The Only 4 TYPES Of Bass Lines You'll Ever Need To Create 

Hey Luke. I have just discovered your channel and I wanted to say that your work is amazing and has been like that for the past 3 years. Always going straight to the point, but taking the time to explain things that are not that obvious to everybody. Your videos tend to be long, yet they are not "stretched" like some other RU-vid channels do. Thank you for this amazing content. You deserve more people to know you than the ones that do now.

Stage 1: the bassist is friends with the rhythm guitarist Stage 2: the bassist is friends with the drummer Stage 3: the bassist is friends with the lead guitarist or the keyboardist Stage 4: the bassist has no friends

As a life long bass player you reminded me how important it is to keep it simple. We need to remember the bass and drums are the engine that keeps the song moving forward. Many thanks from Tucson!!

I would break it down differently.... I would combine your Types 1 and 2 Type 1 - Root Notes (Nirvana, ACDC, Smashing Pumpkins) Type 2 - I-V-I-V (country bass) Type 3 - Riffs (TOOL, Rage Against the Machine, Metallica) Type 4 - Walking/Melodic lines (Paul McCartney, Motown)

I like that aging banana look.

Type 5: Whatever the hell Les Claypool is doing

Type 5: You forgot to plug your amp during the gig

It is plain to see that you know your shit, my dude. You dissected the key points and presented them perfectly. It was enlightening to hear your thoughts along with the demonstrations!! THIS VID HELPED SO MUCH! Great teaching! Cheers

That “Give it away” lick seems inspired by the Beatles “Come together”... Imo. No idea if it actually was but it just seems like maybe it was? Awesome lesson. My uncle just got a bass a week ago. He is 59 years old and wants to play with me and has never played an instrument. Im gonna send him this vid. Cheers!

Running with the devil by Van Halen is probably a great example of the 1st type. So simple, but gives the song so much power.

I happened to come across this video unintentionally, today, and what a refreshing one it is. As a bass and guitar player for several decades, this isn’t new to me and, for that reason, I usually don’t watch more than a minute or so of these “basic techniques and knowledge” videos, because they usually present something with which I’m already very familiar. However, this one is so well presented that I had to watch it to the end, even though what was presented is not new to me. The thing that impressesed me most is that you keep stating the words “it serves the song well.” That is the #1 purpose of a bass, and all instruments - everything is in support of the vocal, or lead instrument in the case of an instrumental. In the case of the bass, it is to create foundation, reinforcement, and forward movement through dynamics - intensity and space. I see and hear way too many amateur bassists trying to fill all available spaces, and while many of them do have amazing facility on the instrument, which is commendable, they have no sense of space, which is not commendable, because it makes an otherwise great song less so, and doesn’t lift a mediocre song onto a higher plane. You mentioned James Jamerson; he is a wonderful example of knowing how to use space - he rarely used a flurry of notes on recordings, although he was more than capable of it. Just as with graphic arts, where negative (empty) visual space makes the piece more effective, and more pleasing to peoples’ eyes, so it is with the bass to listeners’ ears. A measured amount goes a long ways. When I learn or create a baseline to a new song, I have a tendency to overplay. Thus, I record it along with the song, then listen back to it critically. During playback I hear where the song needs more breathing room, and I simplify my bass line to accommodate that. Sometimes one sustaining note, instead of the three I used originally, creates a more effective and dynamic aural experience. Like life itself, keep a song breathing instead of choking the life out of it with overplaying the bass. The bass is there to enhance a song, not dominate it, unless it was specifically written for that purpose, such as being the lead instrument and, of course, during bass solos, but even with solos, pacing and “empty space” help to create an exciting listening experience by injection unexpected surprises to the listener, rather than just a flurry of notes for several minutes, which gets boring the longer it goes on.

7:16 nice save bro

Type 5 : Primus bass lines

I'm a drummer, but this is fascinating. I sent this video to my bassist and he loved it. It also gave me some insight into my own playing.

