Tutorial - 50 Bass Programming Tips

Decide before you start if you want your bass While the tempo of a song has usually been
part to sound like a bass player or a machine - decided by the time you get to the bass, you
or maybe you're actually going to play the may find the track needs to speed up or slow
bass! It all depends on the music you are down a little once you start adding the bass -
making, but often one style will require you to take particularly if you come up with a nice part that needs to
diametrically opposite steps to another. be slower or faster.

If you are looking for a player's 'feel' from a Generally, bass parts shouldn't meander
MIDI track, don't over quantise - if possible, through a song. The luxury of programming
don't quantise at all. A tight drum track will into a sequencer, however, is that you can
hide a multitude of sins, and slightly loose bass meander as much as you like and then edit it.
parts will take away the mechanical feel of the drums The important thing here is to be ruthless - find and keep
too. the very best bits only.

For a machine-like dance track, quantising This is as true for a played part as for a
could be everything. There are many intelligent programmed one. You might chance upon a
quantises in sequencers. Cubase 'Iterative' phrase that you played without thinking too
moves notes a little, and then a little more if hard and it could turn into a great loop for a
you do it again. Don't go too far. Always experiment to song. This 'chancing' upon parts is often going to throw
see which sits best in the track. Strictly in time is not up better results than sitting for hours thinking, "I must
always the best option. come up with a brilliant two-bar phrase... I must come
up with a brilliant two-bar phrase", etc.
When you have a part you are happy with,
whether programmed or played, experiment It doesn't always work simply to transpose a
with moving it a little backwards or forwards in looped part. A loop played with a G chord may
the track. With audio, try increments of two or fit okay if transposed to fit with a C chord, but
three milliseconds - or use MIDI delay. With the bass a not with a B chord, for instance (though it
little behind, the drums will sound more urgent; with the might). Listen carefully to what you have and maybe
bass ahead they will be more laid back. only minor adjustments will be necessary. You can
always pitch shift the odd note of an audio track...
If you are programming your parts with a MIDI
keyboard, experiment with the pitch and If you are going to pitch shift bass audio parts,
modulation wheels to add little slides and a it usually works better with short notes than
touch of gentle vibrato. Too much will sound long ones; and the less far you have to shift it
wrong... unless it's for deliberate effect. the better. If you need a different note in the
middle of a phrase, try taking the note you need from
For bass players not keen on using keyboards somewhere else in the song and editing it in instead.
there are various MIDI basses and MIDI add-
on pick-ups for basses available. Getting a If you have a very hooky bass part or riff, try
good clean sound, however, requires a very not transposing it to fit the chords of the song,
precise technique, and the best ones are quite expensive but leaving it where it is and moving the
(eg, Yamaha's B1D at £700). chords around over the top. This will give a

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Tutorial - 50 Bass Programming Tips

more trance-like quality to the music.

It is rare for a bassline not to constitute part of
a rhythm section - sometimes just bass and Leaving spaces in your bass parts is as
drums, sometimes with percussion as well. You important as the notes you play. Some of the
can't think about the bass part rhythmically in best bits of the greatest bass parts are the
isolation. Sometimes bass parts copy rhythms in the holes; it sets up a feeling of tension which you
drum parts, particularly the bass drum, but sometimes can resolve satisfyingly a moment later. If you have a
they are complimentary. nice bass part, experiment with leaving bits of it out.

Creating bass lines from drum tracks:

Using an existing rhythmic part to 'trigger' bass sounds can create very interesting parts. Try copying a hi-hat
part to a bass track and changing the pitch of the notes to fit the chords while leaving the rhythm alone. This
can also be done with audio using a noise gate to open and close on a long, sustained note.

Here is your existing hi-hat part, as Copy the whole thing from one track And simply change the pitches to
seen in the grid editor to the other... create a bassline.

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Tutorial - 50 Bass Programming Tips

Don't make your bass parts too complicated.

There are probably a lot of things yet to be
played or recorded that need some space to
move around. If you find that later overdubs
aren't working, it may not be their fault. Don't be afraid
to go back and re-examine the bass to see if it can't be
simplified.

