How to Write Better Metal Bass Lines (3 Ways)

***Turn your metal riffs, lyrics, and ideas into complete songs:
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If you want your metal songs to standout you've got to write awesome bass lines.
Bass is often the forgotten instrument and gets the least amount of attention in metal music. The truth is your bass guitar is the foundation on your song.
In this bass guitar/songwriting tutorial, we're showing 3 methods of writing your bass lines and how to come up with amazing bass parts for your songs.
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[@metalmastermind]

***Turn your metal riffs, lyrics, and ideas into complete songs: metalmastermind.com/metal-songwriters-forge/

[@ronswary]

I hung around lol . Great tips brother . Main thing I would throw in from all my years of bass before guitar. Know your key notes , feel the groove from the drums . Try playing around with the rhythm of your riffs to add accent/dynamics . The clips sounded great perfect examples 🤘🏻

[@metalmastermind]

That’s solid advice…you definitely want to be in sync with the drums! Drums and bass are the backbone!

[@Phantombeard]

💯

[@HCkev]

An extremely good example of dynamic bass is God is Dead? by Black Sabbath. The bass line on this song is amazing, it add so much to the song

[@metalmastermind]

That is a cool bass line!

[@The_Great_Letter_E]

@@metalmastermind you could use any Geezer buter solos lol

[@jayh3691]

a ton of sabbath songs are great examples of dynamic bass, with just 1 guitar and 1 bass in sabbath it wouldn't fill the space very well if Geezer only followed the guitar riff. As a bass player, and for any newbie bass player, go learn some sabbath. Ton of fun stuff there.

[@3_14pie]

geezer butler is such an underrated bass god

[@Bad.Rabbit]

I started out as a bass player playing blues, then moving to rock and metal before i took up guitar. I think the best way to be great on bass is to stop thinking like a guitar player. It's a supportive role, not a solo instrument, and you're in the rhythm section. Here's how i try to write bass: 1. Groove on the root note, and only the root note. Don't just double the guitar rhythm. Generate rhythm. Get in a real groove. 2. Once you're grooving, now you can start to incorporate other notes occasionally. I find it best to let the bass melody just come to you while you're grooving, and it may not. I like this way because you're not thinking like a guitarist, adding notes for the sake of adding notes. If it fits and supports the music as a whole, it'll come to you. If continuing to groove works better, you'll want to hang out. 3. You're the foundation of the chords being played. That means you control if the chord is an inversion. You don't have to stick to the actual root, but you better make sure it sounds good. You can add variety to the guitar part by making different inversions through various repeats.

[@ronswary]

Tell that to Les Claypool or Jaco if he was still with us lol

[@Bad.Rabbit]

@@ronswary they didn't play metal

[@ronswary]

@@Bad.Rabbit no but it still is relevant tho the bass isn’t always a backup instrument I record a lot of guitar work just so I can play the bass over it and it’s very metal🤘🏻

[@dudarino666]

@@ronswary the OP was referring to people who come to videos like this. To find ways to get yourself to sound good and be cohesive with a band. Yes we all know a few bands where bassists can shine. Polyphia comes to mind right this moment. It can be just as up front as the guitars. Because their music is built around stuff like that. If your a pro level bassist. You aren't here searching for this type of advice.

[@ronswary]

@@dudarino666 that’s like you opinion bro . I’m only here to show support for Jason . Pro tip - keep your negative attitude off the internet

[@yukmsacierzorro]

One big thing that I’m missing here is 5ths. I.e. in this case when the guitars are playing an E, the bassist van alternate between E and B. Then when the C happens the bassplayer can go “C, G, G”, and then of course “D, A,D”. It’s a very simple way to add dynamics that almost always sounds good. I was lucky to grow up with my dad being a very good rock bassplayer. Treating the bass as a guitar but an octave lower is wasted potential that a lot of people fall into.

[@metalmastermind]

You can definitely add those in, too. We have a pro metal bassist developing a course that will soon be available to Metal Mastermind!

[@LimewaterMusic]

To add to this, that 5th exists in an octave above and below the root so you can change it up and keep things fresh. The biggest jump in knowledge for me was recognizing the fretboard as a collection scales and chords that can be rearranged in so many cool ways. My favorite thing lately has been working on fitting in 7ths and 9ths when appropriate, it kinda gives things a jazzy fusion feel on cleaner parts

[@erickmkm2459]

Been playing bass since 2004. I have been a Metal player from the start. I use all 3 techniques when I write. If I am doing the same thing as the guitar there is still a difference in how I play it. Small thing like if the guitar player doesn’t hammer on or a pull off I’m just gonna plug the note. Kinda helps with clarity of the notes when you’re playing distorted or in a drop-tuning. If you are just trying to do the chords that the guitar player is doing. The way I usually go about it is I try to think what notes I’ll go into making that cord and I will play whichever one of those I think sounds better for the song. So is there playing a G cord. You would have a G, B and D. You would pick whichever one of those notes suits the song better. Obviously the overall goal of being a bass player is to serve the song. With that being said it brings me into playing dynamic. If you’re serving the song correctly you should be able to notice where little Phil and other fun more dynamic things can be put in there to help the song come alive. It also helps you to not be bored out of your skull if you’re playing these songs live and frequently.

