Rock bass lines are usually very simple, and relate to the rhythm of the guitar part. Many pop songs will use bass riffs. This is a short catchy tune. They fit with the notes in the chord but ...

(Video embedded below the break.) A few simple parts later (Arduino, MP3 shield, magnetic door reed switch) and a tiny bit of code to randomize which bass riff plays, and it’s a done deal.

And once you get a riff, you need a place to go, so I recorded it with a cassette player, brought it to the band, and we ...

Still, he was a natural at funky, slinky, scratchy guitar riffs ... subtracting things and experimenting with how simple he could go. The main riff of this song bounces between two notes; if ...