I have a few questions.

Alright, first off, I was wondering if anyone knew any certain way I can set my bass to make it sound more rocky/metally? Like the Amp, I mean. I use picks to play but I want to get that kind of thrashy sound.


Also, I can't seem to actually think of my own material. I just started playing, so should I just be learning songs and that will help me be able to write stuff? or will the creativity just click in after a while?

Thanks.

The creativity should come after a while, if you have a tuner with a mic you may find it easier to think of them in your head then hum them to get the right notes.

as for a rocky sound, maybe get an overdrive stompbox and play further towards the bridge, with down strokes with your pick.

Writing for bass is tricky, There's just so many roles to be filled. It requires a good deal of knowledge and skill to write songs that are just bass. The best thing for me to do is think of a line in your head that sounds really cool then find all the notes and try to play it. Keep your chin up, it only gets better.

+ volume
+ fuzz
+ scooped mids
= metal (sorry if thats too general a comment \m/heads)

As for writing, I do some very basic stuff with chords, I'd say go to studybass.com learn modes scales and chords then see if you can put them together there's a decent thread on modes that Smaz posted in the Learn to play section I think that contains most of what you'll need to remember about modes

hope that helped man

For the sound, go with what Black said. The main thing is the smiley EQ. Boost your lows and highs and cut your mids. However, I play metal too, but I prefer my sound the other way around. I boost my mids and leave the highs and lows flat. It gives a very crunchy sound that cuts through the mix. If you really want to be heard, use the second set up, if you don't care if they can hear you then use the smiley. You can be heard in both cases, but with the smiley your sound and playing won't be noticed unless the crowd listens really hard, but that's the thrashy sound.

As for creativity, if it's metal just follow what the guitar player does and add some variations. You should start off by learning other songs though and then creativity will come in time. I've never hummed tunes and tried to learn them, I just start playing and when I find something that sounds good I put it down.

i swear scooped mids was for slap bass?
oh well i might be wrong

maxf13 wrote:i swear scooped mids was for slap bass?
oh well i might be wrong

Slap bass is one of those things where it's a personal opinion, I think scooped mids on slap bass makes it sound a bit empty ( I'm all about the mids). Scooped mids works with metal though totally. Especially if it's a thrashy sound you're after