If you love the bass guitar you know that playing the bass can be plain and simple or it can be very complicated.  However, No matter what style you are playing the biggest thing to keep in mind is to just play the music from the heart.  You should feel the piece and let the listener enjoy the melody and groove.  Here are a few basic tips that could help beginners when creating their first bass lines.

First, think about your bass tone or sound that should be played.  Will it be real smooth like a jazz bass player or have a bit of an edge to it like a Metal player?  Of Course, this all depends on the type of song, genre of music, and rhythm you want to use.

It’s not against the rules to do some personal experimentation.  Listen to different types of music and songs you are wanting to play.  Be inspired by different types of music or even different instruments. Many players will listen to trumpet riffs to get ideas for bass lines. Be creative. Hear how different bass tracks sound different depending on the music. Move the track forwards or backwards to see which sounds better.

Shorter more Staccato notes sometimes sound better than the long legato notes if a bass part need a choppy sound.  When writing a song you can try to edit some notes taken from other parts of the song to fit them into a totally different phrase.  The melody is still familiar but with a different cut because it was inserted on a different line. Again experiment!

Leave some space or silence in the bass parts of the song.  Have you ever noticed how famous bass players put emphasis on the silence between the music notes, especially when they try to emphasize a feeling of pressure into the sound.  It leaves the listener’s ear hanging in anticipation and then satisfying them just a few beats later.

Avoid creating bass lines or melodies that are too difficult for you to play.  You may want to show off how good you are, but you will show you're a better player when keeping things simple.  Some parts of the song can be very attention grabbing especially if the rhythm is extremely fast.  The trick is keeping the frets static until the melody changes.  Like playing drums, bass can be repetituous and percussive. Try to manage your bass lines and chords with some variety.  It is not bad to go back to the first simple bass lines just to avoid having a “wreck” with the sound at the end.

Use the song itself as inspiration for creating your bass lines. Play off of each member of the band. Follow the drums for a phrase, then guitar, and then maybe vocals and back to drums. But again be careful not to overcomplicate things. The Bass is the backbone of the song. Riffs with more bass melodies are best heard when the notes are player in the higher registers similar to the lead guitar.

Never hesitate to edit what your playing so that it is more comfortable to play.  When in doubt, KEEP IT SIMPLE. The best advice is to listen to the bass line and be decisive on the good and/or the bad timing.  Remember that too much of a good thing can turn out badly, the same with playing bass.  If its exaggerated too much, it could ruin the whole song. A little highlighting on the initial beat of a song’s phrase can do the trick.

So to summarize -  be creative, keep it simple, don't be too complicated. The bass sets the groove of the song. Have fun with the bass and most of all enjoy playing!

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