I Want To Break Free!!!!

[AM1]

Help!

All my basslines are starting to sound too similar!

How can I break out of the arpeggiated fill style and become more creative?

[geoffbyrne]

Bowling!!!!


How about listening to Steely Dan?

G.

[waynepunkdude]

[quote name='AM1' post='591028' date='Sep 5 2009, 10:07 PM']Help!

All my basslines are starting to sound too similar!

How can I break out of the arpeggiated fill style and become more creative?[/quote]


I know what you mean, I do the same fill everytime

[AM1]

[quote name='geoffbyrne' post='591032' date='Sep 5 2009, 10:14 PM']Bowling!!!!


How about listening to Steely Dan?

G.[/quote]

Alright Geoff! How's it going!

Will Steely Dan help me to break on out of the bass fill rut I'm in!

[AM1]

[quote name='waynepunkdude' post='591036' date='Sep 5 2009, 10:17 PM']I know what you mean, I do the same fill everytime [/quote]

Ha yeah but in punk you can get away with it, if you play them fast with tons of gain on, no one notices :-)

[GreeneKing]

[quote name='AM1' post='591028' date='Sep 5 2009, 10:07 PM']Help!

All my basslines are starting to sound too similar!

How can I break out of the arpeggiated fill style and become more creative?[/quote]

Inversions or Modes of any help?

I'm getting to a similar place and inversions seem to be a way out at the moment.

Fun isn't it, and sooo much better than free time that's overrated imo

[AM1]

[quote name='GreeneKing' post='591062' date='Sep 5 2009, 10:48 PM']Inversions or Modes of any help?

I'm getting to a similar place and inversions seem to be a way out at the moment.

Fun isn't it, and sooo much better than free time that's overrated imo [/quote]

Free time?! Whassat?!

The only reason I'm on here now is that my fingers feel like they've been sliced by a cheese grater due to going onto heavier strings....ouch!!

Tried modes yeah and inversions...hmm.....still getting back into that arpeggiated trap though i.e. playing inverted triads etc.......I need to think about this some more......

[GreeneKing]

I suppose the use of space, dynamics, timing and ghost notes, hammer ons and pull offs are all things to add to flavour the sauce. There's more variations out there methinks than you could ever use.

Not to mention slapping (I told you not to mention slapping!).

All the best with it, it's a constant learning curve.

[AM1]

[quote name='GreeneKing' post='591073' date='Sep 5 2009, 11:02 PM']I suppose the use of space, dynamics, timing and ghost notes, hammer ons and pull offs are all things to add to flavour the sauce. There's more variations out there methinks than you could ever use.

Not to mention slapping (I told you not to mention slapping!).

All the best with it, it's a constant learning curve.[/quote]

Nooooo....man...vibrato....vibrato's where it's at.

I fear I may be at the overkill stage with it though :-)

[YouMa]

try string skipping moving around the neck more,if you are playing oi/punk type three chord stuff though i would keep it simple and do exactly what you are doing.

[thumperbob 2002]

I do the same thing all the time- think its more important to concentrate on the groove- or should that be RELAX on the groove- think I`m getting there and then watch someone like David dyson on Youtube- a good inspiration but a little disheartening. Pure talent. That guy is so good his mistakes, when I have watched it again seem like the right thing to do!!

Bob

[AM1]

[quote name='YouMa' post='591090' date='Sep 5 2009, 11:21 PM']try string skipping moving around the neck more,if you are playing oi/punk type three chord stuff though i would keep it simple and do exactly what you are doing.[/quote]

Ha.

Guess who doesn't understand the versatility of punk as a genre.

[YouMa]

[quote name='AM1' post='591097' date='Sep 5 2009, 11:38 PM']Ha.

Guess who doesn't understand the versatility of punk as a genre.[/quote]


It depends what you class as punk really would you say you were in a punk band? . In my book there was only one real punk band and malcolm maclaren invented them.I always thought the ethos of "real"punk was pretending you couldnt play very well,and thats why bands who could ie the stranglers had trouble fitting in to start with. Im sorry but i dont find bands like sham 69 and the uk subs very versatile but then i dont think they are supposed to be.

Edited September 5, 2009 by YouMa

[AM1]

[quote name='YouMa' post='591104' date='Sep 5 2009, 11:51 PM']It depends what you class as punk really would you say you were in a punk band? it sounds slightly oi to me. In my book there was only one real punk band and malcolm maclaren invented them.I always thought the ethos of "real"punk was that you couldnt play very well,and thats why bands who could ie the stranglers had trouble fitting in to start with. Im sorry but i dont find bands like sham 69 and the uk subs very versatile.Although i do like some of there stuff.[/quote]

My question was not about cultivating a style for one type of genre or one band in particular.

