Playing a third instead of root:- Buggles/Bruce Wooley Video Killed

[iconic]

Ok assuming this is played in Db major...this is a 1,4,5 chord run....Db, Gb, Ab....but Trev' plays the lower F instead of the Db making this the 3rd of the root Db....sounds great.

Bruce Wooley and the Camera Club play it 'straight' see/hear 2nd video in case you thought the Buggles did it first!

Question for theory virgin:- This using a 3rd instead of the root for a 1,4,5, its sort of a leading note for the 4th....so is this 'use of' chord inversion for a bass?


[media]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cubkCsEpIrA[/media]


[url="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yXlxqdX2WLA"]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yXlxqdX2WLA[/url]

Edited May 8, 2013 by iconic

[Bilbo]

Could be described as a slash chord Db/F which is, as you say, an inversion.

[iconic]

Ahh right thanks....so is there a rule for slash chords....usually a third maybe?

[Bilbo]

They exist most often but it is a case of whatever works. No reason you can't have a ninth in the root.

[Guest bassman7755]

[quote name='iconic' timestamp='1368041360' post='2072513']
Ok assuming this is played in Db major...this is a 1,4,5 chord run....Db, Gb, Ab....but Trev' plays the lower F instead of the Db making this the 3rd of the root Db....sounds great.
[/quote]

Its quite common to use inversions in order to make the bassline more "linear" i.e. walking up or down in single scale steps to create a stronger resolution or tension rather than jumping about all over the place by slavishly following the chord roots and this is whats being done here. Heres another example from Abba's Dancing Queen: F#m7 B7/Eb D

However if the chord progression was more stepwise then you might do the opposite with the bass i.e. use 5ths/5rds to jump around to add interest.

A third variation is to hold the bass on a constant "pedal tone" while the chords change (again see Dancing Queen).

Edited May 11, 2013 by bassman7755

[iconic]

thanks for that bassman, well explained.

...pedal tone...same as a drone?

[Guest bassman7755]

[quote name='iconic' timestamp='1368429635' post='2076833']
thanks for that bassman, well explained.

...pedal tone...same as a drone?
[/quote]

Yes indeed.