[@metalmastermind]

Well said. It's all about doing what sounds best for the song and not just following the guitar, but also filling in those spaces in between.

[@haiheywhatsup]

he’s so big and scary looking but the way he talks is so gentle hahaha

[@metalmastermind]

😂🤘

[@willmatos3787]

Love the way you explained it and how you added actual examples with it to help solidify. I couldn't press the like button enough

[@metalmastermind]

Thank you for that🤘

[@dudarino666]

Great video. I'm a rhythm guitarist that leads a band I started with my drummer. Bassist are hard to find here. So I'm borrowing a bass from a friend and going to create my own riffs so we can get a few demos done, with the thinking it might be easier to find a bassist if they can hear what they need to "at least" be able to play. I love rhythm and going to try these techniques out while making my bass lines. \m/

[@metalmastermind]

Really glad to hear this helped dude!

[@kevinokeefe-ch9ct]

Where u located I'm a seasoned bassist

[@tenwholebees]

I find this funny only because I'm a bassist and my friend is a guitarist and it's impossible to find a drummer lol

[@cripterix2167]

​@@tenwholebees Drummers are the most difficult to find tbh

[@JohnDoe-sq5nv]

One thing I recommend bass players doing is to harmonize with the guitars like Cliff used to do. Listen to the chorus of No Remorse for a great example of this. This gives you some structure when constructing your bass line because you are basically doubling guitars only on a lower string, but since you have already deviated in a clear way it is easier to add your own fills without coming in conflict with the guitars.

[@metalmastermind]

Great tips! We’ve also recently released Metal Bass Master by Annihilator and Aeon Zen’s Rich Gray: metalmastermind.com/metal-bass-master/

[@robertgibbs5488]

Solid advice. I've been playing bass for 25yrs and I still start off with these 3 methods and elaborate from there on by also using the rhythm of the drums and melodies/harmonies of the vocals etc. Sometimes I'll use polyrhythms to add more dynamics. Love the video. Very helpful indeed. My son is learning bass as well and I will show him this video. I'm not very good at teaching and I know he'll appreciate this. Thank you.

[@metalmastermind]

🙏 🤘

[@FullPowerMasteryWithRa]

This is great. One of the most helpful informative bass lessons! I could have mistaken you for a pro wrestler.

[@metalmastermind]

Lol, thank you and really glad this helps!

[@robabrams6485]

Super clear and helpful lesson! Teaching music theory through metal has be my new favourite youtube genre.

[@metalmastermind]

Really glad this helped! We also have a complete course on theory here if you want to go deeper: metalmastermind.com/metal-music-theory/

[@mortenlau9228]

I've played bass for almost 30 years myself and been a teacher for 5-6 years - I thoroughly enjoyed this vid. Your voice, your approach, your language... spot on, man.

[@metalmastermind]

Thank you, we appreciate that! We also just brought in Rich Gray (bassist for Annihilator and Aon Zen): metalmastermind.com/metal-bass-master/

[@SeansYTEntertainment]

What a great perspective on writing bass lines! Very helpful, thank you

[@metalmastermind]

🙏 🤘

[@voronOsphere]

Thanks, Jason. I'm primarily guitar & drums, so these bass concepts will help me a great deal!

[@metalmastermind]

Awesome to hear that...we're looking to start working on a course for rock and metal bass soon!

[@HCkev]

All 3 types has its place depending on what you're trying to achieve. Playing the same thing as the guitar makes the riff sound very fat and heavy. Playing the root notes leaves a lot of room for the other instruments (including vocals), that's something I tend to use for choruses. And of course, dynamic bass lines add dynamics to the song.

[@metalmastermind]

All very true. It all depends on the song and parts of the song. Van Halen is a great example where the bass carries that steady rhythm when other parts of the songs are to be highlighted.

