kerplunk182
New member
I found this on Youtube last night. Check it out, it might help.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6sLPR8lGOw8
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6sLPR8lGOw8
How to 'write' a bass solo?
- Thread starter Hickey_
- Start date
Cheez
Moderator
Hmm. How did I miss this thread?
As I write quite a bit of bass parts (not for me to play per se, but for other bassists - part of a piece), this thread is really interesting. Often times, we leave it to the bassist to improvise. But if we really want to write a bass line, how does it work?
Let's try this.
Key G major. 4/4 time. Time: 100bpm.
Very simple chord progression of 2 bars (repeating again and again):
G9 - - - |C maj7 - - -|
Can you bassists come up with how you would improvise or play this bass line? Let's start!
As I write quite a bit of bass parts (not for me to play per se, but for other bassists - part of a piece), this thread is really interesting. Often times, we leave it to the bassist to improvise. But if we really want to write a bass line, how does it work?
Let's try this.
Key G major. 4/4 time. Time: 100bpm.
Very simple chord progression of 2 bars (repeating again and again):
G9 - - - |C maj7 - - -|
Can you bassists come up with how you would improvise or play this bass line? Let's start!
Maybe Cheez can share a bit from a non bassist view. I think it is good to share and discuss and learn. play by ear + theory can help alot. Both important la.
Some basics..
Knowing the differing musical modes will aid a great deal too.
There are basically 7 different modes. The order going like this : Ionian, Dorian, Phrygian, Lydian, Mixolydian, Aeolian and Locrian. Ionian is actually your major scale and Aeolian is your minor scale.
So say if i want to construct a bass solo in the key of C ( for simplicity's sake). The Key of C has the notes C, D, E, F, G, A, B. I can obviously stay in the region of the C maj scale, but I can also utilise the other modal scales. I could use D Dorian, E Phrygian, F Lydian, G Mixolydian...and so on so forth. Get the pattern? If you played all the scales i mentioned above, you would also notice that all these scales contain the notes of the C major scale...as they essentially are the 'same' scales but starting from different notes of the C major scale.
Another example.. For a solo in the key of G. The G maj scale contains the notes G,A,B,C,D,E,F#. Simillarly, one could use G Ionina, A Dorian, B Phrygian..so on so forth.
You can find the shapes online OR you could try to figure them out yourself..coming up with your own shapes. The latter approach would be more beneficial as you utilise your brain more! You'll start to notice many different patterns connecting scales.
This is just one among the many theories there are, that are related to music. Chord construction being another important tool..
Chord Construction Crash Course
A normal maj chord is made up of three notes...1 , 3 and 5. First, third and Fifth. The C major chord is derived from the C major scale.. C,D,E,F,G,A,B, so if you LITERALLY take the 1st, third and fifth. You'll get C, E, and G, Which are the notes that make up the C major scale. A minor chord on the other hand is made up of three notes..the difference being the third is flattened.. so you have 1, b3, 5. If you were apply this formula to the C maj scale...you would end up with C, Eb and G. Which is your Cm chord.
You can apply this to almost any other chords.. Knowing this would let you understand the rudimentary knowledge of chord construction. Henceforth, allowing you to understand other types of chord construction..which are extremely similar in nature.
This sort of theory is universal, e.g. can be applied to any other musical instruments. Know this and you would be one tiny step closer to being a bass virtuoso
Knowing the differing musical modes will aid a great deal too.
There are basically 7 different modes. The order going like this : Ionian, Dorian, Phrygian, Lydian, Mixolydian, Aeolian and Locrian. Ionian is actually your major scale and Aeolian is your minor scale.
So say if i want to construct a bass solo in the key of C ( for simplicity's sake). The Key of C has the notes C, D, E, F, G, A, B. I can obviously stay in the region of the C maj scale, but I can also utilise the other modal scales. I could use D Dorian, E Phrygian, F Lydian, G Mixolydian...and so on so forth. Get the pattern? If you played all the scales i mentioned above, you would also notice that all these scales contain the notes of the C major scale...as they essentially are the 'same' scales but starting from different notes of the C major scale.
Another example.. For a solo in the key of G. The G maj scale contains the notes G,A,B,C,D,E,F#. Simillarly, one could use G Ionina, A Dorian, B Phrygian..so on so forth.
You can find the shapes online OR you could try to figure them out yourself..coming up with your own shapes. The latter approach would be more beneficial as you utilise your brain more! You'll start to notice many different patterns connecting scales.
This is just one among the many theories there are, that are related to music. Chord construction being another important tool..
Chord Construction Crash Course
A normal maj chord is made up of three notes...1 , 3 and 5. First, third and Fifth. The C major chord is derived from the C major scale.. C,D,E,F,G,A,B, so if you LITERALLY take the 1st, third and fifth. You'll get C, E, and G, Which are the notes that make up the C major scale. A minor chord on the other hand is made up of three notes..the difference being the third is flattened.. so you have 1, b3, 5. If you were apply this formula to the C maj scale...you would end up with C, Eb and G. Which is your Cm chord.
You can apply this to almost any other chords.. Knowing this would let you understand the rudimentary knowledge of chord construction. Henceforth, allowing you to understand other types of chord construction..which are extremely similar in nature.
This sort of theory is universal, e.g. can be applied to any other musical instruments. Know this and you would be one tiny step closer to being a bass virtuoso
Cheez
Moderator
No lah! I'm trying to learn from bassists on this thread! My struggle is writing a bass line from a bassist's perspective. I would really like to see what goes on inside a bassist's head when he improvises on a chord. Hope you bassists can show by trying to do something with the 2 chord progressions. 
futures
New member
Being able to utilise modes will not become possible until you're aware of how they work. It is not simply about starting on a different note in the same scale. Yes, that's how you build them. But a better way to really hear the differences is to compare different modes starting from the same root note.
Eg. C Ionian, C, Dorian, C Phrygian, C Lydian, C Mixolydian, C Aeolian, C Locrian.
Note the different intervallic relationships that basically 'characterise' each mode. If not you're just gonna be free styling through Cmaj and wondering why it doesn't sound the least bit Phrygian, or Lydian etc.
My 4 cents!
Eg. C Ionian, C, Dorian, C Phrygian, C Lydian, C Mixolydian, C Aeolian, C Locrian.
Note the different intervallic relationships that basically 'characterise' each mode. If not you're just gonna be free styling through Cmaj and wondering why it doesn't sound the least bit Phrygian, or Lydian etc.
My 4 cents!
