Subject: Need Bass Help

I uploaded a song that I am really crazy about, but it needs some Bass Guitar playing in it. I don't own a Bass Guitar, I don't have access to one and I don't know any Bass Guitar players that can come over to my apartment and lay down a track. So, I am asking You, my fellow Mac Jammers to please help me out.

The song is still a work in progress....and, mentally, I feel like I can not progress with it until I can hear some Bass Guitar going on in it.

I have never collaborated before and am reading thru old MJ posts about how to share Garage Band files across the internet. So, any help that any of you could offer would mean so much to me. I thank you all in advance!


The song is tentatively called Ummm and you can find it here.

Thanks Everybody!

I'm still looking for some bass out there in MJ Land!

Here's a little inspiration along the way.

Well, I don't have a bass, and it ain't my style of music, so even if I did, I probably couldn't help you. But if no-one is going to pick up the chance, may I suggest; play the line(s) on the guitar. Make a copy and transpose it down an octave; mix original and transposed copy. It isn't exactly bass guitar, but you'll have difficulty telling.

Cheers, Shaky

Phil,

Would love to help, but this style is way outside my capabilities. Shaky's idea is a good one - other alternatives are: use good old fashioned bass loops - as chord changes are pretty straightforward, this might work or; use the midi pencil to do a bass track. The second option will be tie consuming, and challenging, but you'll learn a lot.

Good luck.
Neil
B)

Thanks Shaky! I haven't tried exploring GB3 like that yet. I'm still trying to get past mixing and eq-ing. Thanks for the suggestion! I already got the guitar plugged in...I'll record a track and look at Transposing it down a whole octave. If I run into a question, I'll post it here for ya.

Thanks again!



Thanks Neil!

I once read about that on a post somewhere in MJ. I have never tried that nor attempted to even look for the GB Midi Pencil to "write tracks" or however it was described in that post. Thanks for reminding me! That is something I did want to do in GB. I will definitely look into using that tool.

Thanks so Much

Did I mention that I just love MacJams?

Here's a token of my appreciation!



I love this place!!

Hi.You may wish to experiment with the Pitch Audio Unit..It's my understanding that the AU FX are a part of the OS and not reliant upon which version of GB you have..So on your guitar trak you select the FX Generaror and scroll down to AUPitch...Although not ideal it should allow you to get an idea of how or what could be a bass part..The added advantage is you already know how to play the guitar so you can hear it and play it easier...You'll have to mess with the controls a bit and also see if it works better after you record a part or if it works as you play..J

I make no promises, but I've downloaded your tune and I'll play around with it sometimes this weekend and see if I can find a groove that I like and then, if I do, see if it's anything near something that you like.

I will say, if you have a version with lyrics, that would be a big help since I generally approach a bass line more from a melodic/counter melody approach rather than strictly a rhythmic approach. Go listen to a few of my tunes if you're curious and you'll get an idea of what I'm talking about.

Anyway, I'll see what I come up with. If you like it, great. If not, that's cool too.

Here's my modest attempt at adding some big bottom to Phil's song:

http://www.macjams.com/song/46200

i might be able to help, you can listen to some of my stuff. i play allot of slap bass stuff

Oh Wow announcer!!



I am listening to your bass on "Ummm" right now!! That low end bass is definitely the missing element from the song!! I wil leave a full comment on the song's page. But this is a great start. It appears there will be several more versions of "Ummm" coming soon. As soon as they are ready, I will post a link to them here.



Sounds real good jgurner! And I do have lyrics, but my biggest task is getting them recorded. I got a tiny NYC apartment and a big family of four. In the past, I would be home 4 hours before the kids got out of school and before my wife gets home from work. So, I would have a Quiet apartment to myself to record some vocals 5 days a week. Now, we all get home at the same time. For the last 9 months it has been rare that I am home alone for any period of time. Gonna have to kick them out of the apt. on the weekends or something cause it is impossible to have quiet when we are all together.

But anyway, thanks for your help with "Ummm"!



Hi Floppy!! I absolutely LOVE slap bass guitar!! I sure will check out your tunes!!

Thanks everybody once again!!

Here's another token of appreciation!

Hi..Not much to do with anything in the thread,but I thought maybe someone else would dig it too... ..J

Yeah, I dig! Thanks, jjett!

When I first made this post, I had no idea what the community response to it would be. So far, I have been nothing short of pleasantly surprised! Many expressed interest and few even stepped up to the plate, grabbed their Basses and initiated the Groove. All I can say is "Wow" and "THANKS"!

announcer came first with his Bass Interpretation of "Ummm"


And now, here is Bob Rodger's Interpretation of Ummm

Check it out!!

And by the way, there are still more versions to come!!

regarding pitch shifting a guitar to simulate a bass:
I suspect that it is possible to do this effectively, but I tried doing that and despite trying various tweaks, it sounded like %^&.
So I went out and bought a bass, and knew immediately that was the right decision (for me).

I sooo want a bass guitar...but I have to wait for my wife to authorize the purchase.............

haha. This may sound weird, but I wish I had that problem. My wife is SUPER supportive and finds it impossible to say no. I was at Guitar Center with my buddy Russ the other day and they had the micro Korg on sale for $400. I knew if I brought it home I would get no flack. BUT I also knew if I brought it home I would be spending more than I earn. Sometimes I wish I had someone else to say no for me. It sucks pissing in my own cheerios all the time :)

And another one.

Victor.

One man's wish is another man's problem. One man's problem is another man's wish.
.
Hmmmm.....sounds like some lyrics brewing here!

And Oh Yes!!!

VicDiesel has contributed his Bass Interpretation of "Ummm" to the MJ Community!! You got to check it out!! And he used 4 Basses!! Outrageous!!

I am currently mixing yet another version of "Ummm" featuring Allen Dean on Bass. I am having a Devil of a time getting the mix just right. It sounds good in GB, but when I export it out to iTunes, the mix it produces just befuddles me. Guitars too loud over here, guitars too low over there....then I go back to GB to inspect these areas and they sound well balanced. I have been mixing this song for 5 days now and am about to start over from scratch.

Anybody got some ideas on how to export out of GB and still maintain what was sounding good before it mixed out to iTunes? Maybe I should try that export to the web feature.......

be careful that the sound enhancer is not turned on in i tunes. it screws up the sound of the mix in playback. If you are getting what you think are major changes in the mix between GB and Itunes, I would suspect the sound enhancer.

Here is one trick I use to get the final mix I want. I mix the song down to itunes being careful ... very careful with the levels, the reimport the the resulting aiff file to GB and apply the C3 multiband compressor that I downloaded for FREE from somewhere. I tweak the settings on that till I get the sound I want and reexport it to itunes as the final master mix.

Thank You announcer for that advice. I turned off that Sound Enhancer thing and found a vast improvement in the sound of my final mix. You are Da Man and I certainly appreciate you! Plus, I never considered the concept of importing into GB the song from iTunes to mix it down or compress it and then re-export it again....Brilliant!!

Thanks announcer!!