FAST SYNTH BASS
https://dianadeegarageband.blogspot.com -
RECORDING HINTS -- written about using GarageBand -- BUT
these Hints help increase your skills in ProTools, Logic, etc.
If you've already recorded a piano track for your song in GarageBand -- and other programs --
here's a quick way to get a synth bass to fill in your sound until a bass player
adds live bass.
REMINDER: YOU NEED TO QUANTIZE PIANO before these steps,
or you'll have double the work quantizing both two tracks later.
It's also MUCH EASIER if you can join all piano regions into one track first....
but Step 5 includes way to create bass without joining the regions if desired.
GETTING READY
A. PREPARATION
1. Create a new track for bass.
2. Record one note, any note, to "populate" your track. This KEEPS track name as "Bass".
3. Extend the track to match the length of your piano track.
4. Delete your temporary note.
5. SKIP TO STEP 6 if your piano track contains only one region,
since the next steps are easier if the piano is all in one track.Do Step 5 here if you have separate regions and want to keep them separate,
__5a. Select and join all piano regions.
__5b. Hit the home key to put the marker on Measure 1 Count 1.
__5c. Do steps 6 and 7 below. Do NOT do step 8 yet.
__5d. Choose Edit > Undo. Your copied notes are still on the clipboard.
__5e. SKIP TO STEP 8 (you've done 6 and 7)
6. Open the Notation view for the piano track, and to go to home >>
Measure 1, Count 1.
Then select the bottom-most notes of the piano. (If you get some higher notes, they're
easy to delete later.)
7. Choose Edit > Copy.
8. Go into the Notation view for the new bass track.
Hit your home key to put the marker on Measure 1, Count 1.
9. Choose Edit > Paste.
NOW YOU'RE READY FOR THE FUN!
B. CREATING THE BASS.
Here's where the work comes in -- but it's quick and fun:
1. In some places, you will have picked up a double-note bass for a count. Go to these and delete one note, usually the higher note.
2. Piano has a wider range than bass.
Ensure that no notes go below a low low B (13 steps below middle C)
that can be played by 5- or 6-string basses.
And, since it's bass, you probably don't want notes going too high
into the sonic range of other instruments including guitars and flutes.
3. Turn the piano volume down some and the bass volume up. Then play the 2 tracks.
4. Adjust notes here and there to the sound you like.
HINT FOR FINDING PIANO CHORD'S ROOT (BASS) NOTE:
*If you're "stumped" and can't figure out what the bass note should be,
it's easy to put the marker on the measure in question, then go into the piano track
to look at the chord for that measure.
If there are 3 or more half-steps between the two bottom piano notes,
this is the guitar equivalent of a slash chord.
The root is the bottom one with no space above, usually.
ALMOST FINISHED!
C. POLISHING THE BASS SOUND
Piano tends to be "busier" than bass.
So you should go into the bass track to polish the final sound:
1. For measures that copied in multiple notes from the piano track,
delete bass notes after count #1 and extend the remaining bass note
to extend through the measure.
2. Bass doesn't *have* to be the root note... it's your song. Use harmony notes if you like!
3. In some places the piano held a chord where a nice bass walkdown etc. would fill in....
1. Create a new track for bass.
2. Record one note, any note, to "populate" your track. This KEEPS track name as "Bass".
3. Extend the track to match the length of your piano track.
4. Delete your temporary note.
5. SKIP TO STEP 6 if your piano track contains only one region,
since the next steps are easier if the piano is all in one track.Do Step 5 here if you have separate regions and want to keep them separate,
__5a. Select and join all piano regions.
__5b. Hit the home key to put the marker on Measure 1 Count 1.
__5c. Do steps 6 and 7 below. Do NOT do step 8 yet.
__5d. Choose Edit > Undo. Your copied notes are still on the clipboard.
__5e. SKIP TO STEP 8 (you've done 6 and 7)
6. Open the Notation view for the piano track, and to go to home >>
Measure 1, Count 1.
Then select the bottom-most notes of the piano. (If you get some higher notes, they're
easy to delete later.)
7. Choose Edit > Copy.
8. Go into the Notation view for the new bass track.
Hit your home key to put the marker on Measure 1, Count 1.
9. Choose Edit > Paste.
NOW YOU'RE READY FOR THE FUN!
B. CREATING THE BASS.
Here's where the work comes in -- but it's quick and fun:
1. In some places, you will have picked up a double-note bass for a count. Go to these and delete one note, usually the higher note.
2. Piano has a wider range than bass.
Ensure that no notes go below a low low B (13 steps below middle C)
that can be played by 5- or 6-string basses.
And, since it's bass, you probably don't want notes going too high
into the sonic range of other instruments including guitars and flutes.
3. Turn the piano volume down some and the bass volume up. Then play the 2 tracks.
4. Adjust notes here and there to the sound you like.
HINT FOR FINDING PIANO CHORD'S ROOT (BASS) NOTE:
*If you're "stumped" and can't figure out what the bass note should be,
it's easy to put the marker on the measure in question, then go into the piano track
to look at the chord for that measure.
If there are 3 or more half-steps between the two bottom piano notes,
this is the guitar equivalent of a slash chord.
The root is the bottom one with no space above, usually.
ALMOST FINISHED!
C. POLISHING THE BASS SOUND
Piano tends to be "busier" than bass.
So you should go into the bass track to polish the final sound:
1. For measures that copied in multiple notes from the piano track,
delete bass notes after count #1 and extend the remaining bass note
to extend through the measure.
2. Bass doesn't *have* to be the root note... it's your song. Use harmony notes if you like!
3. In some places the piano held a chord where a nice bass walkdown etc. would fill in....
Much
joy to you creating new music!
Lots of Examples to hear free at http://www.DianaDeeOsbornesongs.com/
Lots of Examples to hear free at http://www.DianaDeeOsbornesongs.com/
©2018, 2011 DianaDee Osborne; all publication rights reserved
(An earlier version published 12 September 2011)
