Apple Logic Pro /LogicExpress Discussion

On Jan 31, 2010, at 2:00 PM, Andy Brook wrote:

>> t you seem to be suggesting that bass
> guitar is very easy to pick up and learn. Is that really the case?

I found it pretty easy.  I'm a long-time pianist who wanted to play  
bluegrass, so learned bass after failing at mandolin, guitar and  
banjo.  Like someone said, there's a big difference between learning  
bass and becoming a great bass player, and I will never be a great  
bass player, but as-is, I hold down the rhythm for the band and  
provide good drive, so I don't think you need to become a monster  
bass player to drive your songs (depending on the style, that is.).   
That said, I tend to keyboard in my bass parts for a lot of  
recordings.  My gear is cheap and my technique is sloppy, so there's  
lots of noise and other artifacts that I'd rather not have on a  
recording.

> I'm not actually trying to use a sequencer to get my bass sounds, but
> playing it as live on a keyboard. My keyboard skills are pretty good,
> but still my basslines are sluggish, and instead of driving the song
> on, they seem to hold them back.

Even though you are a good keyboard player, the problem may still be  
in the timing and the lines you are creating.  I find that simpler  
bass lines that don't stray far from I and V have more drive than  
more complex parts.  Also, make sure you're coming in ahead of the  
beat with some frequency (quantize is not your friend when playing  
bass lines.), and make sure your rhythm is doubled by percussion or  
rhythm guitar or something.   I spent years writing songs where every  
instrument was doing something very different.  Nice, complex,  
academic stuff with absolutely no drive.  I'm still trying to shed  
that habit.

Good luck,

Gregory