Great rubric! I can always remember these 4 types: mono, drum lock, doubling, independent.

Love the beauty of simplicity in bass. Too many people want to be guitarists and over play. They could screw up Stand By Me.

John Wetton's bass on King Crimson's "Starless" is the ultimate example of the type 4 . Fripp's guitar is simply strumming chords while Wetton plays the lead line on the bass. It is one of the most haunting tracks in the history of progressive rock and considered by most Crimson fans as the highlight of their career..

This was very helpful for me as a new songwriter. I knew bass-lines were key to memorable hits; but not being a bassist, I didn't know what the breakdown was, so thank you.

Like that invisible pick at 1:43

Cliff Williams from AC/DC was once called 'the eighth note wonder of the world' by GUITAR WORLD Magazine in exclusive interview,he was the least musician on earth I'd expect to see in that magazine

The opening of the Beach Boys' "Good Vibrations" that Carol Kaye came up with..a PERFECT type 4!

When i started, I took the Geddy Lee or Chris Squire route: Play the root and then play extensions or key passing notes. Or! Arpeggio rhythms and passing bass melodies to using the chords dominate and use passing notes to keep the time moving. Easier said than done as a composer.

The man! I'm just getting back into my music and was wondering why everything was sounding complicated and hard to listen to. Gotta keep it simple but effective. Thanks for the tips man. Love from New Zealand.

Thanks so much! I was writing bass lines electronically while producing and knew nothing about the dynamics of bass lines! This was a great way to get me started and understand how bass lines fit in the mix

I like it when the root note follows the kick drums perfectly, while in the other beats the bass creating it's own melody, so it's basically follows the drum pattern, but maybe it skips 1 note or adds extra notes, but the root notes are on beat with the kick drums. Sorry, I'm not a bass player, so I can't really explain it, but I do experimenting with songwriting and this is what I noticed.

Amazing, im current making basslines to heavy metal songs, this helps a lot, type 3 is my style

Thank you so much for this video Luke. I'm a songwriter that has learnt music theory and I felt a bit lost on where to start when arranging bass for my songs. Your video is very clear with well known examples. This has given me what I need to move forward.😊

Type 5: Tony Levin

Trying to write bass lines has always confused me. This is a great resource to start from. Cheers!

Good you know and use the term "Formulaic"

3:30 I've heard this song my whole life and have never noticed!

Does everything have to begin and end with "Yeah?" "Nice bass line....Yeah" Sounds amazing.....Yeah.

As much as the title seems like an oversimplification. You’ve managed to encapsulate a wide swathe of genres and create a framework for thinking about building your own basslines. Kudos.

Very nice video. I have been playing bass and composing most of my life but you really nailed down a coherent explanation and formula of what most good bass players do intuitively. Kudos. Also, thanks for so many examples that older players can relate to.

An interesting perspective but it puts all interesting bass lines into the type 4.

I am a bassist and I don't know what you're talking about. I need more lessons.

Seems more like it would be 1, 2, 3 and everything/anything else, so by definition it has to cover anything that comes along. It's just that the 4 is a lot more complicated than that. This lumps in walking bass, C&W 1-5s, funk lines, countermelodies, syncopation, grace notes on top of 1, 2 and 3; heck, even just holding whole notes, and a whole lot of other stuff.

please make "how to make melodic independent basslines" video haha btw. always found your videos soooo helpful thank you luke!

So interesting! A good overview of the ways to make basslines. Good job!

could you demonstrate how these 4 types of lines apply to Cuban tumbao in the Timba style and how the bass works with the piano and percussion? That I would like to see.

This is a stupid valuable video. I'll probably watch it about 8000000 times over the next few week,

Thanks for the video! It's very useful. Congrats!

Walking? Slap bass? Bass chords (ie. root and compound 3rds)?

Cliff never overplays and he just supports the song which is important ,unless you're in a band called Primus ha ha

Man just had a baseline slap tune pop into my head and I’ve now written the intro and chorus.