[@HCkev]

@@metalmastermind Just realized you replied lol. Yeah, Runnin' with the devil is a good example, probably the most boring bass line ever, but the song wouldn't be the same without it

[@Criz_Py]

When i write the bass lines i really like to see the bass as some sort of glue. In my early days i used to use method 1 and after a time it sounds really boring. What i mean with see the bass as glue: sometimes it is nice if the bass follows the bass drum with accents of the guitar riffs. To glue guitar and drums together. This way it creates sometimes a whole new song experience. But i love to work on this together and i really think if someone is not only wiriting on their own, the result is getting better. This way you can expand your horizons and really learn or think of something for your song, you propaby never throw a single thought on. If i‘m writing for my band Incantatem and writing my riffs i always write some fundamental bass lines. I‘m a guitar player myself and i know i‘m no bassist. For sure i‘m no drummer either. So what i do i write my ideas for bass and drums as close as i can to my taste and export always two files. One with all my tracks and one without the bass track or the drum track. Then i hand it over to my bass player or drummer and let them first listen to the file without the drums or bass and let them write their own stuff. Then they get to hear my idea of their instrument and mostly of the time, the end result will be a combination of both. Nice vid and greetings from Germany

[@metalmastermind]

🙏 🤘

[@ThymeforBouldering]

Really nice, one. I learned nothing new, but the way you've explained it was more helfull than the sources I've used before when I didn't know those

[@metalmastermind]

Awesome to hear that!

[@gregtimpany4183]

Excellent coverage of the key ideas. Thank you for sharing! (First-time listener, long-time bass player)

[@metalmastermind]

Thank you for being here! Also, be sure to join our metal community here: metalmastermind.com/join/

[@Sheldyck]

my usual first thot when I pick up a bass is to make damn sure I sync with the kick drum

[@metalmastermind]

That makes a solid mix and performance!

[@donmiller2885]

Thank you. This has helped immensely. I needed this push.

[@metalmastermind]

Awesome to hear this helped!

[@ingwiafraujaz3126]

Same

[@diogoalmeida4115]

I haven't even watched the whole video, but getting influences from other genres. Try it. You can go from hip hop to funk, etc. Also Tarantino writes scenes reimagining classic scenes and tries to rewrite them more fun, more sad, etc. That's a cool tip too for writing music

[@metalmastermind]

🤘

[@querieseramchannel9805]

Tq very much sir sweet metal head👊🏾

[@metalmastermind]

🤘

[@cessationofconsumerism]

Great lesson here Jason, I truly appreciate your approach. Been writing more and more dynamtic lines but I needed this demonstration. You make this less difficult for me to understand. The white board helps a ton! Some people make it out to be like rocket science! Lol thank you.

[@metalmastermind]

🙏🤘

[@thomascoolberth2648]

Thanks for this. I kinda knew this stuff but the video reaffirmed that this is the way togo. Inspires me total up bass lessons and try to catch it up to my guitar playing (so important for a musician who works alone).

[@metalmastermind]

Awesome, and we also have the Metal Bass Master course coming out soon!

[@s.b.7154]

Solid advice & examples man. If I'm writing a bass part to go with a riff, I usually go through a few of those steps. First off is to just learn the riff like the guitar plays it. Then break it down into the main notes or chord progression & find the key. Next is learn the drum parts & adapt the pattern to more or less double the drum part while keeping the chord progression. Last is to bring it back closer to the original guitar part while keeping as much of the drum part's vibe as possible & adding a little embellishment. Locking in with the drums adds way more weight a lot of the time than locking with the guitars. Sometimes something as simple as just pounding muted strings locked with the kick can sound way meaner than playing the riff, but sometimes doubling the guitar riff is the right answer too. Its all about how it feels in context.

[@metalmastermind]

🙏 🤘

[@MrNinja007]

bro your channel is amazing, keep rockin!

[@metalmastermind]

🤘 🙏

[@edwardgoodwin7848]

Thank you for the awesome video please keep them coming and keep rockin man 🤘🏻🤘🏻🤘🏻🤘🏻🤘🏻

[@metalmastermind]

Definitely more to come!

[@nicobo730]

I started mixing up my death and thrash metal techniques it makes a pretty unique type of metal I'm playing in C-standard

[@metalmastermind]

Those are cool techniques to combine!!

[@nicobo730]

@@metalmastermind yes indeed they are

[@simplyskullface]

Dude your videos are just simply the best

[@metalmastermind]

🙏 🤘

[@cloakdaggercustoms3903]

So what I've learned watching this is that my brain understands how to write a bassline, but my hands don't know how to do that. Lol.

[@metalmastermind]

You'll nail this down! We also have a metal bass course to be released early 2023 that will have more writing tips

[@cloakdaggercustoms3903]

@@metalmastermind I moght have to check that out, although I've found that I don't really do well with online lessons.

