The
Birth of a Bass Line
One
of the things I enjoy doing most as a bass player is creating bass lines
that complement a groove or song. Creating a good bass line requires
us to use our inventiveness and good judgment. Our lines should be influenced
by what we hear combined with where we feel our ëspaceí is in the music.
In other words, it is an interactive process that requires us to be
sensitive to the other players and the parts they are playing.
There are many factors you should consider when composing a bass line.
Here are three of the most basic that you should consider when assembling
your ideas:
1. Activity Level - How busy is the music? Does it come across
as sounding cluttered, or more spacious? What are the roles of the drums
and other rhythm section instruments? Does the song have vocals? If
so, how much space has been left for them?
Most of us at one time or another have picked up on the fact that the
bass and drums have a unique and complementary relationship within most
styles of music. When the two are ëlockedí, it is hard to ignore the
strength of the driving force of the rhythm section. You might assume
that a bass player and drummer performing the exact same rhythm or pattern
would contribute to the strength of the groove. However, this is not
always the case. In fact, you will find most often that when a drummer
and bass player are competing for the same rhythmic space, the individual
strength of each part diminishes, and neither part will stand out as
much as if it was played alone. As I mentioned previously, the drum
and bass parts should be complementary. They should effectively embellish
each other and work together to make the groove even stronger.
2. Dynamics - How loud or soft is the passage? Does the music
have a sense of urgency, or is it more laid back? If the song has lyrics,
does the music accurately reflect the emotion of what is being sung
about? Does your bass tone complement the dynamics of the other instruments?
Is the technique you are using (slap/pop, fingerstyle, etc.) appropriate
for the dynamics of the music? Is the volume of the bass appropriate
for the passage?
Dynamics are often forgotten about in the world of electric instruments.
Sometimes we assume that if weíre playing through an amp, we only control
our volume with the volume knob. Remember that our volume control should
only provide the dynamic threshold for our loudest passages; the rest
is up to our hands! Acoustic players are already well aware of this
fact. Donít be afraid to ease up on the volume by lightening up your
touch with your hands. Be sensitive to the way the dynamics modulate
between louder and softer passages. This applies to all styles of music,
and the greatest players always incorporate good use of dynamics in
their playing.
3. Harmonic Content - What are the chord changes you are playing
over? Is there even a chord change implied? Should you only play roots
of chords, or something more complicated? Do you need your bass line
to sound more melodic? If so, what scales, modes, or arpeggios will
fit the context of the chord changes? Is your bass line compatible with
what is happening harmonically with the other instruments? What is the
responsibility of the bass in the context of the song?
Chords are the building blocks of harmony, so it makes sense that we
should pay attention to them when composing a bass line. Chord changes
pretty much dictate what we should or should not play in most compositional
situations. Those of you who have had some instruction or lessons on
harmonization and scales have probably at one time or another used that
information to help you with a bass line. However, be careful not to
overuse this knowledge. Less experienced players sometimes have a tendency
to force the use of a particular scale or pattern when they encounter
a chord that they know is compatible in the song. The end result is
often a bass line that is too complicated or busy, or ends up sounding
out of place or contrived. In preventing this, the bottom line is to
make sure that you are truly using your ears to determine what
to play, and not your hands. Try to always listen to songs you
are working on objectively, and strive to choose only the notes that
truly have a sensible and meaningful place in the music.
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