Bass line: Tips & Tricks?

Simple can be the best sometimes. Sometimes one note repeated with the right timing, gates, and velocities can work. Sometimes it two three notes in the right sequence. When i have bass trouble i usally just leave that track alone for a few hours or maybe some days. When i come back and hear the track fresh in my head i can usually put something tight to it. Some tracks really only need that PHAT ass sub in em though. Rawassbustaspeakertypeshit.
 
the most conventional way is to bring it in as a supporter for the melody--that's for those who usually come up with the melody first ( same scale different octave with holes here and there) ... i wish that made sense

maybe someone can explain to me what i'm trying tried convey above

but a lot (whole lot) of beats out there have the bass as the main instrument so for that you can just convert your melody(whistles) into a bass line and add tracks for Accompaniment


and finally personally when i don't have a bass line for a track i just let it play continuously til i hear it in my head

Easy
 
iagree with the bottom of L'espion's post.I just let the track ride over and over til I "hear" the bassline pattern in my head.It sounds strange but just a solo drumtrack looped over and over will somehow tell you what to do next.Hope this helps a little.


............one.......
 
I agree with Pedro. I'll loop the bad boy, crank it..and walk away...the right line will also 'find' it's way to me. Whatever you do. DON'T FORCE it. I don't know if anyone else notices...but even in a decent song, you can HEAR when someone just kind of slammed bass in there, or any other part for that matter. And are left thinking...man, that would've sounded a whole hellofalot better if they woulda done.....

Good luck.
 
Mshea's right, don't force it. I'm one of those guys who already have the intire idea in their head usually, but if I don't I let the beat play over and over.

If you use a sample, usually the bassline is already there, you just have to listen to the sample,(listen in between the lines) You can hear things inside the sample to accentuate. (did I spell that right?)

Try to find the key that is closest to the key of the sample, then play it about an octave down. Sometimes it helps to listen to the empty spaces in the beat, the bassline can fit in those spaces sometimes.

I also leave it alone sometimes.

Guys gave alot of good advice here, hope it helps.
 
here's what you do

This is a bit of a spinof I have on the ideas the others mentioned. This works for more than just coming up with basslines. I created complete remixes and new tracks all together this way. Try cranking up what you have to a point where you can barely hear the thump of the kick drum pushing throuhg the walls. Then, close off all doors/windows/holes/etc to your "sound room" or studio and simply walk away for awhile. Make sure you give yourslef enough time to forget what the drums actually sound like. Go make a sandwhich, chand your fuel injection or have sex or something. I prefer the last choice (well, as long as my fule injection is working right and I'm not hungry). Ok, once the track is out of your mind make a move back towards the room where the music is playing. For the most part, when I hear the kick pattern going off in a near room, the acoustics of the building/room/house change the beat just enough to trick my brain into thinking I hear some kind of groove or melody. If you experience this same phenomenon (and you WILL after some good sex or a great sandwhich) remeber what you hear. At that point, take that mental audio "picture" of what you hear in your head, run into the studio and drop that bassline onto that track. It may sound crazy but I use this when I get "blocked" after recording for a few hours straight sometimes. You have to give the mind some time to reset or refresh to think up new ideas.

Also, sometime I simply have someone come in to the studio pick any 3 notes on a keyboard and I start playing whatever my fingers choose, while using only the 3 notes previously picked. Someitmes you come out wiht garbage, sometimes you get a platinum hit. Here's a tip: sell the garbage to someone who can't make beats and keep the hits for yourself. No bullshit. Oh, by the way, I have a ton of new beats for sale for any of you who can't make beats (I'm just kiddin').

(\/)oni jOhnsOn
moni@cix7.com
Cix7 Records
http://www.cix7.com
 
Re: here's what you do

cix7records said:
Here's a tip: sell the garbage to someone who can't make beats and keep the hits for yourself. No bullshit.

Learned that the hard way, gave the best beat I ever made to someone who was nowhere near as nice on the mic as me........... been kickin myself ever since.......well, until I made another,"the best beat I ever made":D

Hey Beathoven, if you try out his suggestion, let us know how it works out:D
 
Take an old record with an ill bassline (mp3, cd.. I prefer record)....

Lo pass filter it until only the bassline remains. Eq it, and boom you got a bassline. I don't do this with my synth beats, but when messing with samples it's very helpful.
 
sometimes ill do like 5 or 6 bass lines and save them all....then test them all out the next day and you ll have some kind of feel that you were trying to get....then come up with a composite one that combines the best elements....or maybe it will be completely different....i like to have options and then choose...
\

47ronin
 
i make a seriously overcomplicated bass melody that overpowers everything in its sight and then slowly, painfully, i start simplifying it until i've got something that fits the beat of the song.

unless its reggae in which case i'm allowed to do the above because the bass carries the melody in reggae/dub.

and although you can't do it on every song, i love to change the bass line during the verses because it makes the chorus so much more powerful when it comes back in.
 
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