If a bass part is rhythmically interesting -

particularly if it is a fast rhythm - you can
probably keep the notes quite static until the
chord changes. You don't want too many
things going on at once. Simplify one element of a part
Try leaving bass out of whole sections of your at a time rather than changing the whole part.
music, long or short. The sense of relief when
On the other hand, you might have a great
you finally bring it back in to plug the aural
idea for a complicated bass part that works
space is huge.
really well. In that case, be very sparing with
If you don't want to leave the bass out, try what you put on top of it. A good way to
having a high bass part instead of a low one. create more interest in a track that has a busy bass
Playing uncomplicated parts around the 12th part, is to add percussion rather than lots of layered
fret of the bass, or programming them an keyboards. Above all, the parts need room to breathe.
octave higher than usual, leaves you the satisfaction of
Or you might come up with a great guitar or
dropping down an octave - perhaps in the chorus or after
piano part and decide that the bass should be
a dramatic middle section.
doubling it. Even if you are very attached to
Another way to create a feeling of space in a your bass part, don't throw away a better
track is to vary the length of the notes. Fast guitar part because of it. Save the part out as a MIDI
complicated patterns might be best with a file and use it in another song.
'clipped' feel, where slow sections may be be
Bass parts often need to be very repetitive in
better with long, sustained notes. With MIDI, the sound
the same way as drum parts. Using the same
may change the longer the note is held, and this can
repeated pattern throughout the verse or
create interest in the part without you having to change
chorus of a song can work as well with bass
the notes so often.
as with drums.
Another way to create a feeling of space Don't forget that repetitive parts need to be
in a track is to vary the length of the broken up with a few fills and changes. Try
notes... not to do this at the same time as the other
instruments. You don't want your groove
chugging along nicely for seven bars and then becoming
a train wreck in bar eight!

Change your sound:

When you have a part finished, or you have a section of the song to loop in your sequencer, try changing the
MIDI sound to see if another sound fits the part better. If the sequencer is playing the part for you, it allows
you to concentrate on what it sounds like.

NI's Pro-Five is perfect for those phat

analogue rumblings
VB1, a free plug-in for Cubase, The XG soundset boasts some truly
provides very realistic sounds amazing bass voices...

Doubling up:
Another cool way to make your sounds different is doubling the part. Copy your MIDI part onto another track
and experiment with different combinations of sounds. Or play the same part on your keyboard as you played
on your bass; it needs to be very accurate!

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Tutorial - 50 Bass Programming Tips

A clearly visible audio track like this is ...and one that looks like this.
easier to play along with...
Double a MIDI part by copying it to
another track...

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Tutorial - 50 Bass Programming Tips

The style of music you play will to a certain

extent dictate what sort of sound you are
going to use, and so will what bassline you
play. At the same time, what you play will to
some extent be dictated to you by the sound you pick.
Often, picking a different sound to the one you were
looking for will give you the inspiration you need.

Good combinations of sounds might be

doubling a slow sustained bass part with a
low organ sound, or perhaps doubling a very
melodic, fluid part with cellos. Or doubling a
mean riff with a guitar part. No rules apply.
Bass sounds don't often change radically in the
middle of a song, but sometimes this can work Bass parts don't always need to be the root
very well, whether the part is MIDI or audio. note of a chord. If you are moving from a G
Adding an effect for specific parts of the song chord to a C chord, some powerful effects can
can help to emphasise different sections. (See later for be created by playing a B under your G chord
more on effects.) - or even an F - and an E under your C chord
afterwards. Not playing the root, like leaving spaces,
If you are using sampled notes, particularly if creates a tension that's always very satisfying to
you are making your own samples, you will resolve. Always remember that in music there are no
probably want to have different sets of samples wrong notes - just right notes in the wrong places.
to suit different songs. If your song requires a
very staccato part, use a set of staccato samples, for While bass sounds need to be bassy, they
example. also need to have a wide frequency spectrum
with some higher overtones as well. If you
You can also experiment with the way you are recording your own bass or bass samples,
produce the note when sampling. If you get a bright, clear sound. You can always EQ away
normally play with a pick, try using your fingers, unwanted treble frequencies; you can't conjure them up
or vice-versa. Or try damping the strings a little if they weren't recorded in the first place. This 'top end'
with the side of your hand. You only have to play one note on bass sounds is what makes them cut through a mix.
at a time, so new techniques shouldn't be a problem! Often the top will disappear into the other instruments,
leaving the impression of a bassy sound.
Or try being really radical. Hitting a string with a
teaspoon near the bridge can give you a very Very bassy sounds often work best when they
bright sound similar to, but more forceful than, are played higher. This allows the notes to
slapping the strings. Slipping a bit of foam poke through the mix even if the sound
under the strings near the bridge can produce a very dead doesn't.
sound which, when played with a pick, is slightly less
dead. Have some fun with your old odds and ends. Another approach, which can also bring life to
a 'generic' sounding MIDI sound, is to edit
Using sampled bass parts is a lot less common the part until you are very happy with it, not
than using sampled drum parts. This is because worrying too much about the velocities, and
bass parts are very song specific. If you do then record it through an amp, compressing it as you
fancy someone else's bass riff, don't forget it's record. Obviously, you are still able to edit the audio
probably copyright protected. once you've recorded.

