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Isolating the bass line in recordings


Nayland

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Having neglected my ear training for a while, I want to get back into transcribing songs from records. Problem is, though, that sometimes the bass can get easily buried. I'm mainly thinking of older jazz records with double bass, but it can happen with just about any other kind of music - especially if the recording is older. Is there any decent method of separating the bass line to any degree? For example, I notice that Winamp has a graphic EQ, maybe that would work with the right settings. Any ideas? I usually use mp3s rather than any sort of analog medium.

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Having neglected my ear training for a while, I want to get back into transcribing songs from records. Problem is, though, that sometimes the bass can get easily buried. I'm mainly thinking of older jazz records with double bass, but it can happen with just about any other kind of music - especially if the recording is older. Is there any decent method of separating the bass line to any degree? For example, I notice that Winamp has a graphic EQ, maybe that would work with the right settings. Any ideas? I usually use mp3s rather than any sort of analog medium.

 

 

 

Start with the root chord change notes and get those down ,,,, then go for the bass line. It will narrow down things and make that bass line easier to find. rat

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Man, I don't know of anyway other than how I do it. I always put whatever I'm learning whether it was a record or a cd onto a cassette tape. That way I can go back and forth until I get all the notes. Or at least really close. I'm sure there are better ways, but that how I've been doing it for 30 years.

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Something I do occasionally is try to find a real good free MIDI file (Theres a billion free MIDIs on the net) of the song and either (A) solo the bass track and learn the part by ear or (B) quantize it (if needed) and print the sheet music.... Now, granted, a MIDI file is some programmer's interpretation of the part(s) but some of these are really accurate ( Its a weeding process) and have helped me learn many parts in the past........

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Typically I run the song in Audacity, compress heavily and boost lows.

 

Hey that's not a bad idea, thanks. I used to have one of those Ibanez bassman dealies, where you could put a cassette in, slow it down, boost the lows, etc. Those were the days! It's long gone though, but this should do the trick. Thanks all for the suggestions.

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I guess I'm old fashioned. I spend an obscene amount of time playing, stopping, backing up, and playing again until I've learned every part.

 

Oh, I do plenty of stopping and backing up, but there's a difference between trying to transcribe, say, a Geddy Lee bass line (which is usually fairly easy to hear) and trying to transcribe a Percy Heath or Ray Brown bass line that was recorded in some nightclub. Anything that makes hearing the bass easier will minimize the stopping and backing up.

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