#01 Creative basslines

In this tutorial you’ll learn how bass can be so much more than a rhythm instrument as we delve into that low end

- Ashley Thorpe

When a lot of people start out in electronic music, it’s very easy for them to see the bass as a means to an end rather than a creative force in a track. Everyone is different in how they approach a song – maybe you’ll have a melody or set of chords in your head first, or maybe you’ll have a drum loop or track down as your foundation. For many, it’s simple just to use bass as chords to accompany the melody. But with the right bass sound and basslines for your electronic track, you can really elevate your music.

Bass is firstly there in your music to add depth. Across the frequency spectrum, bass covers the low end along with the kick drum. If you removed the bass from electronic music, songs just wouldn’t feel right. What is drum & bass without bass? What would modern hip-hop and trap be without 808s? How would dance music move you without a driving bassline?

In this tutorial I’ll breakdown some bass sounds, styles and methods that you can try at home to use bass as a more versatile instrument. You might be using a synth or MIDI keyboard to record your basslines, but you have the freedom to select just about any bass sound you like – including that of an electric bass or an upright bass. You can have a lot of fun, be creative and most importantly create amazing bass parts.

Step by step

1. Getting versatile

1 Let's assume that you're starting with your own melody or a sample. Step one is finding the key signature of your song so that you can record the bassline to match it. Many of the DAWs will have a tool for this if you don't have a music theory background.