[@juncando]

Excellent. I always end up playing a dynamic bass line.

[@metalmastermind]

Those are the best bass lines!

[@DisturbedVette]

When I saw that you were buff I could immediately tell you know what you're talking about.

[@metalmastermind]

🤘🤘🤘

[@BryceSchwager]

My favorite method was the second one. I think it gave the riff more grounding. Like a more basic version, but I would use all of the methods!

[@metalmastermind]

Combining multiple methods can be powerful!

[@alierolunsal8471]

as an advanced bassist that been on some stages and perform several shows ı didnt actualy figured out how to improves my bass lines some times it feels like i am doing exect same as guitar sometimes it fells like ı am the lead guitar . this video realy helped me out thnx

[@metalmastermind]

That's awesome to hear and glad this helped! It's also great to know that you're out there doing it!

[@wayneturton7445]

Another great video brother, as always keeping it Metal 🤘🤘🤘 I think the methods you detail are great, there are some great metal players who follow the guitar Riff just to keep the track heavy, remember the bass is tuned an octave below the guitar, Doom metal for instance uses this sandwich method to provide the sheer saturation of heaviness exemplified by the master Geezer Butlter of Black Sabbath himself of course I would add ( as Geezer commonly does) fills which follow the drums as & when needed just to keep the dynamics of the track lively. I'd also like to add approaching a track from the other direction in following the drum pattern on the bass, following the second & third methods you detail here, I'm thinking more along the lines of players like Steve Harris of Iron Maiden who very rarely follow the guitar Riff & concentrate adding weight to the drums. My third tip for metal bass is the Cliff Buryon of Metallica method which uses all these as and when needed, follow a particular Riff that needs a little more weight, drop on to the kick drum when the guitar can hold its own, then do something bespoke when it's called for. Experiment, Practice & have fun my brothers & sisters 🤘🤘🤘

[@metalmastermind]

Thank you, dude! And that's great advice on the bass following the drums...those need to be in sync!

[@wayneturton7445]

@@metalmastermind definitely, your rhythm game needs to be on point, I'd suggest pedalling quarter notes at 1st, then up to 8ths up to 16ths if it still sounds empty ( it rarely will tho) then maybe try triplets, gallops & add in fills when you've got something solid 🤘🤘🤘

[@NewAeonWarlord]

2 things I'd like to add as a bassist: - in general (and of course there may be exceptions to this if it works well for some reason), don't palm-mute on bass. It generally doesn't work very well - listen to what the drummer is doing and keep that in mind when writing your bass line. Often it will work best to stick close to what the drummer is playing when it comes to rythm and for tonallity, of course pay attention to the guitars. You form a link between the drums and the guitars.

[@metalmastermind]

Thank you so much for that! It's good to get a bass player's perspective! And those are great tips!

[@NewAeonWarlord]

@@metalmastermind I'm still learning as well. Actually I used to be a guitar player, too 😁 but after several years of hardly doing anything music-related (except for listening of course), I felt like learning bass and now I do that in a band and some projects every now and then.

[@metalmastermind]

@@NewAeonWarlord It's awesome to see that you're back into making music...it's in our blood!

[@NewAeonWarlord]

@@metalmastermind always loved it :)

[@JJedski4200]

I was lookin for a comment regarding playing to the drums. I joined my first metalcore band a few years ago after playing simpler genres. The guitar parts are kind of everywhere and I lack speed so recording became a challenge from overthinking but was told you can simplify it by keeping a rhythm with the kick drum while playin the main note. Might not always be full proof but it’s sooo satisfying when you can make it work

[@AmishMutantPower]

Great tips Jason, as always!!! Best Regards 💪😃

[@metalmastermind]

Awesome to hear that!! 🤘

[@AmishMutantPower]

@@metalmastermind you have a great way to give so many tips and are really fantastic 💪😃

[@DenverStarkey]

the best advice i can give as a bass player. Write the bass line first and don't worry about it being "metal" take influence from multiple genres , and then tailor the guitar sound around what the bass and drums are doing. they make up the basic rhythm of the music so it's really a good starting point for a song any way. asnd don't be afraid to play a different note of a guitar chord as your bass line sometimes instead of just "root noting" it. last but not least , don't be afraid to use chords on bass. lotta idiots say don't do it cos it muddies the ,mix .. and that jusssst bullshit . Steve harris of iron maiden makes use of a lot of chords on his bass track in more reccent years. and his bass is pretty clear as are IM's guitars. also lemmy killmiester played teh bass like it was rhythm guitar.. so yeah taht meant he palyed lotta chords too. so again don't be afraid to experiment with bass chords. as for the video .. i'm definitely a fan of method 3. it just makes for a better sounding and better rounded bas line taht makes the whole mix more lively.

