Any tutorials for coming up with good bass lines?

I'm just starting out and can't come up with anything decent just yet, I found some videos by jfilt on using techniques like the pentatonic scale, is there any other scales that are useful or any other online resources?

listen to dub reggae. The old school cats were very creative. At least that is how I learned.

Peace
Ian

Ian Canefire wrote:listen to dub reggae. The old school cats were very creative. At least that is how I learned.

Peace
Ian

I can cosign that!! ... but it depends on the type of music you make, dont want to assume its hiphop, but if it is, then its all about the melody, the vibe and simply complementing the existing sounds you have.

Infact no matter what it is, its the same anyway.

Hum it out in your head or out loud and then break it down and program/play it in. Dont just start banging on the pads/keys and think something gunna pop off everytime. That works sometimes too though. Try taking any scale just pick one: and walk up the the notes of the scale with a bass patch loaded up. Now start skipping a few notes etc. If your samples or other elements start getting in the way, just mute everything but the drums and practice some lines. Just be creative and have fun!

ed wrote:I'm just starting out and can't come up with anything decent just yet, I found some videos by jfilt on using techniques like the pentatonic scale, is there any other scales that are useful or any other online resources?

Well pentatonic is good for blues, but for funk you can go for minor or pentatonic but with leading notes. Its not as funky with out the leading notes

I am consistently unhappy with my basslines so i know where you are coming from.

I have a folder with all major, minor, major pentatonic and minor pentatonic scale programs. It took a while to create the programs but now I just load one and run some sequences controlling any one of my synth modules. I definitely consider it cheating because I programmed them to avoid hitting any wrong notes, but on the other hand I am not a keyboard player and don't want to spend time memorizing scales.

Also what dopedee said about erasing notes out of a pattern has worked for me as well. The basslines I like the best are usually the most minimal. I have also in the past experimented with slowing the tempo down or speeding it up to write a bassline and then I put the sequence back to the bpm i want it at it.

Get a really cheap bass guitar & learn to play. It's mad fun. You'll never be stuck for a bassline again!

nanapashamet wrote:Get a really cheap bass guitar & learn to play. It's mad fun. You'll never be stuck for a bassline again!

SEMS, is so correct. Once you figure out "the box" you will realize how easy it all is.

Peace
Ian