Bass

[Cheesybacon]

This is something I've been having a LOT of trouble with , but when I try to search for information on it I can't find what I'm looking for. I'm trying to make what I have sound less....empty. The first thing that pops out at me would be to add some bass, but I just can't figure it out. The sound isn't the problem, more so the application. When I try to add bass, it just doesn't sound right. Since "How do I bass?" seems too broad, I'll ask some more specific questions in no particular order.

What does bass do for a song?
Are there certain guidelines, mechanics, or intricacies to know about it?
Is it just one of those things I just have to play with?
Is it even necessary?
How else could I flesh out a song?

Any and all advice would be appreciated.

[Versilaryan]

It depends ENTIRELY on the context and what you want the bass to do. Genre of music, where you are in the song's structure, et cetera et cetera.

The bass generally does one (or more) of three things. It lays down what chord is currently playing, it's playing a repeated riff that carries on through the song, or rarely, it plays a melody. Depending on what you want it to do, you choose a sound to be the bass. Distorted, crunchy things (like guitars or sawtooth) make a good "riff" bass but stick out if you want them to just hold down fort. And so on and so forth.

Yep, it's something you need to play with. No, it's not necessary, but it can make a song sound bigger.

If you have an example of your music that sounds empty to you, maybe we can listen and give more precise feedback. It could easily be something other than the bass that's causing a problem!

[Cheesybacon]

http://dl.dropbox.com/u/25074693/sus/Ahhhhh/Example.mp3
This one demonstrates my thoughts best, I think.

(In hindsight, the second clip wasn't actually necessary, as that was one where I was playing with effects.)

[2clop]

http://dl.dropbox.com/u/25074693/sus/Ahhhhh/Example.mp3
(I sure hope I did that right)

After a bit of tinkering I got this
http://dl.dropbox.com/u/25074693/sus/Ahhhhh/SOMETHINGELSE.mp3

Well I'm probably the least qualified person on this forum give suggestion for this type of music, but it sounds like a bassline would really flesh out your examples. It wouldn't have to be anything fancy, even just the root of the chord underneath the melody. Try that and lower the attack, up sustain, something like that should provide more structure. It's entirely likely I have no clue what I'm talking about though, so take it with a grain of salt.

[Versilaryan]

The problem isn't the bass, like I thought. =P Adding a bassline can make something sound fuller, but if you have just a melody, drums, and bass, it's still going to sound empty.

But still, I agree with 2clop. Adding a bass to this would definitely help a lot. I disagree with it just sustaining the root -- purely IMO, you should do something crunchy and rhythmic to contrast the smooth melodic line. But it's up to you. Experiment and see what you like!

Secondly, I'd suggest adding some cymbals to the drums. You have a /really/ minimalistic drum groove, and given how the melody goes, that's probably not for the best. Listen to other tracks and listen for the drums -- how the kick, the snare, and the cymbals interweave to make something more complicated. It doesn't need to be Venetian Snares complicated; just complex enough to fill out the groove a little more.

Lastly, adding some inner voices will help make the song a lot fuller. I can't help you at all here -- that's all up to you, unfortunately. I'mma just repeat myself and say to listen to lots and lots and lots of music and see what they do, and then do what you want to do once you've heard how other people do it!

[Cheesybacon]

I've never heard crunchy used in music before...and I have no idea what inner voices are, either.

[Versilaryan]

If you've listened to WoodenToaster's "Beyond Her Garden", I'd say the bass in that is /very/ crunchy. Generally, when people say something's crunchy, it has a harsher sound.

If you imagine your music in layers, where the highest "voices" (lines, instruments, notes, whatever) are on top and the lowest notes are on the bottom, then all the lines between them are the inner voices.