[@metalmastermind]

Great advice and love the bass parts in Maiden!

[@13AndreFalcao666]

As a bass player, I'm really a fan of methods 1 and 2. Y'know, Keep it simple, stupid. But Dynamic basslines are much more fun an become so much more engaging when you write more melodic pieces. I tend to usually mix and match all 3 Mostly if I do a single note or follow the master a approach to the guitar, I will go for the third, the fifth or the forth, as to fill in the gap to the guitar and lay a more solid foundation to the voice, if it suits the song. There are very good examples, Cliff Williams from AC/DC had a knack for it. You can also find it in classical music a bunch. If you hear the different parts of Star Wars, each section plays in a singular way, that brings the sound to its fullest potential. I guess the main thing for the bass is to really make sure the sound feels fat and full. If a bassline is properly built, it can be really simple (i.e. Whitesnake "Wings of the Storm") and bring the flavour to all other parts

[@metalmastermind]

Awesome advice and killer Whitesnake tune! 🤘

[@13AndreFalcao666]

@@metalmastermind underrtated classic

[@creepymcpeepers]

One this I recently learned. Say you're playing a c and d... Your chugging along on an and about to switch to c.. The last couple of beats of the last measure while your on a you can play a few notes from The c minor pentatonic to lead into C Also vice Versa you can make A minor pentatonic fills while your on A which is already a given. But really take a second try playing some minor pentatonic feels of the chord it's about to switch to... It's really freaking cool how you can play some minor pentatonic notes of the chords it's about to change to...😬

[@metalmastermind]

Great tips. We also have a course by Rich Gray (Annihilator and Aeon Zen): metalmastermind.com/metal-bass-master/

[@slo432hz]

From the perspective of a guitarist that plays bass now. You must know what the guitar is playing, and this mostly depends on genre, bur following the guitar through complex riffs (especially of there are vocals as well) helps the song be tight. But you should always do whats best for the song, not try to write the coolest riff. Keep it simple, follow the drum beat, dance around being locked in with the guitar and being locked in with the drums.

[@metalmastermind]

Great advice. And we finally have a real professional bass player on our platform, Rich Gray. You can learn more about his course here: metalmastermind.com/metal-bass-master/

[@BlackFuneralFlowers]

Thank you for the video !

[@metalmastermind]

🤘

[@absoluteai41]

Good to see I was on the right track. I can't just copy the guitar. I gotta funk it up a bit. Do you cover ghost notes, chords, or harmonics? I usually throw them in where it makes sense.

[@metalmastermind]

Glad this video helped! You can certainly dive deeper

[@duplog7602]

Very Nice my Friend!!!

[@metalmastermind]

🙏🏻🤘

[@BlackFuneralFlowers]

Thanks for the tips

[@metalmastermind]

You're welcome!

[@BadEconomyOfficial]

People don’t know this: Bass is SUPER important, I played in a band WITHOUT one ☝️, they said they “didn’t need a bass player.” Bass amplifies the sound to make the electric ⚡️ guitar 🎸 sound 10x cleaner.

[@metalmastermind]

Definitely need the bass (and bass player!)

[@BadEconomyOfficial]

@@metalmastermind Thank you

[@ThemightyEd13]

Method 4). Counterpoint, famously used by cliff Burton

[@metalmastermind]

🤘

[@devinfrench4924]

Subscribed!

[@metalmastermind]

🙏 🤘

[@shadowslayer552]

great vid

[@metalmastermind]

Thank you and glad this helped. We also have a metal bass course by Rich Gray (Annihilator and Aeon Zen): metalmastermind.com/metal-bass-master/

[@ThorntonOrme]

Hepfull. Thank you

[@metalmastermind]

🤘

[@RyujuAD]

Didn’t know bautista and Steve Austin had a son together. Nice to see he is into metal.

[@metalmastermind]

😂 🤘

[@j.c1574]

Can I ask you a question? How do I know if I made a original bassline. Or better said, one that isn’t already used? I know most things sound similar because there is already so much music made. But I don’t want to get copyrighted.

