hard.
I learned mainly from manuscripts as they usually have everything written either in the front or back page (I started out a keys player).
[/quote]

Yeah, I've got that game. I can identify notes on the clef but far too slowly. I wish I'd learned to read music when I was younger bit I didn't really want this thread to be about that- we've had a lot of those- rather people's shorthand or quirks instead. I do agree it is clumsy but as I don't play anybody else's music and write the stuff myself I just need something to jog my memory. Chord charts are useless as the keyboard parts are chromatic and feature unison parts a tone or semitone apart that fit with the bass so this method seems to work for me.

[Twigman]

I don't.

[Spoombung]

Well it looks like everyone either notates or can remember everything with no problem! Must be just me then

[Spoombung]

[quote name='bobbass4k' timestamp='1365275972' post='2037622']
Reading music is an essential skill to have, sure, but I can't help but feel that people who dismiss tab and other forms of notation entirely are just elitists. Proper music notation is extremely cumbersome for jotting down quick ideas. If I just want to jot down a riff so I remember it, I either jot down the tab or the notes, tab is usually quicker. How exactly do I jot down music notation? Assuming you don't carry staff paper around (not an unreasonable assumption), you have to draw a staff and then draw the dots, it's not very quick or convenient.

Don't get me wrong, reading and writing music notation is a very important skill to have, but you can use alternatives without being a dunderheaded ignormaus.
[/quote]

I can assure you I wasn't trying to advertise myself as a 'dunderheaded ignoramus'

[Chrismanbass]

[quote name='bobbass4k' timestamp='1365275972' post='2037622']
How exactly do I jot down music notation? Assuming you don't carry staff paper around (not an unreasonable assumption), you have to draw a staff and then draw the dots, it's not very quick or convenient.

[/quote]

you carry one of these obviously all the cool kids have em now

[url="http://www.thomann.de/gb/josef_siggemann_noligraph.htm"]http://www.thomann.d...n_noligraph.htm[/url]

Edited April 6, 2013 by Chrismanbass

[Lozz196]

[quote name='Twigman' timestamp='1365276408' post='2037629']
I don't.
[/quote]

Me neither. I figure if I can`t remember them, they weren`t worth playing.

[Judo Chop]

I don't, I just remember them

[paul_5]

[quote name='Lozz196' timestamp='1365280511' post='2037697']
Me neither. I figure if I can`t remember them, they weren`t worth playing.
[/quote]

True dat. Memory lapse is my 'acid test' when I'm writing music. Sing it to myself and then leave it, if it keeps coming back to me then it's a keeper. I fnot, then I've not invested any time or effort on a duffer.

[i]Then[/i] I'll get Sibelius out and do the 'dots and lines' thing.

Edited April 6, 2013 by paul_5

[JamesBass]

Well it depends on the situation, I find myself often writing songs as a whole in treble clef and almost exclusively late at night so I start by just noting the melody and harmony down in chord form as well as humming into my iPhone, then when it comes to the next day, or when I have time I'll take the time to start writing it out on treble clef then once the song is finished I'll write my actual bass line with fills and runs when I know where the space is within the song, in bass clef of course Although I never read from the notation as I memorise the song through repetition of playing, the notation is a backup and a physical copy incase, god forbid, copyright issues arise!

I jog my memory by using lead sheets that I make up for the rest of the band


Chrismanbass: I HAVE to have one! I don't need it but it's so cool! Well there's that occasional stationary loving organised me coming out

[Chrismanbass]

[quote name='JamesBass' timestamp='1365284866' post='2037748']

Chrismanbass: I HAVE to have one! I don't need it but it's so cool! Well there's that occasional stationary loving organised me coming out
[/quote]

i charge a 6% finders fee

[JamesBass]

[quote name='Chrismanbass' timestamp='1365285102' post='2037754']
i charge a 6% finders fee
[/quote]

Haha you'll be lucky

[JapanAxe]

Unless it's very simple I always use music notation. This establishes a second (visual) learning route. Tab is good for conveying the mechanics of where to put your fingers, but usually poor when it comes to rhythmic information. *sudden realisation of collision with existing thread(s)*

Edited April 6, 2013 by JapanAxe

[stingrayPete1977]

[quote name='bobbass4k' timestamp='1365275972' post='2037622']
Reading music is an essential skill to have, sure, but I can't help but feel that people who dismiss tab and other forms of notation entirely are just elitists. Proper music notation is extremely cumbersome for jotting down quick ideas. If I just want to jot down a riff so I remember it, I either jot down the tab or the notes, tab is usually quicker. How exactly do I jot down music notation? Assuming you don't carry staff paper around (not an unreasonable assumption), you have to draw a staff and then draw the dots, it's not very quick or convenient.

Don't get me wrong, reading and writing music notation is a very important skill to have, but you can use alternatives without being a dunderheaded ignormaus.
[/quote]
If I drew the tab for a 5 string bass that's 5 lines to draw just the same? And tab has no note duration either.

[Dad3353]

I play drums, and have never found anything better than standard musical notation. 'Tab' just doesn't fit the bill..! Writing for bass clef is not that hard (or,at least, compared to other instruments such as the harp, or the harmonica...). Try it for a while; you'll surely adopt it; I think.
Just my tuppence worth.

[BassTractor]

Notes on staves, but just because I've done that for 50 years and don't know anything else.
Have no idea about its possible drawbacks - as to what finger on what string and stuff - but am initially not inclined to try and learn anything else now.

best,
bert

[lurksalot]

When I first started playing it was mainly along to school stuff , hymms and songs written with chordal guitar format/notes over the lyrics , and thats how I visualise my stuff now . If I have to write something down for rehearsal it will be a print of the structure/lyric with roots noted just above the corresponding word. Mostly though now after learning ,I can get close to a line/riff I need to be playing with a 2min run through when I see the set list.

Not technically great , but if you play the correct notes under the vocal you wont go far wrong. I reckon I have as good a handle on the songs we can throw into our set on a whim as the rest of the band , so it is a confidence call on their part to put them in

[Lowender]

Nobody ever heard of recording devices?