Playing Better Basslines???

[BOOBOO619]

Does anyone here have trouble making basslines? Let me first start off by saying I ain't no genius in music theory or nothing, so I'm doing it all pretty much by ear and have taught myself pretty much just by trail and error. But Basslines seem to be the only thing holding me back. I have trouble getting FUNKY and improvising. Most of my basslines tend to have too much of a sustained sound like a background Pad/String sound and overall just pretty simple and predictable I think. I feel I'm messing something in between to make them a bit more exciting. I also find it a bit hard to play those fast funky parts on the keyboard, another reason why I have trouble I think.

One example of a song that's fairly new is the "DPG - Cali Iz Active" track, the bassline is more of what I'm talking about. I like how it changes a bit throughout the track with funky elements. That's also a synth-bass sound in that track, something that I prefer to use also since it's hard to come by good samples of an electric bass.

 

[Mr. Samos]

When I started I had trouble with bass lines, a lot of it had to do with my lack of a library of sounds to use though, a few solid VST's that have solid Bass sounds is a GOOD start. Check out Spectrasonics Bass Trilogy.

To be in the right note just follow the root of the main melody in your beat, it's very simple, play the bass in that same area but obviously a few more octaves lower until it sounds right, keep doing it by ear, if something you play is out of tune you will know, so make a mental note and don't play that key, learn to trust your ear it's the most important instrument you have.

So with being on key aside, which should be common sense anyways, when do you sequence your bass? Do you do drums first, then lay the bass? I always do my bass line last.

What I do is I get a sound I like, play until I find a nice melody I like, lay it down, then I pick my basic drum skeleton and lay that down, add another sound, an accent sound to bring out the main melody, tighten up my drums, then I lay my bass line. By this time, I'm warm with my composition, comfortable with it, I tend to play better lines at this time, so I pick out a sound that goes well, I normally use sub bass sounds, sine/saw real smooth type soft synth bass sounds, so I get in key, and then I start playing to the beat. The trick is to keep it SIMPLE. Think of something simple, like a one two hit on the main kicks to give the beat a bounce, from there you can think of other ways to make the bass flow. You'll need to practice, find the magic spots that sound real good with the rest of the beat, and think up another melody with those magic notes and play them until you got a nice smooth melody that compliments the drums, and the other parts of your composition. KEEP IT SIMPLE. Practice, and your bass lines will get better with time.

 

[Mr. Samos]

If you want that raw feeling, you can't go wrong with the real thing either, connect a bass guitar to your interface and bang one out that way. Then you can keep it REAL simple and it'll still sound raw, good for East Coast style production.

 

[BOOBOO619]

Thanks for the tips man. I guess I just got to keep it simple like you said, then just flow from there. That's pretty much what I do, but l guess I gotta just keep on practicing.

Yea, I usually like to start off with drums first or chords. I usually do the bassline last as well that way I can get in key to the main melody.

So I guess it could also do with either using so-so sounds or also trying to play fast parts on the keyboard. I just can't play that fast sometimes/get it to sound right on beat and I end up having to paint those smaller sustained notes in the piano roll then with the mouse, which I hate to do. I only like to manually paint in the pianoroll for touch ups when I edit. Good thing FL Studio has a nice piano roll atleast.

I think my synth bass sounds are OK though since I'm using VSTs for that, such as MinimoogV/Minimonsta/V-Station/ABL/Bass-Station and others. I ain't using sampled synth-bass sounds. So I'm getting the full sustained sound if I need it and Glide. So I don't think that's quite the problem.

Maybe what I should do is play the basslines either at higher octaves so I can hear the notes better when I do faster shit and or use a more defined sound such as a lead and then transpose the midi to lower octaves after.

I won't be able to do that real bass shit, I can't play and don't even have one. I'm definitely lacking a good library for electric bass sounds though. I still probably wouldn't use them that much though, I prefer to use a lot more synth bass, more of that lower sub sound.

 

[Mr. Samos]

Get that quantization going and you shouldn't have too much work to do in the Piano Roll other than tweaking velocity and making everything look clean. Most people set quantize on auto, so do that if you can, should help. I normally set my lengths to 1/32 or 1/64 so If I need to edit I can position my notes more effectively. If a bass line is too complex, it becomes less potent, less important, doesn't hit as hard as something would if it were more simple but still catchy. You only need a few notes to make a solid bass line, it's all about how you arrange those notes to compliment the composition. Practice, you'll get better at it. Check the Spectrasonics Bass Trilogy though, for real, it's a monster.

 

[INCHEZ]

I got that same problem.....
For me, the baseline is by far the most difficult...

What is the Spectrasonics Bass Trilogy? (VST, Software, Hardware...etc)

Slowly but surely, I'm improving with my baselines,,,,
But when it come to the Slap Bass, Finger Bass, Pick Bass,
(tryin to get a DJ Quik ish type feel)
I'm still lost.....Any pointers?



Great thread by the way....BOOBOO619

 

[Sick Wid It]

You should try learning to play your favorite basslines so you see how they're constructed but other than that, practice, practice, practice.

I agree with Samos about keeping it simple but not about quantizing the bassline. That's something I usually don't do (regardless of the sound I'm using) since I prefer that live feel. I grew up watching real bands play real instruments and to me you just can't beat that by programming.

