I just recorded a quick line but I have a doubt … @JoshFossgreen , when you say “not a cover” are you talking about the bass line ( = we have to play an original bass line and not an existing one ; that’s what I understood) or not an existing song ? in this last case, my record won’t work because I added my own bass line to a Doc Watson song, which had no bass.
(there is no claim on my video on Youtube)
please let me know if you will use this little video ; if not, and even if that’s not what I planed, it would go directly to the cover thread !
No matter what you do with that bass you should keep that bridge plate, it’s just so giant and funky. Super unique, never seen a bass like that. Very cool.
yeah @howard , right now I think I could just put flatwounds on it and modify a bit the electronics (replace the two volume pots by a master volume and a switch). it’s a funny little instrument but probably not one that I will use on a very regular basis. so, it would be more fun to keep it really different from my other basses.
but, back to the topic a feedback about original bass lines is too precious, we can talk about the Jet King elsewhere !
Here is the first, and only, baseline I have ever wrote. I’ve been tinkering with this drum groove for a while and decided to put a baseline to it. It’s just the verse, I have no idea where to go in the chorus.
It is a nice bassline and nicely played. My critique would be that I’m waiting for the song to start. It feels like an intro to me or maybe lounge music that you mostly passively listen to. Do you plan on further adding onto that? Something that fills the higher side of the spectrum is just missing to me.
@juli0r yes, it definitely needs more! I just started bass 3 months ago and it’s the only instrument I know how to play, other than the drums. Maybe a Hammond would be nice?
That’s great @terb! Yeah, I meant an original bass line, but adding your own to an existing song is great. (edited OP to clarify)
Thanks @TK-421, sounds good! It’s easier to critique a bass line in a fuller context, with some guitar/keys/vox/something, in terms of how it’s functioning, but I might be able to come up with some useful bits even with this barebones track. Thanks!
I just played it, and what about if you did two rounds of the D and E, and then go up to F and G and do the same? I just tried it and while I’ve had a few beers, it sounded ok
@JoshFossgreen: here is something that might work for your purpose… it’s a bass line I put together for a tune written by someone else (credit: Stig Johansen). It is only the final section of the song shown here, which - all things considered - is still a work in progress. I picked a part of the song where the bass line is very “obvious”, but because not much else is going on here (yet), my bass line is more of a melody/bass line (this seems to be my thing!?). As it is not a more “typical” bass line, it might not fit your bill…
Still, I certainly appreciate any feedback you might have on improvements - timing is always a bit of a challenge (I was playing on top of a previous recording, and there was no click), but perhaps also choice of notes, construction, …
Let me know if you’d rather have a different portion of the song, where there is a lead guitar voice also!
Thanks @joergkutter! I think I can find something to work with in there, I’m gonna process all these more thoughtfully after the deadline and then I’ll know what I’m gonna use.
A section with a lead guitar voice would probably be a little easier to critique, since more space being taken up means having to be more precise with bass choices, so feel free to record that too!
I caught this thread only two days ago. I wrote about two minutes worth but I have never recorded a YouTube video before. Those extra days I missed hurt bad. I’m afraid I won’t make the deadline. Id still like to finish this project and get feedback though. Ive never written a bassline either… Would have been super cool to have a shot at making it in the course but… life happens.
I don’t wanna make it hard for Josh to find them and my answer is long.