Bass for non bass players

[jeremyb]

Hey bass guys, if I've got a chord progression in a certain key the obvious thing to me as a guitar player would be to play the root notes on the bass, but I expect I should do something better eh?

[foal30]

no one can play jazz well on a Steinberger
you were doomed to fail

'something better' well that is subjective
'in a certain key' that can be too

can you think of a reason why you like a bassline?
example A - repetition. play the same hook for each chord. If you can't 'get' the notes play the same rhythm

example B - space. anticipate a chord change then play nothing

if you can think of something to say as opposed to applying functionality then often people will say
"what a great bass line!" or "that guys overplays!"

[KentNZ]

Rootnotes are the best place to start. It's where I always start, and often where I stay, apart from when I want some emphasis or variety.

Thoughts I apply to it:

1. Do I need to play more than the root notes? (OK, as bassplayer, often I want to do more, but does the song need it?!)
2. Can I add emphasis by changing the timing slightly with that note in the 4th bar... or just dropping a note in an '8ths' pedalling bassline...
3. Can I play the same bass note under a number of chords? or...
4. If the chord stays the same, can I ascend/descend to make it all sound cool (as mentioned above...)

Some of the best bass moments I've ever had was sticking strictly to the root notes for 98% of a song, but in one line at the end of one chorus, I go up/down to the third (or whatever it is... ie, A chord, playing the C#, D, playing the F#) or add a nice ascending line when the chords are descending... and bam, singer turns around and looks at me with a grin because what I just did lifted the whole song about 10%. Nice.

Bass is generally more abour discipline than chops. More about 'oomph' and rhythm than it is about notes. But then, I sit more in the 'song' camp - and more the white-boy 8th note mid tempo rock camp. No Jaco's here... (LOVE listening to that stuff... but it's not where I live).

[Pakehendrix]

As a rock/punk/metal focussed player, I have no idea what these guys are talking about

However, my 'method' is to just play the root notes to get the "feel" and then add in some syncopation. After that, if the song needs it, I add in stuff like 5ths or 7ths.

I tend to find that the most interesting basslines mix simple rhythmic changes with simple note variations.

[jimi]

Getting the timing and getting the gr00ve right is more important than note choice.

Start by playing root notes, and getting the timing right, then build on it from there. Start by adding some passing notes to lead into the next chord.

As mentioned above, playing the root on the 1st beat is safe, and from there you can add notes from within the chord or even the scale, but be sure you know whether its a major or minor chord before you add the 3rd (you can add the 5th and 7th pretty much any time). Hammer Ons from 7th to root are a good tool too.

But I'm gonna say it again - a good bass line is about timing, not complexity.

[jeremyb]

Good stuff guys, cheers muchly!!

[Kristie]

I like bass players who keep it simple and lock in with the drummer. For the kind of stuff I play (two chord pop songs APPARENTLY) the root note and a few passing notes between chord changes are plenty.

[thehenderson]

Listen to the basslines in the genres you like and do what they do

[thehenderson]

I always assume people mean a dominant 7th when they don't specify

[NZRS-Dave]

I find that you can fit I and V into just about any song ... even if it isn't country.

But just echoing what the guys said ... play the root at the start of the bar ... and add flourishes when necessary.

if you get really stuck ... poke your head in the door and I can ruin something for you.

[rob_on_guitar]

Since Ive been getting into a fair bit of bass playing lately, Im finding you can make some pretty awesome counter beats to guitar parts by playing in the right chord as the guitar, but picking the root notes to the bass drum and higher notes in between to distiguish the bassline more. As a guitarist I find it hard to not automatically follow what the guitar is doing, but now I usually record drums then bass first then add guitars after.

[Rog]

Wow, all this talk about what to play.

When I play bass all I want to know is the chord progression and I just fill everything else in automatically. I have neither thought nor regard for relative 7ths, diminished 9ths or demolished 13ths. I just play the bloody bass lines... according to how I feel on the day - 'cos they vary a lot depending on that.

[jimi]

hate to be pedantic there Jimi but 7`s can be lowered or in your case raised

hate to pertuate the general anti-intellectualism we suffer in this country, but I didnt want to start a theory discussion on the appropriate use of 7ths for someone just looking for some pointers on getting started with playing bass lines.

FWIW I use whichever 7th is appropriate for the mode I am playing in.

[Zaulkin]

Learn the guide tones of the chords. Play them.

[NZRS-Dave]

Wow, all this talk about what to play.

When I play bass all I want to know is the chord progression and I just fill everything else in automatically. I have neither thought nor regard for relative 7ths, diminished 9ths or demolished 13ths. I just play the bloody bass lines... according to how I feel on the day - 'cos they vary a lot depending on that.

Oh. You're one of THOSE bass players. You'll ... er ... need to hand in your card at the next meeting.



Jeremyb - something else that might help is playing octaves to fatten the bass part out a bit, or fill in some space. Depending on the drum rhythm you can usually do I I 8 - I I 8 etc. Most people play octaves as I 8 I 8 etc ... btu usually doubling up on one of the notes makes for a clean bass sound and something more fat.