I've always liked bass lines where the bassist isn't just following the rhythm guitar and is actually playing an opposing melody under the song, and I was talking to a friend of mine (who is a bassist, but would be better off just sticking to playing trombone) who said it's basically using counterpoint. Anyone have any suggestions on learning some fundamentals of couterpoint so I can write better bass lines to my songs? Good books/websites or your knowledge greatly appreciated.
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its just really simple interval theory.. like consonant and dissonant intervals and passing tones..
saying guitar does.
C F G F E A B A G E F C
think of consonant intervals like minor/major third, perfect fourth (ignoring the need for it to be supported by a third to be consonant), perfect 5th, and other diatonic intervals, maybe even ones from related scales (major 7th in a minor key).. the augmented second interval for a harmonic minor kinda sound, it has a characteristic to it but would need to move to something like a fifth after it to make it sound nice :) )
so i would do a bassline like..
F (under the C, it is a perfect 5th, but i would be a bit unsure because right away it questions the tonality of the C, and might suggest a Lydian kinda thing)
C B C (it brings back the 'C'ness about it, the B and C arent really like counterpoint but its moving in contrary motion to the F G F, and i think sounds thicker and like more is going on and not just a repeated underneath line starting on different notes)
A E E (perfect 5th in the A to E, and then a perfect fourth from E to A, and then back to a fifth when the B is played but keeping the same note)
its basically just trying out stuff, coming up with a "i think this would sound good, trying and tweaking it.
Counterpoint is a bit more complex than Alex suggests. In counterpoint, each melody should stand up on its own.
You can split counterpoint into three parts: first is the melody, and creating a counterpoint melody is just like creating a solo melody at first. Once you've got a basic melody, though, you have to consider two other things...
The rhythm has to support the 'main' melody (in some counterpoint writing, each melody is equally important, so consider the main one to be the one already existing when you start working on the second one). If the first melody is in eighth notes, a counterpoint loaded with triplets is going to be a bit jarring. Counterpoint can be sorted rhythmically into 'species':
First species - for every note in the main melody, the counterpoint will play one note of the same length at the same time
Second species - for every note in the main melody, the counterpoint will play two notes, each with half the value of the main melody note. If the main melody is in quarter notes, the counterpoint is eighth notes.
Third species - for every note in the main melody, the counterpoint plays 'x' notes of equal length that add up to the melody note's value. This could be three, four, nine, whatever... but it forms a 1:x relationship with the melody. Eighths against triplets that I mentioned above would be 2:3, so it's not third species.
Fourth species - the written note values are the same as second species, but counterpoint melody notes are tied. The result is that the two voices alternate starting notes. This can lead to some complex harmonies and resolutions.
Fifth species, also called Florid counterpoint - this mixes the other four styles. That's not to say it has no rules - at any point in the main melody, the counterpoint is either also beginning a note (species 1,2,3) or holding a note (species 4).
When you've got the rhythm stuff solved so it supports the melody, then you need to worry about the harmonies it creates with the main melody. That's the part Alex wrote about.
There are a bunch of good books on counterpoint writing... a simple approach is usually taken by books on arranging (like Mickey Baker's "Complete Handbook for the Music Arranger"). Books specifically about counterpoint writing will assume you have a good background in theory and harmony, and they'll focus a lot on application to musical forms, like Canon writing, where the counterpoint is the same as the main melody, but starts at a different point in time - like 'Row Row Row Your Boat' round singing.
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yeah to be honest some of the theory responses are really helpful if you know a little theory. when I was first learning about writing good bass lines I would transcribe some of my favorite ones and look at the relationship between the bass and melody. it would help to have some piano skill, just enough to play both parts slowly or record one part and play the other on top. if you do this enough times with as many different styles as you like, you will then be able to hear melodic bass lines that complement the melody.
good luck and have fun.
