Award Sounds Music, Photography and Consultancy

dsc_0250.jpgEarlier today I wrote an interesting bass riff. Technically, it was nothing special, but it had a good groove to it. I didn't really know where I wanted to take it next, maybe repeat a simpler version of the riff and bring in other instruments for detail. I did know that I didn't want to lose the idea as it's likely to form the foundation of something bigger later on. So I recorded it to a 4/4 clicktrack.

The recording didn't have the right feel so I deleted it and started again. This time, I do what I normally do and put down a drum track first to play along to. I also knew that a standard, straight rock or pop beat wouldn't do it justice. This called for something different. If I'd have decided where I was going with it, then I could have chosen the appropriate drumloops based on the time signature, groove and feel. But I didn't.

Instead, I went through my loop library, investigating the main grooves I thought would work. These turned out to be the 12/8 patterns, 4/4 shuffles, 6/8 patterns and a group of funk tracks. I use BetaMonkey Loops and they're already arranged into well-named groups. Just meant I had a lot to choose from.

Still not having decided, I put roughly 8 bars of each loop on the drum track, keeping the more similar loops together and hit record.

Wow, what a change. I've always known that musicians play differently according to what the other musicians are also playing. (well, they should interact but watch out for bedroom guitarists). I also know that I play differently when the rest of the band change what they're playing, unless it's a conscious effort to keep on the same line.

Each 8 bars had a different feel. Some worked, some didn't work as well, some really stood out. Two very different styles stood out for me and I'll choose one or both of them to go forwards with.

This is the basic track with bass and drumloops. It's not an even 8 bars per change, I was aiming for enough time to develop the idea. If you listen just after each rhythm change, you can hear where I adjust my own playing to suit and at least in one place, I just didn't react in time. It is different playing along to changing drumloops compared to a real drummer. The real drummer would pre-empt changes, either adding notes, even ghost notes or missing notes out as they lead into a change.

This is a raw track with minimal processing and won't end up as it is in any real recording. I will re-record the bass and play it neater when I do the recording for real.

Part of a series by Award Sounds offering a selection of creative ideas to kick-start or rejuvenate a composition.

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