Bass Lines, Any help advice? Options

[angryman]

I have been making music for a while now and I have started to dapple in drum and bass producing (things like Omni Trio, LTJ Bukem, London Elektricity etc)

I don't have any problems where the drums are concerned (I started in music 10 years ago playing drums) but my bass lines really could do with some work... they tend to be a little "samey" and I need to figure out how to introduce some variation in to my tunes and as you guys have been so helpful in the past I was wondering if anyone would like to share their hints, tips or tricks to help me along with the bass lines?

cheers!

[dixiechicken]

Again a very personal subject with a thousand variations, at least.

You have at a bare minimum three basic approaches.

1: Lets drums and bass follow each other closely.
2: Let drums and bass have very free independant roles. ( more jazz oriented )
3: Let drums and bass play very tightly interlocking parts.

Listen to the album "Drop it In the Slot" by Tower of Power from the late 70:ies early 80:ies something
for an outstanding example of number three.
( David Garibaldi & Francis Rooco Prestia really know how to lay down a funky groove )

Of course no approach is usually pure examples of either way to do it, Try to listen to different kinds of music
and listen to work of the drummers & bassplayers extra carefully, to get ideas for your own work.
Analyze your own bass-playing - what is it you do - can you do anything different?

Cheers & good luck: Dixiechiken

[chappy]

Listen to James Jamerson and Carol Kaye and all the other guys who came up with basslines for all the Motown stuff. There's an endless supply.
best,
chap

[sheik yerbouti]

One thing I do sometimes is, if I think of a melody that I like and I'd normally try it as a vocal or lead instrument line, I will instead have the bass play it, and then write additional parts on top. Of course, this approach doesn't suit every song, but it's a nice variation and I tend to like a melodic approach from the bass when it's suitable.

[B3 Basher]

Simple but effective way of emulating Dixie Chickens tip 1). (The tightest Drummer/Bass Duo possible)
Copy and Paste the Kick drum to another track with a Bass synth/sample. Move the midi notes in pitch but keep their timing the same. This works particularly well for R n B/ Urban and Funk.

[citypigeon]

bass can be very hard to mix with if you're trying to get an interesting sound from it......

forgetting the actually tune/rhythm of the bass line fr a second, i always use two different instruments for the bass (playing the same line i mean)- first part needs to be a simple low sound panned dead center to take care of the low end feel of the sound, the next part you can play more freely with - just make sure there's not much low end in it though (high pass filter at around 150 to 500hz should do it). Use the second part to provide the character of the sound which you can then play around with it freely and not upset balance of the mix.

personally i like the tightly interlocking way of programming drum and bass (london elektricity, ram trilogy etc. way of doing things)

[chappy]

that's a similar approach to the old fashioned tic tac bass.
If it's organic music, I double the bass with a baritone guitar and hi pass the bari in the mix.

peace,
chap

[willismatt]

I can sympathise with your issues when playing bass.
At least by identifying that your lines are a little samey, you realise that there is a wider scope out there. Progression is fantastic.

I always look to the blues when in doubt. Not saying you should rip out a busting blues fill, just rely on the fact that the 'blues' invokes a feeling/reaction in majority of listeners. Am I assuming too much?? I don't think so.

A bass slide here and there does wonders....in the right spot.
Silence is golden....look to add space to a line....
If playing a two bar pattern, think of the first bar as the question, the second bar the answer.
I also dig players who 'lay back' a bit on beat 3 + 4. Someone Pino Paladino (D'angelo, Paul Young etc) does this and it is great.

Keep it low and and keep it mean.

willismatt