Here is a walkthrough of the Line Builder, with screenshots. Licks and lines created with the Line Builder can be transformed into tab and inserted into lessons. You may also be interested in our Line Builder FAQ and our Line Guide. If you still have questions, try posting it to the FretBuzz forum about ActiveBass.

1. The Fretboard 2. The Tablature Display 3. The Control Panel

1. The Fretboard

The Fretboard allows you to enter notes into the Tablature Display. Simply click on the fretboard to specify which note you want to insert. The note is then inserted and your current place in the bass line is advanced.

2. The Tablature Display

The Tablature Display shows you the current state of your bass line. Two measures are shown at a time, and the display will advance one measure at a time as you move forward in the line. Your current place in the display is highlighted in red in the measure markers. The maximum number of measures is 16.

• To jump to a specific place in the tablature, simply click the spot to where you want to jump.

3. The Control Panel

The control panel allows you to move around your bass line, to delete notes, to save and play your bass line, and to change the default duration of notes that are entered into your bass line.

• To rewind or advance the display, use the << and >> arrow keys. • To erase a note, click on the note in the Tablature Display, and hit "Erase Note". • To change the default duration, simply choose a new rhythmic value from the Duration pull-down menu. All notes that you now insert will have this duration. • To add swing to your bass line, choose a value from the Swing pull-down menu. 'Swing' can give a "jazzy" quality to your music. A value of 50% means no swing. Common values for good swing are 55%-60%. 66% will sound like Lawrence Welk. • To save your bass line, simply hit the Save button. • To play your bass line, simply hit the Play button. Choose a different tempo from the pull-down menu at the bottom if it's too fast or too slow. • To stop playback, simply hit the Stop button. • To add a drum track during playback, choose a drum style from the Drum Style pull-down menu and hit the Play button. • By default, playback occurs from the start of the bass line. Uncheck the "Always Play Back from Start" option to play back from the measure you are currently editing.

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