[@metalmastermind]

I wouldn’t overthink that too much. Copyright shouldn’t be an issue if everything else is original

[@tenwholebees]

I do this so much lol I'll start trying to write something and I'll find a sound that's nice to my ears, then I'll add some extra notes and soon enough I'm playing bass lines that I already know. I'll stop and be like, "man this sounds so familiar," and then it'll click that I'm just playing a song that exists

[@Kevinroux13]

Loved your video. I have a stupid question. To create dynamics like you just did and knowing for example that F# is good with a D for example md that E minor is made of E F# g a b c d, what theory do I need to be able to think like you did? Hope you understand what I mean lol

[@metalmastermind]

Dude, to be honest (Jason here), I never dove deep into music theory. It's just about knowing which chords naturally go together. But Ken (co-owner of Metal Mastermind) just came out with a complete course on music theory, and I'm actually diving into that myself. metalmastermind.com/metal-music-theory/

[@mountainManBikes]

It’s a simple question but I have a hard time with notes so I use tabs. 9:14 What tabs would that be? (String and fret number.) sorry I just wanted to know 😅

[@metalmastermind]

We don’t write tabs for this video BUT we do offer tabs in our metal bass course taught by Rich Gray (Annihilator and Aeon Zen): metalmastermind.com/metal-bass-master/

[@mountainManBikes]

@@metalmastermind thanks 👍

[@ghostdog9441]

Hello, can you let me know how do you get this cool bass sound? I like your lessens, thx 👍

[@metalmastermind]

We actually have a metal bass course coming soon! Join our community here: metalmastermind.com/join/

[@mrt862]

Good teacher

[@metalmastermind]

🤘

[@pop8590]

Thank you

[@metalmastermind]

We appreciate you watching!

[@tenwholebees]

I play bass, but I have no idea how to read music and I know very minimal info about music theory, which brings me to my question.. Em scale, being E F# G A B C Isn't the Am scale A B C D E F#? And the Bm scale being B C D E F# G A? And so on? What makes the key important in regards to playing along other than the initial root note? Wouldn't all notes technically work together as long as you're starting on the root? I don't fully understand how I should approach keys and scales when playing with someone. I just play what sounds good, but I feel like if I could get a proper grasp on why it's important and how exactly I should use these keys and scales, I could be even better. Sorry if this question makes no sense, I'm not sure how to word it right.

[@metalmastermind]

It makes perfect sense. And A minor scale has the F instead of F sharp, BUT we metal heads will often throw in the F in the key of E minor to give it that raw, edgy feel. In the keys you mentioned, many notes are the same with only a couple of differences (another example, the key of B minor has an A major where as E minor and A minor has a B minor if you were playing full chords). Check out our video on the Circle of Fifths, which is an easy way to see the big picture: kzbin.info/www/bejne/bKjGh4Zqa8SLgrc

[@eliasaltman4439]

My #1 tip for writing bass lines as a guitarist is to drop the pick. There's absolutely nothing wrong with playing bass with a pick, but playing fingerstyle kind of forces you into the mind of a bass player, getting you to think about the bass as a different instrument and not just guitar but lower. #2 is to listen to Iron Maiden. Really most things you need to know about writing basslines can be learned by listening to Maiden and paying attention to what the bass is doing in relation to the guitars

[@metalmastermind]

🤘

[@pestilentdeath5814]

thank you so much

[@metalmastermind]

You're welcome!🤘

[@TylerDunlap-xp5gz]

As much as i love them, Lamb Of God pretty much always stick with option 1. Sort of hate it, but sometimes it works great, think "Broken Hands"

[@metalmastermind]

🤘

[@ryanjohnston4249]

It absolutely matters if it's Em or E major on bass. If your bass player decided to play E major and the guitars are playing Em...well, you're in E major. The bass drives the bus that is the song. To say otherwise shows that you don't get how music works.

[@metalmastermind]

Agreed, it absolutely matters (as we covered in this video)

[@Dwade-nk9wc]

If you want to learn how to play dynamic bass, listen to Green Day. Mike Dirt is a true master at dynamic basslines, and it is very prominent Green Day's music, so it's easy to listen to and follow.

[@metalmastermind]

🤘

[@Dwade-nk9wc]

@@metalmastermindThanks for the videos. I have done everything from punk to hard rock and never had any issues until I recently tried metal. I binged on your "how to write metal" videos, and I stayed up all night with my bass, and it finally clicked. I have few metal baselines now. Basic, but their metal at least their metal, instead of the hard rock that came out every time Intried before. I will be buying your metal writing course. If the free stuff helped this much... Not bad for just "a guitar player that likes to play bass." Lol.

[@timholmes5511]

Okay hold on! Pause. Subscribe like, now I watch😁😎🤘🤘

[@metalmastermind]

Thank you, we appreciate that 🤘

[@Dundundun0101]

Thank you Stone Cold Steve Austin!

