Designing Basslines

[Cyren]

Hi guys,

I'm just curious how do you guys start off designing a dubstep bassline? I'm talking about filthy dubstep like ukf.

1. Do you start off with the melody or do you start with a bassline and do melodic stuff later?
2. Do you make the bassline or the drums first? For example, do you make the bassline and program the drums so it matches or do you make a drumloop and do the bass afterwards?
3. Do you have anything in your head first and just translate it to your DAW or do you start with experimenting around?

Whats the best way to start with a song from scratch? Are there any reads around for this topic?

I'm just interessted how other producers work.

[ehbes]

I start with drums and make my bass around that

[street_legal]

Either or, find a sound that inspires you and build on it. Keep pressing until you get some more structure then start to build your track around that. That's how I do it.

[Canonmusic]

I always get a basic kick snare hat pattern going because creating melodies, baselines, and sounds is a lot easier when you have drums providing some groove and inspiration.

[wub]

Build the drums/bassline around the existing elements of the track

[VirtualMark]

Bass comes first for me, its the most important part of a dubstep tune, as its bass oriented music. I'll start with a note and tweak synth parameters until i get something i like. I'll often have a basic beat playing while it loops tho, just to keep time. By basic i mean kick on 1 snare on 3, i'll fit the rest of the drums in later.

Quite often a bass will only sound good on a couple of notes, which is why i prefer to fit everything else in afterwards. If i was making a different genre, then bass wouldn't always be the first thing. With dnb for example, having good drums is easily as important as good bass.

[Zkeeto]

drums first, bass line second ( uauLLY A sub not a wobble) then melody then wobble, then atmospheres, pads risers, incidentals