How to Turn Chord Progressions into Basslines in Seconds
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When producing hip hop, lo-fi, or R&B, it’s easy to get stuck trying to figure out what your bassline should do. But here’s a simple trick that works every time: use the bottom notes of your chords to build a bassline.
This method is quick, musical, and guarantees that your bass will lock in perfectly with the harmony of your track. Let’s break it down.
Step 1: Start with a Chord Progression
Whether you’re using one of our MIDI chord packs or your own progressions, load them into your MPC or DAW. Play them back and listen carefully to the lowest notes (the root notes) in each chord. These are usually the foundation of your harmony.
For example, if your chord progression is:
- C minor 7
- A♭ major 7
- F minor 7
- G7
The bottom notes would be C – A♭ – F – G.
Step 2: Remove the Other Notes
In your MIDI editor, simply delete the higher notes from each chord, leaving just the lowest note. Now you’ve stripped your progression down to a clean bassline.
This gives you a melodic path for your bass that follows your chord changes naturally.
Step 3: Adjust Rhythm and Groove
A bassline doesn’t have to just hit on the chord changes. You can:
- Shorten notes for a punchier feel
- Add extra notes for movement (like passing notes or octaves)
- Change the rhythm to match your drums
For example, instead of holding a long note on “C,” you might play a short staccato C that bounces with your kick drum.
Step 4: Layer or Process for Style
Depending on your genre:
- Hip Hop → go for a heavy, punchy 808 style bass.
- Lo-Fi → try a warm, round, vinyl-like bass tone.
- R&B → use a smooth, sustained bass sound for vibe.
Why This Works
The root notes of your chords already define the harmonic foundation of your track. By using them as your bassline, you guarantee that your low end is always in key and always connected to your chords.
It’s one of the fastest ways to get a strong, musical bassline without overthinking.
Try It with Our MIDI Packs
All of our MIDI packs work perfectly with this technique. Just load up a chord progression, strip it down to the root notes, and you’ve got an instant bassline ready to customize.