Psychedelic Rock Bass Lines: The Ultimate Guide

In this post, we’ll show you how to lay down some seriously funky Psychedelic Rock bass lines. We’ll give you all the tips, tricks and techniques you need to get that classic psychedelic rock sound.

Defining Psychedelic Rock

Psychedelic rock, also known as psychedelia, is a style of rock music that emerged in the mid-1960s. The style is characterized by a distorted, fuzzy, feedback-laden guitar sound, combined with trippy lyrics and bridges, and is often associated with the use of mind-altering drugs such as LSD.

The Birth of Psychedelic Rock

Psychedelic rock is a style of rock music that emerged in the mid-1960s. Its distinguishing characteristics include the use of feedback, extended guitar solos, and extreme distortion. The genre developed out of the British blues scene and was influenced by American rock bands such as the Beatles, the Beach Boys, and the Rolling Stones.

Psychedelic rock reached its peak of popularity in the late 1960s but began to decline in popularity in the early 1970s. The genre was revived in the 1980s by bands such as R.E.M. and the Pixies, and continued to be popular throughout the 1990s with groups such as Nirvana and Radiohead leading the way.

The Sound of Psychedelic Rock

Psychedelic rock is a style of rock music that emerged in the mid-1960s. Its origins can be traced to the United Kingdom and the United States, where bands like the Beatles and the Beach Boys began experimenting with new sounds and production techniques.

Psychedelic rock is characterized by its use of distorted guitars, feedback, and other sonic effects to create a “trippy” or “mind-expanding” sound. This characteristic sound was often achieved by playing guitar through a wah-wah pedal, which creates a “sweeping” effect. Other common psychedelia techniques include sitars, backward masked sounds, and altered states of consciousness induced by drugs such as LSD.

Psychedelic rock was often used as a means of escapism, as it allowed listeners to travel to new places without ever leaving their home. The genre became popular during the hippie movement of the late 1960s, when many young people were interested in exploring alternative lifestyles and expanding their minds.

Despite its popularity, psychedelic rock was largely overshadowed by other genres in the 1970s. However, it has since undergone a revival in the form of neo-psychedelia, with bands such as Tame Impala and MGMT helping to reintroduce the sound to a new generation of listeners.

The Key Characteristics of Psychedelic Rock Bass Lines

Psychedelic Rock bass lines are usually characterized by their use of effects, extended note values, and unusual time signatures. They often make use of counterpoint and have a tendency to be highly syncopated. Psychedelic rock bass lines often make use of pedals and other effects to create an otherworldly sound.

The Use of Octaves

Octaves are a key characteristic of psychedelic rock bass lines. By playing an octave, the bass player creates a feeling of space and separation between the instruments in the band. This is essential in creating the psychedelic sound, as it allows each instrument to be heard clearly and creates a sense of movement within the music. Octaves are also often used to create tension and release, by either playing ascending or descending octaves. This can add excitement to a psychedelic rock bass line and make it more interesting to listen to.

The Use of Power Chords

One of the key characteristics of psychedelic rock bass lines is the use of power chords. Power chords are two-note chords consisting of the root note and the fifth. They are commonly used in rock and metal music and can provide a very heavy sound. psychedelic rock bass lines often make use of distorted power chords to create a thick, fuzzy sound.

The Use of Distortion

The first and most obvious characteristic of psychedelic rock bass lines is the use of distortion. In the early days of psychedelic rock, this was accomplished by cranking the amps up to 10 and letting the natural overdrive do its work. As time went on and bassists became more experimental, they began to experiment with different types of distortion pedals to create different sounds.

Somewhat related to the use of distortion is the use of feedback. Feedback is when the sound from the amplifier is picked up by the bass guitar pickup and then sent back through the amplifier again. This creates a sustain effect that can be used to create long, sustains notes or textures. Feedback can also be used in conjunction with other effects pedals to create even more interesting sounds.

Psychedelic Rock Bass Lines in Action

Psychedelic rock bass lines are a staple of the genre. They provide the low-end groove that helps to drive the music forward and create a sense of tension and release. In this article, we’ll take a look at some of the best psychedelic rock bass lines and see how they work.

The Beatles – “I Want To Hold Your Hand”

The Beatles are one of the most influential bands of all time, and their bass lines are some of the most iconic in rock history. “I Want To Hold Your Hand” is a perfect example of Paul McCartney’s signature style: a driving, melodic bass line that provides the perfect foundation for the song’s catchy hook.

The Rolling Stones – “Paint It, Black”

“Paint It, Black” by the Rolling Stones is a perfect example of how to create a psychedelic rock bass line. The key to this bass line is the use of chromatic notes. Chromatic notes are notes that are not in the key signature of the song. For “Paint It, Black,” the key signature is E minor, but the bass line includes many notes that are not in E minor. This creates a sense of tension and release that is essential to psychedelic rock.

The other important ingredient in this bass line is the use of quarter note triplets. This creates a sense of forward momentum that propels the track forward. Without this forward momentum, the track would feel stagnant and would not have the same level of energy.

Cream – “Crossroads”

This is one of the most famous bass lines in rock history. It was written by Jack Bruce and performed by him with Eric Clapton and Ginger Baker in the power trio Cream. It was originally released as a single in 1968, with “Passing The Time” as the B-side, and later appeared on the album Wheels Of Fire.

The song is in the key of E and is based around a 12-bar blues progression. The opening riff is played with a wah-wah pedal, which gives it a very distinctive sound. The riff is played twice, followed by a short solo section. After the solo, the riff is played again, followed by a second solo section. The song then ends with a repeat of the opening riff.

The main thing to listen for in this bass line is the use of slides to create tension and release. Jack Bruce was a master of using slides in his playing, and this bass line is a perfect example of that. Notice how he starts each phrase with a slide up to the note, before resolving it down to the next note in the scale. This gives the bass line a very fluid sound and helps to create an overall sense of forward motion.

Conclusion

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