It was about my basslines as a whole.
The fact that you think one person/band defined an entire genre is quite clearly ludicrous and with that one sweeping statement you have dismissed a considerable piece of music history. Furthermore, bands like Sham 69 and UK Subs represent only a small percentage of the genre. Indeed, the fact that you lack the insight to identify derivatives or sub-genres galvanises my belief that you are commenting from a position not borne of education, but of generalisation.

You need to go off and listen to a wider range of examples and then reconsider your position.

This thread is about development of creative basslines, irrespective of genre so please keep it on topic - if you want to debate punk as a genre, may I suggest you start a new thread. But please do so only after you have educated yourself properly on the genre, or you run the risk of making comments that will again reinforce the view that you have a propensity for narrowminded/uninformed views of musical genres and history.

Edited September 5, 2009 by AM1

[YouMa]

My question was not about cultivating a style for one type of genre or one band in particular.

It was about my basslines as a whole.
The fact that you think one person/band defined an entire genre is quite clearly ludicrous and with that one sweeping statement you have dismissed a considerable piece of music history. Furthermore, bands like Sham 69 and UK Subs represent only a small percentage of the genre. Indeed, the fact that you lack the insight to identify derivatives or sub-genres galvanises my belief that you are commenting from a position not borne of education, but of generalisation.

You need to go off and listen to a wider range of examples and then reconsider your position.

This thread is about development of creative basslines, irrespective of genre so please keep it on topic - if you want to debate punk as a genre, may I suggest you start a new thread. But please do so only after you have educated yourself properly on the genre, or you run the risk of making comments that will again reinforce the view that you have a propensity for narrowminded/uninformed views of musical genres and history.


You started it!

Edited September 5, 2009 by YouMa

[geoffbyrne]

[quote name='AM1' post='591043' date='Sep 5 2009, 10:29 PM']Alright Geoff! How's it going!

Will Steely Dan help me to break on out of the bass fill rut I'm in! [/quote]

I certainly find the bass lines in a lot of Steely Dan's stuff inspiring. You won't know till you try!

G.

[alexclaber]

Try using fewer notes but more rhythmic stuff - mix up short and long notes, rests, syncopations, accents. When you go for a fill think more like a drummer doing a kick/snare/hi-hat syncopation rather than a tom roll.

Alex

[pete.young]

[quote name='AM1' post='591107' date='Sep 6 2009, 12:00 AM']The fact that you think one person/band defined an entire genre is quite clearly ludicrous[/quote]

Especially when it turns out that he got the wrong band.

[AM1]

[quote name='pete.young' post='591619' date='Sep 6 2009, 07:47 PM']Especially when it turns out that he got the wrong band.[/quote]

[AM1]

[quote name='geoffbyrne' post='591494' date='Sep 6 2009, 04:32 PM']I certainly find the bass lines in a lot of Steely Dan's stuff inspiring. You won't know till you try!

G.[/quote]

Yeah you're right! I'll have a listen. Cheers!

[mrcrow]

[quote name='AM1' post='591028' date='Sep 5 2009, 10:07 PM']Help!
All my basslines are starting to sound too similar!
How can I break out of the arpeggiated fill style and become more creative?[/quote]

do your basslines help the rest of the band to keep in a groove and not overlap into the 'solo' arena
R5 is sometimes the rock on which a city can be built
dont fret...or fretless
not letting it be a problem will bring swifter thoughts of new ideas

dont copy...its someone elses brain you are playing

[pete.young]

[quote name='AM1' post='591641' date='Sep 6 2009, 08:13 PM'] [/quote]
For once, I was being 100% serious!

You want inspiration? It's where you find it. It's a very personal thing.

For me, in terms of elevating bass playing above the mundane, Colin Hodgkinson is 100% guaranteed, never mind that he could cheerfully tour for nowt these days on an OAP bus pass. The question is really why no-one has taken up the challenges that he posed 30 uh-oh years ago. Not that I could ever aspire to playing the way he does, but the thought that someone can keeps me going through moments of indecision.

This recently appeared on youtube - I'm tempted to say it's Colin in his prime, but he's still right there. And if there's anyone out there who thinks you can't be a proper bass player if you use a pick, think again.

[url="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NFKxnj5PMvU&feature=related"]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NFKxnj5PMvU...feature=related[/url]

[The Funk]

[quote name='AM1' post='591028' date='Sep 5 2009, 10:07 PM']Help!

All my basslines are starting to sound too similar!

How can I break out of the arpeggiated fill style and become more creative?[/quote]

Instead of the arpeggiated way, you can start dropping some bluesy fills.

[The Funk]

[quote name='AM1' post='591075' date='Sep 5 2009, 11:04 PM']Nooooo....man...vibrato....vibrato's where it's at.

I fear I may be at the overkill stage with it though :-)[/quote]

Never! I use vibrato/bends/slides on almost every note. It just adds a little spice to it. Quarter-tone bends are what it's all about!

[51m0n]

Only allow yourself single note fills for a month, just do rhythmic stuff.

After that its all gravy....