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Six music-theory moves for better bass lines

Hack Music TheorySaved in 4 people's production playlists, 2017–2021
YouTube
1M views · 9 years ago · tutorial

Starting from a plain root-note bass line, six changes are added one at a time: breaking up 4ths and 5ths, motifs, syncopation, non-root notes, octaves and rests, ending with the finished line.

You hear a boring bass line turn into a good one step by step, and each move is simple enough to try right away.

  1. 0:00 Intro
  2. 2:51 Hack 1: Fix Perfect 4ths & 5ths
  3. 4:30 Hack 2: Make Motifs
  4. 5:42 Hack 3: Add Syncopation
  5. 6:46 Hack 4: Uproot Some Roots
  6. 8:07 Hack 5: Add Octaves
  7. 9:23 Hack 6: Add Rests
  8. 10:36 Final Bass Line

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