basslines

emotionz22 · Post by **emotionz22** » Thu Mar 17, 2011 10:23 am

This may sound dum to experienced producers but I can't do a bassline for my life lol...and I'm not asking how to do a bassline cuz I know I have to figure it out myself...I was just wondering if y'all could help me out in understanding how a bassline works...I'm into mostly R&B for now but I plan to be versatile the more I progress...anyways it would be greatly appreciated if y'all can post links or just give advice because this is truly holding me back from finishing tracks smh

Rabalder · Post by **Rabalder** » Thu Mar 17, 2011 11:09 am

Youtube is your friend!

AceLuby · Post by **AceLuby** » Thu Mar 17, 2011 1:22 pm

Take a song you like and steal the bass line and start your track from there. Do this a few times and you'll figure out how to create some cool bass lines of your own.

andydes · Post by **andydes** » Thu Mar 17, 2011 1:32 pm

If you have similar trouble with basslines as I did (or still do), you'll find you often need a lot fewer notes than you think you do.

Try thinking of the bass and kick as almost the same instrument working together. (This may be genre dependant, I've never tried doing R&B).

oddpop · Post by **oddpop** » Thu Mar 17, 2011 2:49 pm

basslines?
um seriously just learn some from existing songs. learn to play them on keyboards then you might start to understand. - or buy a bass guitar and rock out on it.

UncleAge · Post by **UncleAge** » Thu Mar 17, 2011 6:16 pm

emotionz22 wrote:I was just wondering if y'all could help me out in understanding how a bassline works...I'm into mostly R&B

Unfortunately, like most things, you won't get until you actually get it.

In the meantime maybe you can help yourself. Now I know this isn't the only way to do it but I suggest this because I think you may have some trouble connecting the dots when it comes to rhythm and harmony. And this is where most basslines live in R&B (and most other styles of western music). In this instance Google can be your friend.

Do a search for midi files of a few, maybe 10 or so, songs that you really like but can't figure out the bassline. Bring them into Live and really study what is happening at each and every point in the song. Don't try and swallow the rhinoceros sideways, do it in small chunks. Isolate the bassline for a few bars and look at it's roll compared to whatever melody or harmony is being played. Now that midi file is not going to sound exactly like the song it's related to. However, you will usually find that it's close in it's harmonies. And by looking at what that bass is doing in comparison to everything else you might start getting some ideas of your own.

I know it may sound simplistic, and maybe it is. But I've been playing one instrument or another for about 30 years and I still find myself trying to dissect something I heard another musician do that blew me away. I never stopped learning and this is one of the tools I have used to help me piece things together. As always, ymmv...

agent314 · Post by **agent314** » Thu Mar 17, 2011 6:27 pm

If you have similar trouble with basslines as I did (or still do), you'll find you often need a lot fewer notes than you think you do.

Quoted for truth.

The bass is the foundation for the rhythm and feel of the tune - if it's all over the place, the track won't seem cohesive (unless everything is all over the place, like fast jazz).

kb420 · Post by **kb420** » Thu Mar 17, 2011 6:59 pm

This is what I call good R&B basslines:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hIdgL85mYz8&feature=fvst

He starts off simple, and then goes nuts from time to time. Good stuff.

Here is another:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mc7wRMDm ... re=related

I love how much he uses the pitch bend.

UncleAge · Post by **UncleAge** » Thu Mar 17, 2011 7:45 pm

kb420, I'll throw another log on the fire...
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FQLkpXac ... re=related

Simple and effective.

RajahP · Post by **RajahP** » Thu Mar 17, 2011 7:55 pm

emotionz22 wrote:This may sound dum to experienced producers but I can't do a bassline for my life lol...and I'm not asking how to do a bassline cuz I know I have to figure it out myself...I was just wondering if y'all could help me out in understanding how a bassline works...I'm into mostly R&B for now but I plan to be versatile the more I progress...anyways it would be greatly appreciated if y'all can post links or just give advice because this is truly holding me back from finishing tracks smh

Give the demo a try..

http://www.sugar-bytes.de/content/produ ... hp?lang=en

kb420 · Post by **kb420** » Thu Mar 17, 2011 9:31 pm

UncleAge wrote:kb420, I'll throw another log on the fire...
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FQLkpXac ... re=related

Simple and effective.

Nice vid!!!!

emotionz22 · Post by **emotionz22** » Thu Mar 17, 2011 10:31 pm

scutheotaku wrote:First learn the minor penatonic scale.

Why is that

emotionz22 · Post by **emotionz22** » Thu Mar 17, 2011 11:57 pm

RajahP wrote:
emotionz22 wrote:This may sound dum to experienced producers but I can't do a bassline for my life lol...and I'm not asking how to do a bassline cuz I know I have to figure it out myself...I was just wondering if y'all could help me out in understanding how a bassline works...I'm into mostly R&B for now but I plan to be versatile the more I progress...anyways it would be greatly appreciated if y'all can post links or just give advice because this is truly holding me back from finishing tracks smh

Give the demo a try..

http://www.sugar-bytes.de/content/produ ... hp?lang=en

What exactly is this

emotionz22 · Post by **emotionz22** » Fri Mar 18, 2011 12:39 am

scutheotaku wrote:
emotionz22 wrote:
scutheotaku wrote:First learn the minor penatonic scale.
Why is that
Well, it's not a rule - but it's probably THE most common scale learned by bassists and guitarists, and it will almost instantly give you the sound, melodically at least, that you're looking for. Just playing a few notes from the minor penatonic will give you the sound of Rock and Funk. Add a couple of "blue" notes and you have Blues, and even a little Jazz.

Wait I'm a little confused...I thought u play root notes of the chord and chop it up within the key ur playin in ...I didn't know you can use a different scale

McQ714 · Post by **McQ714** » Fri Mar 18, 2011 1:15 am

maybe not great for hip hop but definitely one of the best basslines i've ever heard.

http://hypem.com/#!/item/zwzr/Delphic+- ... more+Remix+

btw... can't hear it on laptop speakers i don't think.

basslines

basslines

Re: basslines

Re: basslines

Re: basslines

Re: basslines

Re: basslines

Re: basslines

Re: basslines

Re: basslines

Re: basslines

Re: basslines

Re: basslines

Re: basslines

Re: basslines

Re: basslines