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-- New to producing, req. help with basslines

New to producing, req. help with basslines

Hey guys, I've been browsing the forums for a few days so decided its worth registering lol.

Anyway, I've just started producing, or attempting. I'm using FL studio 8 Pro, got some real decent samples including a couple vengeance CD's etc.
I studied sound engineering at college for 6 months a couple years ago, and have a sound fundamental knowledge of music, but when I did the course, I was doing it more for Rock Music and Live recording, so didn't get around to using the computer programmes, but I've adapted to FL quite easily and have used a few others such as Ableton Live and Cubase before...

Anyway enough of the blah blah blah...

Starting out, I've been attempting to create songs using structure's of some of my favourites which has been going ok. I mean, as a guitar player and an all round musician, I'm generally good at creating melodies, harmonizing etc. and I'm finding that the lead melodies and strings I create actually sound real good.
I'm havin know real issues with drums but its the damn basslines...
I just cant get anything to sound decent, and it all ends up being really repetitive.

I'm just looking for a few pointers regarding basslines really, and especially what to use (be it a synth or just a sample/pack) in fruityloops, aswell as the general flow of them.

Seriously, help is really appreciated

Just to add - the basslines that I do create end up sounding real "techno-ey"

what type of basslines are you trying to achieve?

I'm not 100% sure on what I'm looking to acheive, however I know what I dont want...

What I dont want is something to melodic thats going to overpower my synth melodies.
And Im damn sure I dont want the techno'ey crap I am getting at the minute...

So basically, somethin thats simple enough, but does the trick ?


I can actually show you, well if you can pick it out kind of what I mean... and tbh im not 100% sure its a bassline, but its the key element to my tracks that i'm missing... but for example...

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8JU2HjLR-ts - you hear it in the background for the first sixteen seconds until the drum roll and then the volume increases etc

the pattern (every letter is a 1/16th note):

K-bBKB-bK-bBKB-B

K = Kick
b = Bass on a 1 higher octave
B = Bass on your normal bass octave
- = nothin...

Use two saw oscs, one an octave lower then the other, envelope the filter like this - no attack, short decay, low sustain, mess around with the filter frequency, resonance and envelope modulation till you find the sweet spot...

you would probably want to eq out some mids and basses, also adding some sidechaining with the kick channel to get the same sound...

http://www.tranceaddict.com/forums/...&threadid=44854

quote:

Originally posted by Vortex_SA the pattern (every letter is a 1/16th note): K-bBKB-bK-bBKB-B K = Kick b = Bass on a 1 higher octave B = Bass on your normal bass octave - = nothin... Use two saw oscs, one an octave lower then the other, envelope the filter like this - no attack, short decay, low sustain, mess around with the filter frequency, resonance and envelope modulation till you find the sweet spot... you would probably want to eq out some mids and basses, also adding some sidechaining with the kick channel to get the same sound...

Wowza... a lot for me take in there, I dont really get side-chaining as of yet but im gonna look into all this more. Thanks this is a real great help.

quote:

Originally posted by mattutaylor Wowza... a lot for me take in there, I dont really get side-chaining as of yet but im gonna look into all this more. Thanks this is a real great help.

Sidechaining is a pretty simple effect to apply when you Kick and Bass clatch. Sidechaining is also referred to as the ducking effect, you can hear it in a lot of tracks nowadays. It sounds like the kick pushing away the bass, and when the kick stops, the bass returns. See it like a similar effect as automating the volume of your bass to zero when the kick drops in, and than let the bass fade back in.

Check this tutorial: http://sonictransfer.com/side-chain...-tutorial.shtml

I cannot listen to the tjoeptjoep track you posted because I'm @ work now. But nowadays, basslines contains 2 or three layers. For instance, a subbass, a bass working the mids and a high bass. What to use is a matter of opinion. I usually create my basses with the Novation V-Station and the Arturia Minimoog (both really lovely).

