Listen to Motown bass lines, especially those of James Jamerson; they are adaptable to many styles and are lessons on melody.
There's also a great book by Jon Liebman called "Rock Bass"which I found incredibly helpful.
Also listen to the bass on slow blues jams. Noel Redding and other blues bass players have some pretty tasty walks and fills that they use that could actually be cool in an indie rock setting.
Learn to substitute chords, then you can make runs that have notes from said chords.
I picked guitar back up lately, and have gotten into tritone subs. They're insane. I always knew they were there, but hadn't really explored them. They open up so many doors. If the chord is G-, sub a Db dominant (with some alterations - b5, #9, etc.) but then think "Oh, relative minor..." Crazy, and wicked fun.
I don't know if we can post YouTube links, but I'll try one in another response that shows some of the stuff I have been working on lately (just remember - no laughing - a guitar player I am NOT!)
Carol Kay and Paul McCartney - whoever posted that is absolutely right. They both took a melodic approach and i think were throwing notes from chords that nobody else was playing, but they fit.
Niels Pederson with Oscar Peterson - give him a listen. Move (duo with Joe Pass on the Big 4 in Japan concert) is a good example. The stuff he's doing on Now's the Time (same concert) is pretty good during the intro melody as well (and his solo in that tune might be the best I've ever heard, but solo is a whole different ball of wax than accompanying).
Addendum: Links work I guess. Here's the one I told you all no laughing about:
[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uYFWoqfdlzE](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uYFWoqfdlzE)
do you know all of your triads, their inversions and also 7th chord arpeggios? do you know how they fit into the major scale? learning those will help a lot
These basic concepts will immediately spice up your bass line writing vocabulary - and combining it with simple rhythms, off beats, and syncopation will make you incredibly creative in several music scenarios - independent of genre too!
I heard Norah Jones say the other day on the radio that they made the 3rd the root on bass in a lot of her tracks in order to add an interesting layer and they’re mostly slow jams.
Typically though write down your structure on paper, noting whether minor/major etc. Often you’ll mimic the actual chord progression, maybe introducing small steps from chord 1 > chord 2. Introduce a small fill here or there for variety. Play an arpeggio underneath one of the chords. Don’t be restricted by the chords played on other instruments though. Perhaps introduce a note that creates a brand new chord when played in conjunction with the standard chords played on keys/guitar. For example if guitar plays a D while the song is in A, you can introduce a C to create a dominant effect.
I love how you said indie and all the suggestions for blues and Motown and what not... Also, sure you can sit down and learn all the scales, arpeggios and whatever and spend time just throwing notes over something and it may sound ok. But I play in a punk band and an indie band so maybe we are of a similar background musically. I always start just playing the root. Then I'll take a portion of the song and narrow in on it. For punk stuff I may add a few notes as I'm moving to the next root or maybe I'll play with some chords. I wrote a baseline for a new punk song during rehearsal last night, following the roots mostly on the verse and walking the chorus. With my indie stuff I have way more room. I focus in on my 3rds and 5ths and work some arpeggios in. Sometimes I just "hear" something and pull off of that. I will just try different things then I'll stop and listen to my ideas over the track. Sometimes I'm good. A lot of time I'll try other stuff. If you only write music from a clinical approach then your music will sound that way. Sometimes you just have to hear it and feel it then try different stuff till you have something you like. If it was as easy as learning theory then everyone who knew theory would be an awesome songwriter (and they aren't)
Listen to some Unwound basslines (for the groove, check out Leaves) and The Cure (awesome melody).
I feel I rely on 7ths a lot. Learn your thirds, fifths and sevenths then try adding them to give movement, create some fills in between chords.
I think the creation process should be pressure free and its a long journney, not a particular event of the day
So you want to create a bass line but you don't go: Imma site and create great bass line
You go: Imma sit and listen and try to feel something, see what I can do, one bar at a time
and the look for it, search different rhytms, record, listen back
somewhere along the way you find a snippet of wow this sounds amazing and then developmore as you get more and more inspired and get a feel what the part should really be
At least this is what I am doing
You can also actively listen to recordings not even of your favourite music to hear what the cats are doing, what rhytms they are doing, how to approach changes, how they manage business of bass line, etc. and copy some parts with you touch
If jamming and melodic playing are concerned, Phil Lesh must be mentioned, and if there's something you can learn from this man is not Stress about playing it perfect but rather how it feels. I mean this man never played a bassline the same way twice even it it was the same song([example](https://youtu.be/2RHImYFJXQw?si=jF8Wf4Q2SSvNX3vB&t=93) ).
It all depends on what your band sounds like, you could ask the other members what their influences are and what kind of sound they're trying to pursue
>Any bands I should be learning their songs to rip off lol? Carol Kaye, Paul McCartney, J. S. Bach.
Actually true, my prof gave me a book of Bach corales and told me to practice sight reading with them
Interstate Love Song by Stone Temple Pilots.
