Lesson 14: The Bass

Big, round, and booming, the bass can be found at the foundation of western popular music across nearly all genres. As you certainly know, the bass is a huge component in hip hop production. Learning how to use it well can make all the difference between a muddy sounding low end, to one that hooks listeners with its seemingly hypnotic power. As a hip hop producer, the value of knowing how to produce a bassline is priceless. Produce hip hop and you will undoubtedly be asked to create a bassline that grabs people and inspires them to groove. Buckle up for the knowledge coming your way.

Objectives:

• Be able to identify a bassline and its function in modern production.
• Be able to interpret commonly used rhythms in modern music.
• Be able to use the techniques covered in this course to create their own basslines.
• Be able to identify a bassline and the techniques used to create that bassline.
• Be able to explain the use of a bassline in modern production and will be able to use the techniques in their own production.