Also, make subtle changes throughout your song. You'd be surprised how much better it'll sound with them.

 

[WHITE DEVIL]

I've played bass for 8 years, so no.

lol

 

[BOOBOO619]

Thanks fellas, I guess simple is better most often than not in this case.


How about what INCHEZ said, that's tough to master as well IMO. I find it hard to emulate a real bass style of playing with software and keyboard playing. How is trilogy when it comes to Electric bass?

 

[J-FUNKTION]

Ask my homies and theyll tell you Im constantly complaining about my basslines. If I start off with the bass its not thaaat bad. But trying to lay one down after my other elements have been done is a big problem for me.

 

[CcytzO_Loc]

aye samos you tryin to trade that trilogy for the spectrosonics atmosphere???? ill throw in the refx nexus and all the expansion paccs i have for it too im tryin to get on that trilogy.....let me know......

 

[Sick Wid It]

The best thing you can do is study how different types of basslines are played. You can play keys and make it sound like a real live bass but you'll need the right sound. I've done it plenty of times when I haven't had a bass guitar available. I'll say this though, it sure helps if you're a real bass player.

 

[CcytzO_Loc]

I think my synth bass sounds are OK though since I'm using VSTs for that, such as MinimoogV/Minimonsta/V-Station/ABL/Bass-Station and others. I ain't using sampled synth-bass sounds. So I'm getting the full sustained sound if I need it and Glide. So I don't think that's quite the problem.

i dunno why you get the idea that you cant control the sustain and glide on sample based vst's....you obviously aint used one yet and are speaking from unexperiance....the bass on the atmosphere and nexus plugins sound great and can be manipulated but you seem to think they arent as good as say the v station just cuz they are sample based and the v station is "real synthesis" (if there is such a thing with a vst)....ive used all them plugins especially v station and bass station for a long time and tweaked the fucc out of em and they never sounded as good as the sample based ones im using now.....but you can keep on assuming till your ready to step your vst game up......

im trying to get on that trilogy cuz it was made strictly for bass so if the atmosphere basses sound this good i cant wait to get my hands on trilogy......

 

[HERESY]

And to add on to what Sick Wid It said, learn how different types of bass are played. I don't mean the genre's or style of music, but the difference between playing an upright as opposed to a 4 string or plucking and picking as opposed to thumping.

If you are working with workstations or multisamples (like the motif for example) it will be easier to emulate these techniques because of the way the sounds vary at different velocities.

 

[INCHEZ]

good shit... thanks for the feed back ya'll

 

[BOOBOO619]

i dunno why you get the idea that you cant control the sustain and glide on sample based vst's....you obviously aint used one yet and are speaking from unexperiance....the bass on the atmosphere and nexus plugins sound great and can be manipulated but you seem to think they arent as good as say the v station just cuz they are sample based and the v station is "real synthesis" (if there is such a thing with a vst)....ive used all them plugins especially v station and bass station for a long time and tweaked the fucc out of em and they never sounded as good as the sample based ones im using now.....but you can keep on assuming till your ready to step your vst game up......

im trying to get on that trilogy cuz it was made strictly for bass so if the atmosphere basses sound this good i cant wait to get my hands on trilogy......

I know Atmosphere and Trilogy can be manipulated where you can adjust the sustain, glide and what not. I was reffering more to single-shot samples of Bass sounds. There's a lot of single shot bass samples of real electric bass, but I ain't care for those really. That's what I'm talking about. And that shit about Atmosphere, I was refering to the usual "synth" sounds such as leads, pads and such, not bass sounds. That was another discussion from another thread, not this one. I ain't have no problems using VSTs for those synth sounds mentioned. The problem comes with trying to emulate a real electric bass sound, and in that case, your gonna need something sampled based such as Trilogy. I never spoke against Trilogy. I just spoke against the need for Atmosphere because I feel sounds such as Leads, Pads, FX noises,... can easily be made with various VSTs. It's good basses that are harder to come by IMO and in that case, Trilogy is definitely dope from what I'm hearing.

BTW, why do you keep mentioning V-Station as if I praising it? I just used it as an example in that other thread. I could have said Arturia Minimoog if I wanted.

 

[BOOBOO619]

aye samos you tryin to trade that trilogy for the spectrosonics atmosphere???? ill throw in the refx nexus and all the expansion paccs i have for it too im tryin to get on that trilogy.....let me know......

You download them or buy them?

I've seen Trilogy for download, but it's HUGE.

 

[CcytzO_Loc]

i got em on cd or dvd and deliver in mail for trade or sale......

 

[WHITE DEVIL]

I say get a real bass for cheap...easy ass instrument to play and it will help your songwriting alot.

 

[BOOBOO619]

Ask my homies and theyll tell you Im constantly complaining about my basslines. If I start off with the bass its not thaaat bad. But trying to lay one down after my other elements have been done is a big problem for me.

I see what your saying. I'm actually think it's probably best to start off with the bassline if your doing Funky shit like G-Funk/BayArea Mobb Funk especially. Then just throw in the kick and sync it up with the same melody of the bassline hits.