Recording MIDI parts as audio is a great way

While bass sounds need to be bassy, to make them sound warmer and more real -
they also need to have a wide frequency this is also true for other sounds (electric
spectrum with some higher overtones piano, for one). Even a 'real' bass part can be
as well... helped like this. Perhaps you recorded with DI and now
it sounds too clean - run it back through an amp.

Compress to impress:
Compression is a very important part of any bass sound. An 'even' sound will sit better with a mix, but you
don't want to compress all the feel out of a track. Try some gentle compression of a few db at 2.5:1 when you
record. You can always apply some more compression in the mix using a plug-in.

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Tutorial - 50 Bass Programming Tips

Cubase VST comes with its own buill in You could also try a compression You may need to apply some EQ at
compression plug-in like this one this point too...

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Tutorial - 50 Bass Programming Tips

When you have found the effect you like, it's

very easy to get excited by it. A good tip in
the mix is to set the level where you think it
sounds good, and then back it off a little.

The bass is usually one of the three most

important sounds in your mix, along with the
drums and the vocal. Don't neglect it in any
way in the early stages of your sequencing -
it will come back to haunt you in the mix.

When you are mixing, be very sparing with

your EQ. Too much heavy bottom will
Warming up' a sound may well save you the smother the punch of your bass drum, too
problem of difficult EQ-ing, as it will tend to much low middle will interfere with the body
bring out the sort of frequencies you need to of sound of pianos and guitars. A little boost around
boost to help a sound cut through. If you find 100Hz will add a touch of warmth, 200Hz will add a
you are having to use a lot of EQ, it is best to try and do little more audible 'note' and around 5kHz will add zing
something with the source sound instead. The best sounds to the top end. Pulling a little out around 400Hz will
should need very little EQ. help to separate the 'bottom' from the 'top'.
Another way to make your sounds more Usually the bass needs to be in the centre of
interesting is to use effects. Unless the bass is a mix. But you don't have to put it there.
going to be extremely prominent in the mix, Particularly if you are using doubled bass
however, you have to be careful. A very full and sounds, you can try panning them left and
busy track is not going to benefit from a bass part with a right. Or you can try double-tracking your bass part
long decaying reverb, making soup out of the bottom end and panning it.
of the mix.
The best tip is to listen. Listen to what you've
Try chorusing or flanging to give a sound some done and be very critical. Listen to lots of
movement. Or distortion. Or one of our music, particularly the things you don't
favourites, the good old fashioned fuzz box! normally listen to. They will often give you
These kinds of effects lend some interest to the great ideas to add to your own music. And if you like
sound without losing any of the definition. something you've heard, take the time to work out how
it's done. Musical techniques can always be applied to
Delays can sometimes work well on bass and are
styles they weren't invented for.
readily available as plug-ins. Short delays are
usually better than long ones, and the less You can achieve good consistency of sound
feedback the better to help keep your mix clear. with programmed parts by evening out the
It is also a good idea if the delay is in time with the track. velocities. Like everything else, though,
If you don't have a programme or chart to look up the don't make the part lifeless by overdoing it.
correct times in, use a calculator to divide 60 by the tempo A good approach is to change any notes that stick out
and use multiples of the answer. (For example: tempo 122. or aren't loud enough individually. Using the command
60/122=0.4918, so a fast delay at that speed would be half 'set all velocities to x' rarely sounds good whatever sort
or a quarter of that - 245ms or 123ms). of music you are making. You need to have a little
emphasis on the first beat of the bar or the first beat of
a phrase for instance.

Virtual Valves:
If you don't have the luxury of a real amp, there are several excellent amp and valve sound simulation plug-
ins that do the trick. The ones we favour have a variety of presets for different instruments. Never be afraid
to experiment with using the 'wrong' one. This can lead to far more individual sounds.

Steinbergs Red Valve-it does a great

DUY's DAD valve is great for dirtying TL Audio's EQ-1 brings the warmth of
impression of a valve amp
up any bassline valve Eq to the desktop

Back to the start

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