[@metalmastermind]

😅 🤘

[@charlesjaphe]

Really good info, but as a Bass Player..... If you are busy on Bass and sound like a lead guitar, that will conflict with all melody instruments, and you are not playing a downbeat. Need to play downbeats (in my opinion) and match the rhythm of the song (drums, rhythm guitar, etc...) than play a busy bass line. In fact, your runs were ascending, sounded like another guitar, and not bass lines. I like playing descending bass lines (runs). They are counter to the guitar, and lay down a downbeat. However, I do like 3rd's on top of the root. That works. Like in your video you played F# (1string, 2nd fret) instead 3rd string, th fret. :)

[@metalmastermind]

Those are great points. We actually have a metal bass course coming out soon that's taught by Rich Gray of Annihilator and Aeon Zen (I real bass player, not me!! lol This video was just to get the concepts out there)

[@charlesjaphe]

Cool, check my chnnel on Bass. Songs I wrote while in a bands in New Jersey!

[@mitch84Bass]

Mixed feelings here, I always felt guilty using method 1) and 2) where you actually aren't writing anything but making choices to render some parts of the music that just sounds good as they are. Method 3) is actually what you're supposed to do as a bass player, so it's the one I use the most. But there's my favourite which is method 4) and it's soloing, there's nothing wrong about going with bass lead and play a different melody. Especially in metal with low palm muted chords there's a lot of space to take. Not sure how this 4) is not really common, and it's probably why in 95% of metal albums is really boring for bass players. Sounds like a bass is not even needed in the era of 8/9 strings guitar unless you're very good in melody and soloing. :)

[@metalmastermind]

One important thing to remember is that there’s no right or wrong way. There’s not even a ‘best’ way as that’s subjective. There’s only what works best for you. Sometimes we overthink things but we have to keep practicing and experimenting to find what we really want. On that note, we just released Metal Bass Master by Annihilator and Aeon Zen’s Rich Gray: metalmastermind.com/metal-bass-master/

[@ericmiller74]

While he says there are no chords to worry about, to be fair, there ARE chord tones and scale tones that apply.

[@metalmastermind]

🤘

[@thomascoolberth2648]

Send me some suggestions guys on what bass to buy. Need used, budget. I have a Peavey Millenium EXP but it is thin sounding and the pickups are microphonic ! Need a solid bass for metal

[@metalmastermind]

We recommend saving up more and getting a quality bass. You don't have to spend a substantial amount but I would think you can get a really nice used bass for around $600 or so. I'd be leery of getting anything under 300 unless it's a good friend giving you a great deal

[@i5150v1]

What if a bass player plays chords? Then they would have an Em. Good tips though since I’m a diy guitarist.

[@metalmastermind]

Sure, there's no right or wrong way. There's only way sounds good to you and fits the song

[@CairoFrenhc]

What bass is that

[@metalmastermind]

LTD D5

[@frankcavallo]

that bass has a superfluous string

[@metalmastermind]

We like the 5 string because it gives that extra punch, if that's something you're looking for. It also pairs perfectly with a 7 string guitar

[@frankcavallo]

@@metalmastermind just kidding

[@JM-pu8pl]

Basically it's playing what the guitar does but with little fill ins

[@metalmastermind]

That can often work too. But there are times when the bass may be doing something completely different. Rich Gray (Annihilator) shares more tips in his course Metal Bass Master: metalmastermind.com/metal-bass-master/

[@JM-pu8pl]

@@metalmastermind I played guitar since 17 I'm 47 buy was always by ear lol 2 years ago I joined to a band they was missing the bass to be complete so I jumped on the bass but I'm trying to have the knowledge of the music theory scales triads modes etc so far been good we just sign to a recording label and that's why I want to have as much knowledge as possible haha

[@creepymcpeepers]

Also want to avoid intervals the singer is singing on the bass so if the singer is at a 3rd then go for a fifth or a root

[@metalmastermind]

Great advice! We also now have a real pro (touring) bassist on Metal Mastermind, Rich Gray of Annihilator and Aeon Zen: metalmastermind.com/metal-bass-master/

[@creepymcpeepers]

@@metalmastermind I gotta check that out then for sure

[@charlesmerfeld2988]

You must slap the bass

[@metalmastermind]

😅 🤘

[@creepymcpeepers]

Just a observation on tip 2 for bass lines your muting was not so Good we have lots of sympathetic vibrations on bass get those strings muted

[@metalmastermind]

🤘

[@mmaviator22]

Imo want to write better bass parts is to stop thinking like a bassist. Go research justin chancellor, les claypool, nolly or robert deleo from stp whos 1 of my fav bass players etc.