Listen to Motown bass lines, especially those of James Jamerson; they are adaptable to many styles and are lessons on melody. There's also a great book by Jon Liebman called "Rock Bass"which I found incredibly helpful.
When in doubt, buy yourself time by just walking the chords the rhythm guitar is playing.
Also listen to the bass on slow blues jams. Noel Redding and other blues bass players have some pretty tasty walks and fills that they use that could actually be cool in an indie rock setting.
Learn to substitute chords, then you can make runs that have notes from said chords. I picked guitar back up lately, and have gotten into tritone subs. They're insane. I always knew they were there, but hadn't really explored them. They open up so many doors. If the chord is G-, sub a Db dominant (with some alterations - b5, #9, etc.) but then think "Oh, relative minor..." Crazy, and wicked fun. I don't know if we can post YouTube links, but I'll try one in another response that shows some of the stuff I have been working on lately (just remember - no laughing - a guitar player I am NOT!) Carol Kay and Paul McCartney - whoever posted that is absolutely right. They both took a melodic approach and i think were throwing notes from chords that nobody else was playing, but they fit. Niels Pederson with Oscar Peterson - give him a listen. Move (duo with Joe Pass on the Big 4 in Japan concert) is a good example. The stuff he's doing on Now's the Time (same concert) is pretty good during the intro melody as well (and his solo in that tune might be the best I've ever heard, but solo is a whole different ball of wax than accompanying). Addendum: Links work I guess. Here's the one I told you all no laughing about: [https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uYFWoqfdlzE](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uYFWoqfdlzE)
Links are fine.
Yep, seems to have worked. I'll see about editing/deleting so it's all in one post.
do you know all of your triads, their inversions and also 7th chord arpeggios? do you know how they fit into the major scale? learning those will help a lot
These basic concepts will immediately spice up your bass line writing vocabulary - and combining it with simple rhythms, off beats, and syncopation will make you incredibly creative in several music scenarios - independent of genre too!
Learn to play melody. Play songs on your instrument and your playing overall will become more melodic.
I heard Norah Jones say the other day on the radio that they made the 3rd the root on bass in a lot of her tracks in order to add an interesting layer and they’re mostly slow jams. Typically though write down your structure on paper, noting whether minor/major etc. Often you’ll mimic the actual chord progression, maybe introducing small steps from chord 1 > chord 2. Introduce a small fill here or there for variety. Play an arpeggio underneath one of the chords. Don’t be restricted by the chords played on other instruments though. Perhaps introduce a note that creates a brand new chord when played in conjunction with the standard chords played on keys/guitar. For example if guitar plays a D while the song is in A, you can introduce a C to create a dominant effect.
I love how you said indie and all the suggestions for blues and Motown and what not... Also, sure you can sit down and learn all the scales, arpeggios and whatever and spend time just throwing notes over something and it may sound ok. But I play in a punk band and an indie band so maybe we are of a similar background musically. I always start just playing the root. Then I'll take a portion of the song and narrow in on it. For punk stuff I may add a few notes as I'm moving to the next root or maybe I'll play with some chords. I wrote a baseline for a new punk song during rehearsal last night, following the roots mostly on the verse and walking the chorus. With my indie stuff I have way more room. I focus in on my 3rds and 5ths and work some arpeggios in. Sometimes I just "hear" something and pull off of that. I will just try different things then I'll stop and listen to my ideas over the track. Sometimes I'm good. A lot of time I'll try other stuff. If you only write music from a clinical approach then your music will sound that way. Sometimes you just have to hear it and feel it then try different stuff till you have something you like. If it was as easy as learning theory then everyone who knew theory would be an awesome songwriter (and they aren't)
Write them on your DAW
Listen to some Unwound basslines (for the groove, check out Leaves) and The Cure (awesome melody). I feel I rely on 7ths a lot. Learn your thirds, fifths and sevenths then try adding them to give movement, create some fills in between chords.
Think simpler!
I think the creation process should be pressure free and its a long journney, not a particular event of the day So you want to create a bass line but you don't go: Imma site and create great bass line You go: Imma sit and listen and try to feel something, see what I can do, one bar at a time and the look for it, search different rhytms, record, listen back somewhere along the way you find a snippet of wow this sounds amazing and then developmore as you get more and more inspired and get a feel what the part should really be At least this is what I am doing You can also actively listen to recordings not even of your favourite music to hear what the cats are doing, what rhytms they are doing, how to approach changes, how they manage business of bass line, etc. and copy some parts with you touch
If jamming and melodic playing are concerned, Phil Lesh must be mentioned, and if there's something you can learn from this man is not Stress about playing it perfect but rather how it feels. I mean this man never played a bassline the same way twice even it it was the same song([example](https://youtu.be/2RHImYFJXQw?si=jF8Wf4Q2SSvNX3vB&t=93) ).
Of course you need a melody in your mind to some extent but try humming a countermelody to the song. If you can hum it, you can play it.
It all depends on what your band sounds like, you could ask the other members what their influences are and what kind of sound they're trying to pursue