COLUMNS
Creating Dynamics with the Bass
By Hal Rodriguez
Bass players control the level of energy in a song at any given moment . A guitar riff only gets heavy when the bassist comes in playing it in unison . If the bass drops out , the riff loses its momentum and impact . Conversely , an otherwise sleepy verse can sound like it ’ s growing in momentum or building suspense when the bassline switches from playing whole notes to eighth notes . These are just two examples of how a bassist can greatly influence the dynamics of a song . If you ’ re ever stuck in a rut with one of your songs and are wondering how to make it more exciting , take a closer look at your bass parts . In this column , I offer some simple strategies with examples for creating basslines that will make your songs more dynamic .
1 . Save the low end and eighth notes for the chorus Listen to James Jamerson ’ s bassline in the Motown hit , “ Ain ’ t No Mountain High Enough .” You ’ ll notice that when the song starts , he plays in the higher registers of the bass with mostly sustained notes . This helps to give the intro a relaxed feeling . As the song begins to pick up speed nine bars in , Jamerson continues to play the same line but busier , with just a few more eighth notes thrown in to create a sense of growing momentum . Finally , when the chorus hits , he starts playing in the lowest register of the bass with plenty of eighth notes . Saving the lowest notes for the chorus makes it sound bigger and contributes to its sense of lift , which is important in making the chorus sound climactic . The busier eighth notes also helps to make the hook feel exciting as there ’ s more going on musically .
2 . Play melodically during slower sections If the rest of the band is playing sparser and more relaxed during the verses , playing root notes and whole notes will work , but could also make those sections sound a little boring . If that ’ s the case , take this opportunity to come up with a bassline that is melodic to keep those sections interesting . Have a listen to John Paul Jones ’ bassline in Led Zeppelin ’ s “ What Is and What Should Never Be .” In the quieter , mellow verses , Jones plays a bassline so melodic you can sing it . This creates more movement and keeps the listener interested during slower sections of the song while they wait for the hook .
3 . Do the opposite of what ’ s expected Sometimes , a tune needs the element of surprise to take on new life . You can do the opposite of my first suggestion and instead of getting busier during the chorus , play less . Take a listen to “ Give It Away Now ” by the Red Hot Chili Peppers and notice that Flea plays fewer notes during the chorus than the verse , opting to mostly accent the first beat of every bar and resting on the other downbeats . By dropping out unexpectedly , the chorus sounds starkly empty and the listener ’ s attention is immediately drawn to the lead vocal . This is another good strategy that helps the hook jump out more .
4 . When in doubt , lay out Don ’ t be afraid of laying out completely for entire sections of a song . Listen to Free ’ s “ All Right Now ” and you ’ ll notice that Andy Fraser doesn ’ t play at all during the verses . This just makes his bassline in the guitar solo section stand out dramatically when he unleashes eighth notes and sixteenth notes to contrast all the space he left earlier . There ’ s also a famous story of Prince listening to his mix of “ When Doves Cry ” in the studio and being unhappy about the way it sounded until he removed the bass entirely from the song . Experiment with silence and find ways to use it creatively !
5 . Avoid doubling the guitar riff Although playing the guitar player ’ s riff in unison is a good formula for making a riff sound heavier , like in Black Sabbath ’ s “ Iron Man ,” you can create a different effect by avoiding this common formula . Take a listen to “ Smoke on the Water ” by Deep Purple and you ’ ll notice that Roger Glover avoids playing along with the famous guitar riff . Instead , he chooses to play a continuous stream of eighth notes using mostly root notes . This creates a feeling of propulsion and suspense under the guitar riff that leaves the listener hanging on in anticipation of the chorus .
Summary The low-end frequency of the bass and its function as both a harmonic and rhythmic instrument make it a powerful tool for sculpting peaks and valleys in your songs . These dynamics are important in determining how the listener experiences your music - whether they feel that the song is interesting enough to stay invested in and if the chorus is climactic or not . The next time you hear a song that takes you on an emotional ride , pay close attention to the bass player and try to figure out how they are helping to create that dynamic experience for you .
Hal Rodriguez is a singer , songwriter , guitarist , bassist , and freelance transcriber . You can view his transcriptions on Instagram @ jazzscriber . Contact him at halromusic @ gmail . com .
60 CANADIAN MUSICIAN