Anyone know of any software that can arrange bass parts? The only thing that comes to mind at the moment to me are things like Band in a box, jammer pro, one man band and other PSR based arranger keyboards and software, which can arrange the whole section based on chords. I don't know that any of those will really create extra good bass parts, maybe some basic stuff. I'm looking for some software that can generate some fairly authentic bass lines and parts, given chordscales as input and perhaps a drum track to lock to. hehe. Am I dreaming?

BIAB will give you usable basslines (and drums, piano,guitar etc) for pretty well any chords you throw at it. However turning those lines into killers takes experience ie time and prcatice.

I agree, of all the ones mentioned biab handles the most realistic basslines as it structures for/to anticipation/lead in.

<rant>The more you allow technology to dictate your decisions the less it's about you. You deny yourself the possiblities of self expression and the confidence that comes from developing performance skills by not challenging yourself to come up with your own ideas.
</rant>

Hey come on, you're preaching to the choir. But a lot of the time I have many other musical things I want to handle and really can't be bothered with the details of laying down a realistic sounding bass line, unless I specifically have some kind of unique idea that I want the bass line to play, then of course I want to be able to control that. but 90% of the time, its just a nuisance that slows me down. If I could afford to pay a bass player I would.

No need to rant, if you don't approve, go to another thread.

You could try...















no I can't be bothered.

??

Honestly, Band in a box tops all

http://pgmusic.com

I'll have to mess with that. I'm really looking forward to when Rayzoon will finally come out with jamBassist. Jamstix is positively awesome. When they come out with JamBassist, it will be the bees knees for this kind of thing.

Most of the example songs I've heard from BIAB had positively boring bass parts, I doubt its going to help me. I can plot those kinds of bass lines in myself just as easily. But maybe there are some particular styles that work better than others. I've thought about working with MMA a bit to see if I can conjure up some stuff on my own that way. Its free after all. I used to own Jammer Pro too, but I'm on a mac now. Jammer had nicer sounding grooves in general then I ever heard from a BIAB demo.

Some other stuff I read about, Onyx arranger is now free, but windows only.

Also that Cognitone stuff looks intriguing.

They are "functional" bass parts. If you are listening to them via the built in sound card as most of the demo's run you won't hear the "great bass sound" because you are hearing them in the mix using the computers sound font. As well they aren't mixed Up to hear them as pronounced as it's an accompaniment tool whre parts are supposed to fit in the background not foreground.

Honestly on much of the material I'd challenge you to write as well but if you could you would prolly not need it.

Hi Dewdman,

You might take a look at Songtrix, it has the advantage over BIAB of generating bass parts from autostyles, but then allowing you to render the part and adjusting it exactly how you want. This is shown here:

http://www.chordwizard.com/video_cwsg.html?vid=cwsAutostyle
Last edited by chordwizard on Mon May 14, 2012 10:57 pm; edited 1 time in total

I've been studying walking basslines for the past maybe 6-7 months. There are certain recognized guidelines to setting up a bassline working with a song's chords and the guildelines could be adapted into computer 'business logic'. And, of course, walking bass is only one kind of bassline, but certanly a key bassist skill.

One of the exercises for improving ones ability to do this 'on the fly' like a 'real' bass player is to write it all down and play it. As one does this it follows that even following the rules, that some revision is required. And what's most interesting to me is how one small revision often requires a change to the next bar etc etc. So I'd be interesed in how well various software packages manage this. There may be more subtle rules that come into play or it could be that certain vanilla patterns have precedence. The goal of a 'real' bassist is not to repeat oneself through many choruses.

Anyway, I wanted to learn how to do this for some odd reason. I give myself 3 years to get decent at this. If anyone is interested I have my usual obsession with instruction books and I can recommend a few.

The authors, in order, for various titles featuring walking bass:
Ed Friedland -- this is the best theory instruction
Ed Fuqua -- Mr Fuqua has 'real world' examples that build tensionand reslove over the course of a song structure -- very useful
Jay Hungerford --this book has the least theory, but the lines make beautiful sense after digesting Friedland's book
Todd Johnson -- the DVD/book package (1 & 2) is probably the slowest, but most systematic and most like the pace of real lessons for the beginning bassist.

Hi mate, (still got your CD from CDbaby ). Those hints are great, I always like to learn such stuff.

that was along time ago
I'd like to think I've come a ways since then, but it's really hard to say and now that I'm in 'learning' mode, even harder to commit to any new pieces -- just practice exercises.

I wish somebody would provide those sort of capsule reviews on music instruction books for me, so I'm happy to provide them when I can.