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Transcribing Bass Lines

i'm transcribing a tune without a sheet, and i'm having trouble transcribing the bass line for the chords. i'm using the 7th string product to slow it down, but i can't hear the bass notes clearly. are there any tips? perhaps if you're familiar with the program...

thanks!
nate

by nate_smith on 06/04/2010, 00:58

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i am not familiar with that program, but if you paid money for it i assume you can transpose the music up an octave. try doing this. it will make the bass line in a sonic range that is easier for the most part to hear the pitches when they are slowed down. sometimes there some pitches you might be having a hard time with that you will get by transposing the whole thing up two octaves.

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by Mike on 06/04/2010, 13:57

do you have speakers that produce the bass frequency range? logitech makes 2+1 computer speakers with a subwoofer for bass that sell for under $90

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by Jazz+ on 06/04/2010, 21:19

are you transcribing the entire song? once you have the chord progressions, the bass part is usually somewhat obvious or at least relatively simple to deduce. mike's advice is great as is that by jazz+. hang in there, as long as you keep trying you are at least finding the notes that don't belong. which of course is my greatest talent. i can find notes that are wrong nearly perfectly. sometimes though the "wrong note" isn't too bad sounding. if you never get it to sound exactly right, so what? if you want to duplicate someone's efforts, just play their original version. changing it a little might identify it, as to some degree, yours. i hope you keep it up.

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by wdennissorrell on 06/06/2010, 09:31

instead of turning the ones that you want to hear up. i'm convinced to this day that i damaged a very nice pair of headphones by jacking the bass up to max to transcribe a bass line.

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by ziggysane on 06/06/2010, 17:04

(there's a bass emphasis setting if you're using transcribe!, that is).

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by ziggysane on 06/06/2010, 17:05

from someone who has gotten involved in recording/mixing/studio-related stuff,here's a suggestion-

if you have balance/pan controls on your speakers,try adjusting this until the bass is more audible pitch-wise....if you don't,get a set of speakers and a pre-amp that allows for this..you'd be surprised how much of a difference this makes in what you hear.....i agree w/all the above as well....another thing is,you can decide that the changes you're going through w/this particular recording aren't worth it if your goal is to understand/be able to play similar lh patterns/ideas-and invest instead in one of the many available products on the market that allow you to turn off channels to transcribe a given part(aebersold is one off the top of my head.......)

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by smg on 06/10/2010, 14:55

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Transcribing Bass Lines

There are 6 comments, leave a comment.

by Mike on 06/04/2010, 13:57

by Jazz+ on 06/04/2010, 21:19

by wdennissorrell on 06/06/2010, 09:31

by ziggysane on 06/06/2010, 17:04

by ziggysane on 06/06/2010, 17:05

by smg on 06/10/2010, 14:55

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Transcribing Bass Lines

There are 6 comments, leave a comment.

by Mike on 06/04/2010, 13:57

by Jazz+ on 06/04/2010, 21:19

by wdennissorrell on 06/06/2010, 09:31

by ziggysane on 06/06/2010, 17:04

by ziggysane on 06/06/2010, 17:05

by smg on 06/10/2010, 14:55

Reply to Thread

Jazz Piano Notebook Series

"Latinesque"

LJP Jazz Piano Blogs

Most Recent Discussions

Articles

Top Sheetmusic Picks

Jazz piano education is cool.

Rock on. Follow your passion.

Sign In