Help needed with a Country bassline...

[solo4652]

The song is - The song remembers when, by Trisha Yearwood: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=AygRmWnow1w

Being honest, this type of rhinestones-by-the-campfire song isn't my cup of tea at all, but my new band wants to try it. I have limited experience of writing bass parts from scratch, and I'm struggling to come up with something that fits without being too busy. I'm not even sure whether the song really needs bass. I've tried root -fifth for 3 bars, then root-walk down pentatonic. However, it just sounds misplaced to me - a bit like a pop-rock bassline that's been borrowed from somewhere else. Root-root-octave-third sounds a little better.

I've decided to play in the intro and then stay out until the second verse, coming in with the drummer. I might even suggest to the band that this song is better stripped down to singer + acoustic guitar + cajon.

All suggestions greatly appreciated.

Steve

[stevie]

Sounds like all root notes to me. One sustained note per bar, with an eighth note lead-in every once in a while at the end of the bar and an occasional octave. You put your finger on it yourself. It's country. Keep it dead simple.

[ahpook]

[quote name='stevie' timestamp='1475674484' post='3147830']
It's country. Keep it dead simple.
[/quote]

Yep, much what I'd say.

I'd not strip it down, if you're hanging back til the second verse it's going to make a real difference when you do come in.

[solo4652]

Thanks folks.

I've spent a bit of time on it today and come up with something that sort of fits. Sort of. You'll quickly appreciate I have no musical theory at all, so please be gentle...

Sorry - Can't work out how to put spaces between the verse bars to male them easier to read.

[font=courier new,courier,monospace]Verse: We were rolling through the Rockies...
|-------------| |--------------|
|-------------| |-----3--------|
|-3----3----3-| X 3 |------------1-| X 1
|-----3----3--| |-1-----1---3--|[/font]


[font=courier new,courier,monospace]And there was a god in heaven...
|-------------|-3----3------|-------------|---------------|
|-------------|-----3-----1-|-3----3----1-|-3-------------|
|-1----1----1-|-------------|-----3----3--|---------------| X 1
|-----1----1--|-------------|-------------|-----1-1---1-3-|


We were headed straight for Eden
|-------------|-3----3------|-----5-------|-----------|------------|
|-------------|-----3-----1-|------5---3--|-3---------|------------|
|-1----1----1-|-------------|-3---------3-|-----------|---1--------| X 1
|-----1----1--|-------------|-------------|-----------|-1----------|

BRIDGE: I guess something...
|-------------|-3---------7-|---------3-4-|-5----------5-|
|-----------1-|---3------7--|-5----5------|---5----------|
|-1----1---3--|-----5-------|-----5-------|-----3----3---|
|-----1-------|-------------|-------------|--------------| not too sure how bridge finishes off[/font]

Edited October 5, 2016 by solo4652

[ambient]

A mixture of whole notes, half notes with quarter notes and the occasional 8th note fill would work best, pretty much what the bass on the track is doing. It's all about the vocal really on a track like this, staying out of the way, yet he's quiet melodic too, on his EUB.

[solo4652]

Further fussing and simplifying gives this, which I'm fairly happy with:

Verse: We were rolling through the Rockies...
[font=courier new,courier,monospace]|-------------|--------------|-------------|-------------|
|-------------|--------------|-------------|-----------3-|
|-----1-----3-|-----1------3-|-----1-----3-|-------------| X 1
|-1-3-----3---|-1-3------3---|-1-3-----3---|--1-1----1---| [/font]


[font=courier new,courier,monospace]And there was a god in heaven...
|-------------|------------|-------------|--------------|
|-------------|----------3-|--1-3-----3--|-----------3--|
|----1-----1--|---1--------|--------3----|--1-----------| X 1
|--1-----1----|-1------1---|-------------|----1----1----|[/font]

[font=courier new,courier,monospace]We were headed straight for Eden
|-------------|----3--------|---5-3---------|------------|
|-------------|--3-----1-3--|-3-----5-3-----|----------3-|
|----1-----1--|-------------|-----------1-3-|------------| X 1
|--1-----1----|-------------|---------------|---------1--|[/font]


[font=courier new,courier,monospace]BRIDGE: I guess something...
|-------------|-3---------7-|-------------|-5----------5-|----------|
|----------1--|---3------7--|--3--5-----5-|---5----------|----------|
|----1---3----|-----5-------|---------5---|-----3----3---|------1-3-|
|--1----------|-------------|-------------|--------------|----------|[/font]

Edited October 6, 2016 by solo4652

[wateroftyne]

I must be missing something here... why are you writing a line for a song that already has one?