Hope this helps a little.

quote:

Originally posted by Theran Sidechaining is a pretty simple effect to apply when you Kick and Bass clatch. Sidechaining is also referred to as the ducking effect, you can hear it in a lot of tracks nowadays. It sounds like the kick pushing away the bass, and when the kick stops, the bass returns. See it like a similar effect as automating the volume of your bass to zero when the kick drops in, and than let the bass fade back in. Check this tutorial: http://sonictransfer.com/side-chain...-tutorial.shtml I cannot listen to the tjoeptjoep track you posted because I'm @ work now. But nowadays, basslines contains 2 or three layers. For instance, a subbass, a bass working the mids and a high bass. What to use is a matter of opinion. I usually create my basses with the Novation V-Station and the Arturia Minimoog (both really lovely). Hope this helps a little.

This is a great help bud, im gonna go about seeing if i can get those now.

quote:

Originally posted by mattutaylor I'm not 100% sure on what I'm looking to acheive, however I know what I dont want... What I dont want is something to melodic thats going to overpower my synth melodies. And Im damn sure I dont want the techno'ey crap I am getting at the minute... So basically, somethin thats simple enough, but does the trick ? I can actually show you, well if you can pick it out kind of what I mean... and tbh im not 100% sure its a bassline, but its the key element to my tracks that i'm missing... but for example... http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8JU2HjLR-ts - you hear it in the background for the first sixteen seconds until the drum roll and then the volume increases etc

Buzzer electro styles are popular right now sawtooths with the octaves quite low and some tape distortion is a good start. Then try modulating the pitch so it moves. Just what im trying atm anyway.

quote:

Originally posted by Sonic_c Buzzer electro styles are popular right now sawtooths with the octaves quite low and some tape distortion is a good start. Then try modulating the pitch so it moves. Just what im trying atm anyway.

a hint for you there mate, use monophonic mode on your synth (not poly that is) and just adjust portamanto/legato timing... modulation of the pich is quite an uncertain path to take IMO (you might be off on the notes)...

quote:

Originally posted by Vortex_SA a hint for you there mate, use monophonic mode on your synth (not poly that is) and just adjust portamanto/legato timing... modulation of the pich is quite an uncertain path to take IMO (you might be off on the notes)...

I see what you mean but how do these modern sounding trance / electro hybrids get those big moving bass sounds you know its like a big note that sort of zips or rises then the same synth but like a buzzer bass in a funky pattern

EDIT - Quite gritty sounding to winding sort of noise to them

quote:

Originally posted by Sonic_c I see what you mean but how do these modern sounding trance / electro hybrids get those big moving bass sounds you know its like a big note that sort of zips or rises then the same synth but like a buzzer bass in a funky pattern EDIT - Quite gritty sounding to winding sort of noise to them

i think you are reffering to a sound of a high pass filter... you got a sample or a youtube clip of something similar?

quote:

Originally posted by Vortex_SA i think you are reffering to a sound of a high pass filter... you got a sample or a youtube clip of something similar?

Im at work so I post an example later just clever basslines is all moving around and stuff

quote:

Originally posted by Vortex_SA the pattern (every letter is a 1/16th note): K-bBKB-bK-bBKB-B

That doesn't seem to be right.
I think it's more like:

BB_BB_BBBB_BB_BB
K___K___K___K___

quote:

Originally posted by Sonic_c I see what you mean but how do these modern sounding trance / electro hybrids get those big moving bass sounds you know its like a big note that sort of zips or rises then the same synth but like a buzzer bass in a funky pattern EDIT - Quite gritty sounding to winding sort of noise to them

U can automate the Cutoff-Freq or Envelope Release of a synth, or layering basslines to get that effect.
You can also use an LFO on a synth to get that moving element, a phaser works to!

quote:

Originally posted by Eldritch That doesn't seem to be right. I think it's more like: BB_BB_BBBB_BB_BB K___K___K___K___

yep, heard it again... maybe its

BB_B_bBBBB_B_bBB
K___K___K___K___

i was never that good with writing timing for notes without a metronome and/or my DAW in front of me (im @ work ATM...)

I am sure its pitch im most likely wrong but ill post an example and you tell me the note stays the same but rises sharply

quote:

Originally posted by Sonic_c I am sure its pitch im most likely wrong but ill post an example and you tell me the note stays the same but rises sharply

Could be portamento or glide

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