You forgot Cliff Burton (Metallica RIP Cliff), Duff McKagan(Guns 'n Roses), Lemmy Kilmister (Motörhead RIP Lemmy ya bastard) and Steve Harris(Iron Maiden). They are known for doing their own thing, but also play with different instruments. I know these were really specific bassists, but you get the idea

Type 1 should have been mentioned: Bohemian Rapsody, Rosanna Type 2: Africa, Type 3: Come Together, Baba O’Riley (could be 1 but plays same thing as everything else) Type 4 should have been mentioned: Sweet Child o’Mine, Black or White, The Last DJ Where does The Passenger (Iggy) fit tho? Rootnotes simple (1) and own melody (4). Edit: okey so as a huge Tom Petty fan I just have to mention him as his basslines. They are pretty much all typ 1, possibly 3, but like listen to the songs! They are still great!!!

Hi Luke. I love the sound of your bass, so what's your secret please, eg, cab plus Head or combo maybe and or your settings ? Love to hear from you, cheers for now, Col Atkinson

If you told me there's only 4 main types of bass lines ? I'd say Thank God. I want to spend time making good music, not trying to out-play the world.

Awesome. This actually makes sense.

Where was this video when I was so desperately learning how to use bass in a song. You just showed how to use the simplest base an have them be so good and explains where it is to use them. Thank Ü!

I have been a bassist for over 30 years . You really know your stuff!

This like telling people who want to become racing car drivers that there's only two types of cars in the world - manuals and automatics.

Thank you so much, Luke!!! All your videos are soooo well-done. You manage to explain themes which seem very complicated in such a very clear and simple way. Once again: thank sooo much and best regards from Germany!!!

I really like this guy he’s super cool at explaining his methods and he’s a great player too

As a new bass player, but with a lot of guitar experience, this lesson is good. Thanks.

Much appreciated, thank you. I haven't been playing long. I play bass where there is no written bass line. There are chords and melody. It is helpful to think of them in that way. Quite often I get stuck playing type 1s and 2s (Even if there isn't a drummer!) And quite often feel that this is very boring and limited. But then the songs come up rarely and we don't get a lot of time to practice.

I feel like I have to weigh in on Flea here. His basslines might sound like type 4, a lot, and I mean A LOT are actually type 2, but with a lot of details around them. Even in your example of Give It Away he clearly follows the kick drum with his accents. Just watch the Flea & Chad Show and you'll see.

I love how enthusiastic you always are!

Spector?

You have really good content , very charismatic and engaging as well. I share your channel to a few people I brought into the "Bass" player world. Thanks for helping keep them motivated !

So what type is reggae bass?

Thank you very much for this video, I made 3 really Cathy basslines after I watched this

Like the fact that you talk about songs, you really know your way, I'm not even a bassist but I enjoyed this, great class m8

yeh?

Type 1: Hypnotize Type 2: Dance Type 3: Make it Fat Type 4: Bass Injection

I've been playing guitar half of my life now but have been just working on improving my bass playing. This is simple but just brings some clarity to what I want to do on bass. Good video!

I've only just started learning bass and I've honestly had no experience so these lessons are really helping me, thanks Luke, you're incredible❤️❤️

That was an extremely well organized and professional instruction. Thank you very much.

Explain Primus now.

Awesome lesson! You have changed the perspective of bass playing for starters like me. God Bless you Luke

As a music producer I use all of these techniques but many different polyrhythmic patterns especially in the genre of deep house. If you are familiar with deep house I'd love to hear your take on the often syncopated polyrhythmic basslines of that genre.

great vid mate

That Was One Of The Most Enlightening Lessons That I Have Ever Had! NO HYPE! THANKS

*And then Tool/Meshuggah appears.*

thanks, man. it's really helpful. hope your channel will get bigger. cheers from indonesia.

I think this is oversimplified! It won't help you learn bass lines. It's helpful for creating them I guess, but once you know your theory this is a given.