[ambient]

[quote name='wateroftyne' timestamp='1475754501' post='3148460']
I must be missing something here... why are you writing a line for a song that already has one?
[/quote]

That's what I wondered too. The one on the track is nice and a lot simpler than the one above too.

[TKenrick]

That shirt, though...

[solo4652]

[quote name='wateroftyne' timestamp='1475754501' post='3148460']
I must be missing something here... why are you writing a line for a song that already has one?
[/quote]

Well, I'm not trying to write a new bassline - I'm trying to write something down that approximates to the existing line so I have something to refer to during rehearsals. I searched the usual tabsites but couldn't find anything. I generally use existing tabs as a start-point for writing my own since I find that writing down a line forces me to listen to a song which in turn helps me to learn the song much more quickly. I'm not really creative enough to extemporise around a basic chord chart.

And what's wrong with my shirt?

[chris_b]

As Stevie said, mostly 1 root note per bar. Play what this guy plays. He's done all the hard work for you.

If you have to beef it up play the dum-de-dum pattern the bass drum is playing at 2.08.

Serve the song. Think of a bass line then throw 80% of it away. What you're left with will work. This band's playing is perfect for this song.

If your band can't sit back and play as simple as this then I'd suggest it isn't going to work.

[TKenrick]

[quote name='solo4652' timestamp='1475830633' post='3148997']
And what's wrong with my shirt?
[/quote]

I should've included this for clarification. Maybe I'd get better gigs if I copied this guy's wardrobe:

[attachment=229454:Screen Shot 2016-10-07 at 10.24.09.png]


If you happen to have the same shirt then I'd LOVE to know where one buys such a thing.

[solo4652]

"[color=#282828][font=helvetica, arial, sans-serif]If your band can't sit back and play as simple as this then I'd suggest it isn't going to work."[/font][/color]

[color=#282828][font=helvetica, arial, sans-serif]We haven't played it yet. In fact, we've only met once. I'm trying to make sure I'm ready to play the song at Sunday's rehearsal. At this stage, I don't know how it's going to sound. Since I have very little experience of writing lines from scratch, I was seeking feedback on my attempt. "Throw 80% away" is the sort of thing I need to appreciate. So, all good advice - thank you.[/font][/color]

[chris_b]

If you haven't played it yet (the singer might turn up and want to do it in 3/4), I'd start with playing what's on the recording and see where you might go from there when you've played it with the band.

[wateroftyne]

Honestly - just play what's on the record. You don't really need to write anything.

[ambient]

[quote name='solo4652' timestamp='1475751355' post='3148417']
Further fussing and simplifying gives this, which I'm fairly happy with:

Verse: We were rolling through the Rockies...
[font=courier new,courier,monospace]|-------------|--------------|-------------|-------------|
|-------------|--------------|-------------|-----------3-|
|-----1-----3-|-----1------3-|-----1-----3-|-------------| X 1
|-1-3-----3---|-1-3------3---|-1-3-----3---|--1-1----1---| [/font]


[font=courier new,courier,monospace]And there was a god in heaven...
|-------------|------------|-------------|--------------|
|-------------|----------3-|--1-3-----3--|-----------3--|
|----1-----1--|---1--------|--------3----|--1-----------| X 1
|--1-----1----|-1------1---|-------------|----1----1----|[/font]

[font=courier new,courier,monospace]We were headed straight for Eden
|-------------|----3--------|---5-3---------|------------|
|-------------|--3-----1-3--|-3-----5-3-----|----------3-|
|----1-----1--|-------------|-----------1-3-|------------| X 1
|--1-----1----|-------------|---------------|---------1--|[/font]


[font=courier new,courier,monospace]BRIDGE: I guess something...
|-------------|-3---------7-|-------------|-5----------5-|----------|
|----------1--|---3------7--|--3--5-----5-|---5----------|----------|
|----1---3----|-----5-------|---------5---|-----3----3---|------1-3-|
|--1----------|-------------|-------------|--------------|----------|[/font]
[/quote]

As per my previous post, and as others have said. It's mostly whole notes using the root, with the occasional half note/quarter note maybe 8th note fill.