Tips.

[Gravesite lullaby]

I'm a bassist and well in my opion I fucking suck. Sure, I can keep a beat. And sure it sounds ok. But I don't want to be ok I want to awsome. Not Falling by Mudvayne is the song that pretty much made me want to pick up a bass. At the time I was much younger and gave up after I'd say 2 months. I picked it up about 2 years later and have been going strong for about 2 years now. What I need help with is writing my own bass riffs. As of right now my lead guitarist writes them for me. What happens is he takes a solo for the song and turns it into a bass riff. I end up playing a really long solo. What do you think would help out? How do you write your own just songs in general? I never really understood the whole improvising. Thanks alot.

 

[Thidrek]

You could play the same riffs like your rhythm guitarist. If he plays, for example F5 F5 E5 C5 you could play F F E C. Or to bring more dynamic in it try to change between the key notes of the chords or licks he plays and their thirds and fifths.
You could play in the same rhythm like the guitarist or you play along the drums, which causes some more "pressure" in some cases. Just try around!

Oh, yeah, and watch how other bands use the bass in their songs. Mudvayne should be a bit too complicated at the beginning, but there are also other more simple bands out there.

 

[Gravesite lullaby]

Thank you. I never thought of that. I'll try that today when the guys come over. Thanks again!