[@metalmastermind]

Or Rich Gray of Annihilator and Arn Zen! He released a complete online Metal bass course: metalmastermind.com/metal-bass-master/

[@tonyv.8781]

Method 2 works for Judas Priest.

[@metalmastermind]

🤘

[@manfrombritain6816]

method 1 is the standard thing which people need to write better-than...

[@metalmastermind]

That’s a good start. We also just released Metal Bass Master by Annihilator and Aeon Zen’s Rich Gray: metalmastermind.com/metal-bass-master/

[@IAMMASED]

Ive been playing for 30+ years... Mostly metal... Started out pick, really tried to perfect my pick speed angle of attack fir arpeggios and justnfor clean and defined sound. I niw olay with figners and can di double thumb 2 fingers three..is what u usually au3 just because ilthats how i practiced. I recently increased my speed wirh fingers by 25% im not going to tell you the secret but Here's a hint.. "flamingo" what i will share is what i learned with a pick... Instead of just your wrist and practicing that speed get used to moving you fingers and turning YOUR PICK VERTICAL INSTEAD OF HORIZONTAL... THEN PUSH FIGNERS HOLDIMG PICK OUT AND PULLING IN AS THE LIKE WOULD DICTATE... WHILE ALSO PAYING ATTEMTION TO ALL THE WRIST MOVEMENTS TECH . WHERE THIS IS ESPECIALLY HELPFUL IS EXTREME SPEED AND SPLITTINGNUP FATIGUE.. AS WELL AS ANDNMORE IMPORTANTLY ARPEGGIOS... PLAYING AN ARPEGGIO ON YOUR BASS WITH THE PICK TURNED UP THE LONG WAY AS IF ITS A RAZON CUTTING UP AND DOWN THE STRINGS... ALLOWES FOR MORE SOEED AND ACCURACY TRY IT OUT AND LMK HOW IT WORKS OR IF YOU ALREADY DO IT My old metal band is PAINSGREY. ON REVERBNATION IF YOU WNNA HEAR ME OLAY... PRETTY COOL STIFF .ITS OLD BUT OK

[@metalmastermind]

Great advice! 🤘 We also have a resource from the bassist for Annihilator and Aeon Zen (Rich Gray): metalmastermind.com/metal-bass-master/

[@cryptidpizza9096]

You mean i cant just open E string forever 😢

[@metalmastermind]

😂…NO!

[@crimsonrimbaud]

Great video, but without trying to offend, you don´t really need a bass guitar in metal music. As a former bass player I would prefer to play a triangle in a school orchestra.

[@metalmastermind]

No offense taken. And perhaps this could be the case with super low tuned guitars. But the majority of metal would sound empty without bass. And a bassist who knows what they're doing (like Rich Gray of Annihilator and Aeon Zen) adds so much dimension to the music (aka, not just playing what the guitar plays as we discussed in the video). He has a complete course on this here: metalmastermind.com/metal-bass-master/

[@crimsonrimbaud]

You are right, of course I was exaggerating, but I just don´t like how the bass guitar parts are solved and presented in the metal music mix especially the live concerts. The bass deserves more room there. @@metalmastermind

[@laurentjrtherrien5131]

Tips at first dont go 2 complicated

[@metalmastermind]

🤘

[@skippypeanutbutter9136]

yay i'm view # 3000. do I get a free bass guitar?

[@metalmastermind]

🤘 Maybe at 300,000!

[@skippypeanutbutter9136]

@@metalmastermind lol rock on! see ya then

[@9hk38f]

OR!!!!!! To save time! Instead of watching this video, on how to write better bass lines. You could just ask a lead guitarist, to write them for you! BAM! MAGICAL! Problem solved! It only takes a lead guitarist a nano second, to write bass lines.

[@metalmastermind]

Eh, not sure about that one! lol

[@DiabloBranco666]

1) do not follow the guitar!

[@metalmastermind]

Definitely not always 🤘

[@patrickgarrett1734]

Metal bass playing for the most part is a fucking joke. I wouldn't be playing bass if metal was the standard.

[@metalmastermind]

Not sure I understand what you're saying. There are plenty of amazing metal bass players out there

[@patrickgarrett1734]

@@metalmastermind just dogging the "doubling the guitar riff" style of metal bassist. I just find that other genres of rock n roll offer more freedom for the bass.

[@spencerhanning5974]

​@@patrickgarrett1734I think reggae bassists have to be the most disciplined all around. They fub 1 note and the groove b gone Jah? You want to hear awesome basslines, you need to look up technical progressive metal. Like First Fragment, Anata, Beyond Creation, some of these bands use fretless bass and it's awesome. ✌

[@patrickgarrett1734]

@@spencerhanning5974 I will stick with the regae