I love bands. I love the classic band composition. 3 musicians and a bass player

Type 2 works really well for singer-songwriter stuff.

I'll investigate more of your channel, but 1-3 sadden me about the role of a bassist in creative musicianship. Thanks for the depressing summary.

Thank You Luke ! Exactly what I was looking for. Simple and right to the point. 😊👍

Great video! Talking about type 4 (if I got it right), Duran Duran's Save a Prayer can be a good example. For me, the bassline there leads the whole song.

Very simplistic, I’m not a good player yet everything I play is type 3 or 4, and most of the time I made it up and the band follows me.

I just stumbled onto your video off a link from a Gallien-Kreuger MB Fusion 800 demo (which I just bought :) this was the best introduction to an approach to bass lines.. WOW, I thought, so simplified and so many hybrid possibilities using them.. Thank you.. I'm a guitarist, this is one of the best instruction videos I've come across.. simple to the point, and eye-opening..

I generally avoid type 1 bass lines, and use type 2 only sparingly. I go out of my way to have the rhythm guitar(s) and the bass inject their spaces differently so sometimes they reinforce, and other times you only get one or the other. Also at the very least I'll have what would otherwise be Type 1 bass lines modify however many notes at the end of a bar are necessary to smoothly lead into the next chord. Like in the C♯m-E example I wouldn't have eight straight C♯s, but rather change the last one to D, or the last two to D and D♯, to lead smoothly into the E. It's based on the "no weak members" principle I take toward my writing. Everyone gets called upon to do technically difficult (but still playable) stuff from time to time, and that includes the bass. What does it bring to the table aside from filling the gap that separates the drums from the guitar(s)? If it's never going to be front and center, why have a bass player at all? Just let the keyboard player do it all with his left hand a la the Doors.

You´re a genius, the best bass teacher, thank you

@2:30 basically the summarization of writing music in general hahahahaha but still an absolutely vital lesson to be sure!

Luke, you should add three more, the chromatic half step used in jazz, and the walking bass used in early rock and roll, gospel etc. you see Fats Domino and Little Richard playing these bases lines. I play bass in a full gospel church and these are the two we use a lot, look up a BeeBop scales. The other that is a good one to know, simply root note then 5th on top of the root chord walking up or down to the next chord. You see this type in Country a lot.

Thank you for this, and all your videos. For a type 4 bassist, check out Tony Butler, who played with Big Country whilst the much missed Stuart Adamson led the band. Tony's baselines are a whole band instrument on their own, whilst managing to still be in the groove of the band ......

Also intro to live wire ac/dc also solid rhythms 👍

everyone: being a bassist is easy! me:k (see's Mob Psycho 100 "99.9" song) me:ho no, this ain't easy

Great video. Robert Dileo from STP does a lot of the type four thing. Interstate Love Song is a great example.

I honestly just discovered your channel just now and I want to say this right here has been such a great help I've been playing bass for a year and I enjoy it I wish I could play acoustic guitar for my fingers will not allow me to but knowing how easy it is for the bass player and everybody makes it sound and makes it feel like it's so Technical and so hard it's actually easy I want to say thank you for your lesson thank you for your guidance on this and also thank you for your Insight very insightful lessons here

Thank you! This is a very thoughtful and practical analysis. I needed it.

Love it! What about a fifth type? : The meandering improvisational line that plays over the chord changes. It's not prevalent in pop music, but common in jam bands i.e. Allman Bros, Grateful Dead, Fish or other stoner rock bands. Just playing the changes with no particular line in mind. Thanks again for the awesome vid! 😊

Brilliant teaching! Getting me really pumped to play more! 👇🏻🎸

Ive been struggling with basslines , this is a great tutorial

I break it all down to two tecnics and i explain it in a Minute. And then you can start to mix them.

Thanks man, I learned to play the guitar using youtube a few years ago but I always wanted to learn to play the bass and this really helped me get started!

Literally just picked up the bass! Happened to stumble across your videos! Subscribed!