Creating a Moving Bass Line - Music Composition

Discover how to transform a piece of music that is using block chords into a much more engaging presentation with a moving bass line. Taking the opening of the British National Anthem this music composition lesson demonstrates how to keep the bass line moving by adding passing notes/ passing tones, auxiliary notes/ neighbour notes, by moving to other harmony notes/ chord tones. It then demonstrates how chromatic embellishment of the bass line can add colour to what otherwise might be a rather plain piece of music. This video will help musicians to understand more fully what is going on in much of the music they play and will empower composers wanting to transform something ordinary into something much more creative and engaging.
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🕘 Timestamps
0:00 - Introduction to creating a moving bass line
0:34 - Playing the piece
1:15 - Techniques you can use
3:11 - Working on the bass line
16:29 - Playing the original version
16:56 - Playing the adapted version
17:21 - Conclusion
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[@MusicMattersGB]

Learn Music Online - Check out our courses here! www.mmcourses.co.uk/courses

[@user-ii3zs2gr6u]

Gareth, you may not become king of the UK (stiff competition, and not as easy a job as people might think), but you are already the king of YT Music Theory Classes! (And "God save our Gareth Green" fits quite well with the original first verse, doesn't it?)

[@MusicMattersGB]

Ha ha. You’re very kind!

[@carlstenger5893]

Excellent video! Talking through the process as you magically improve the piece REALLY helps. Thanks so much!

[@MusicMattersGB]

A pleasure. Hope all well

[@enriquesanchez2001]

Brilliant, logical and musical! Thank you, Gareth! ♥

[@MusicMattersGB]

You’re most kind. Much more at www.mmcourses.co.uk

[@jayducharme]

This is a nice companion lesson to your previous exploration of the BNA ("Improving a Bass Line"). I prefer this version, which isn't as busy.

[@MusicMattersGB]

That’s great

[@wernervannuffel2608]

As usual : brilliant "easy" solutions with step by step explications... Just great.

[@MusicMattersGB]

Glad it’s helpful. See www.mmcourses.co.uk for much more.

[@eplumer]

i appreciated the explanation of use of chromatic lower neighborhood where regular neighbor tone would have clashed with harmony.

[@MusicMattersGB]

😀

[@francobonanni3499]

Excellent lesson on how to move the bass line. Thank you so much.

[@MusicMattersGB]

A pleasure. Much more at www.mmcourses.co.uk

[@dwukMUSIC]

Another great video. Thanks for sharing

[@MusicMattersGB]

A pleasure. Much more at www.mmcourses.co.uk

[@alexisnkhala574]

This is indeed deeply great my teacher

[@MusicMattersGB]

Glad it’s helpful. Much more at www.mmcourses.co.uk

[@ilninfeo]

Excellent, as always!

[@MusicMattersGB]

That’s very kind

[@paulhaddad4133]

Very smart idea!!!

[@MusicMattersGB]

Glad it’s helpful

[@ericrakestraw664]

For the first beat of bar 5, I would add passing 16th notes to the bass (either 8th note C, followed by B-C 16th notes or C-A-B-C all in 16ths) if you wanted to disrupt the rhythmic monotony of eighth notes for the previous four bars. Think of it as sort of a written-out mordent or turn.

[@MusicMattersGB]

Absolutely. There are many other possibilities

[@unknownentrappment_ed3522]

Thanks

[@MusicMattersGB]

A pleasure! Thank you very much for your generosity and support for the channel!

[@alandenton2973]

I think King Charles would like your version, and he would know what you had done as he is a bit of a music buff!

[@MusicMattersGB]

😀😀

[@Stashi1808]

Hey I have a question sir. I'm writing a orchestra peice in sonata form and I composed a development section but it is kinda a new theme which runs through many keys and takes some rhythmic parts from the expostion and tweaks it. My question is is that the right way to develop it? Can I use a strict phrasing that modulates through different keys and takes some rhythmic qualities from the expostion? It also pretty short compared to the expostion. Or is that totally wrong? I'm a bit confused. Thanks for any advice sir.😊

[@MusicMattersGB]

None of that is wrong. Sonata Form has a set structure but composers are very free with the respective lengths of sections and it’s not uncommon to introduce new material during the Development section. Go for it!

[@Stashi1808]

Thanks! You have given me hope of doing something decently. Thanks.😁

[@MusicMattersGB]

That’s good.

[@kornsuwin]

this videos feels very familiar

[@MusicMattersGB]

😀

[@rjlchristie]

If you are regarding the last chord in bar 3 as a seventh, haven't you left the seventh unresolved?

[@MusicMattersGB]

Not a problem because it’s a II7 not a V7.