What notes can I play over a B7 Chord

[Linus27]

I am doing a walking bass line over a B7 chord. At the moment I am playing B, D, E, F#, G, A, B, D as a scale going up the fretboard starting on the B on the A string and ending on the D on the G string. Are these notes correct or am I playing a wrong note somewhere??

Thanks for your help.

Edited September 16, 2009 by Linus27

[BottomEndian]

[quote name='Linus27' post='599940' date='Sep 16 2009, 10:11 AM']I am doing a walking bass line over a Bb7 chord. At the moment I am playing B, D, E, F#, G, A, B, D[/quote]
Good lord. That's quite a... fruity choice.

Bb7 contains Bb, D, F and Ab. So if you're playing your notes there (which is basically B [s]harmonic[/s] natural minor without a 2nd), you'll have clashes on the B, F# and A, and the E might sound a little fruity as well (as the sharpened 4th over the Bb7), although it will probably fit.

As for what notes you "should" play, well... if it sounds good, don't worry. A lot of it's about context -- what's before and what comes next?

I'm sure a few of the jazzers will be along to suggest some options.

EDIT: to get the damn scale name right

Edited September 16, 2009 by BottomEndian

[stingrayfan]

Root, fifth, octave.

[BottomEndian]

[quote name='BottomEndian' post='599951' date='Sep 16 2009, 10:26 AM']...which is basically B [s]harmonic[/s] natural minor without a 2nd...[/quote]
And I could have added B Phrygian or B Aeolian as alternative names (again, both without the 2nd degree of the scale/mode).

Edited September 16, 2009 by BottomEndian

[dlloyd]

[quote name='Linus27' post='599940' date='Sep 16 2009, 10:11 AM']I am doing a walking bass line over a Bb7 chord. At the moment I am playing B, D, E, F#, G, A, B, D as a scale going up the fretboard starting on the B on the A string and ending on the D on the G string. Are these notes correct or am I playing a wrong note somewhere??

Thanks for your help.[/quote]

It depends where you're coming from and where you're going to.

Are you just playing over a static Bb7 chord? or is it resolving to somewhere else? What's everyone else doing? What sort of music is it?

The chord tones, particularly the 1, 3 and 5 (Bb, D, F) are going to serve you best in terms of outlining the harmony. You might want to try to play those on the strong beats (in 4/4 on the 1st and 3rd beats of the bar).

On the weak beats you're going to want to play a note that lead you towards the next strong note. That depends on what you just played and what you're going to play...

[Linus27]

[quote name='dlloyd' post='599981' date='Sep 16 2009, 10:56 AM']It depends where you're coming from and where you're going to.

Are you just playing over a static Bb7 chord? or is it resolving to somewhere else? What's everyone else doing? What sort of music is it?

The chord tones, particularly the 1, 3 and 5 (Bb, D, F) are going to serve you best in terms of outlining the harmony. You might want to try to play those on the strong beats (in 4/4 on the 1st and 3rd beats of the bar).

On the weak beats you're going to want to play a note that lead you towards the next strong note. That depends on what you just played and what you're going to play...[/quote]

The chords that preceed are Em I think and again Em after if that helps. Maybe I can post or send a rough copy of the song to make it all a bit clearer. 1st, 3rd and 5th (B, D, F) sound right and a good starting point.

[dlloyd]

[quote name='Linus27' post='600082' date='Sep 16 2009, 12:33 PM']The chords that preceed are Em I think and again Em after if that helps. Maybe I can post or send a rough copy of the song to make it all a bit clearer. 1st, 3rd and 5th ([b]B[/b], D, F) sound right and a good starting point.[/quote]

There's a pretty important distinction between B and Bb.

If you post the chords (making sure you get the flats/sharps right) you'll have a better chance at getting some sensible suggestions.

[Linus27]

[quote name='dlloyd' post='600087' date='Sep 16 2009, 12:40 PM']There's a pretty important distinction between B and Bb.

If you post the chords (making sure you get the flats/sharps right) you'll have a better chance at getting some sensible suggestions.[/quote]

Yeah, I just realised that after I posted. If I was to play just the root notes then they are, G, F#, E, B, E (plus one other chord at end but can't remember)

Not sure if that helps

[BottomEndian]

[quote name='Linus27' post='600093' date='Sep 16 2009, 12:45 PM']Yeah, I just realised that after I posted. If I was to play just the root notes then they are, G, F#, E, B, E (plus one other chord at end but can't remember)

Not sure if that helps [/quote]
I think we're probably more confused now!

Best bet: post up that rough recording.

[lowdown]

[quote name='Linus27' post='599940' date='Sep 16 2009, 10:11 AM']I am doing a walking bass line over a Bb7 chord. At the moment I am playing B, D, E, F#, G, A, B, D .[/quote]


If you play those walking notes over a Bb7chord, whatever style...
There would be a few raised eye's.
Soloing, maybe yes.
Dropping that series of notes a half step, would work, maybe not ideal..
But would give a good blues outline.

Garry

Edited September 16, 2009 by lowdown

[Linus27]

[quote name='BottomEndian' post='600098' date='Sep 16 2009, 12:47 PM']I think we're probably more confused now!

Best bet: post up that rough recording.[/quote]

Ok, will post the rough recording tonight

[Paul Cooke]

a Bb7 chord has a root note of Bb... (and is refered to a a Bb Dominant 7th) (alternative name Bb dom7)

and has the notes Bb, D, F, Ab (Steps: 1-3-5-b7)

It is NOT a root note of B with a flatted 7th, that would be written as a B7 (alternative name B dom7)

which has the notes B, D#, F#, A (Steps: 1-3-5-b7)

[BottomEndian]

[quote name='Linus27' post='599940' date='Sep 16 2009, 10:11 AM']I am doing a walking bass line over a Bb7 chord.[/quote]
Hold on a minute. I don't want to sound patronising, and I certainly don't mean it as such, but... you don't mean B7 or Bm7 do you? The flat symbol in Bb7 refers to the B, not the 7. From the sequence of root notes you've posted, it looks like you're in the key of G, in which case Bm7 fits nicely -- it's chord III in G.

If the chord's actually Bm7 (notes: B, D, F#, A), then your walking notes will fit OK. If it's B7 (notes: B, D#, F#, A), then it'll still sound OKish, but the flattened 3rd (D) in the bass might cause a few winces on a strong beat.

I guess we'll find out when you post the recording.

EDIT: Paul beat me to it while I was posting! Great minds...

Edited September 16, 2009 by BottomEndian

[Linus27]

[quote name='BottomEndian' post='600130' date='Sep 16 2009, 01:06 PM']Hold on a minute. I don't want to sound patronising, and I certainly don't mean it as such, but... you don't mean B7 or Bm7 do you? The flat symbol in Bb7 refers to the B, not the 7. From the sequence of root notes you've posted, it looks like you're in the key of G, in which case Bm7 fits nicely -- it's chord III in G.

If the chord's actually Bm7 (notes: B, D, F#, A), then your walking notes will fit OK. If it's B7 (notes: B, D#, F#, A), then it'll still sound OKish, but the flattened 3rd (D) in the bass might cause a few winces on a strong beat.

I guess we'll find out when you post the recording.

EDIT: Paul beat me to it while I was posting! Great minds...[/quote]

To be honest, you could very well be right. The guitarist told me it was Bb7 but Bm7 makes more sense. What I am playing sounds ok but he said one of the notes sounds wrong but we could not work out what the note was, thus me asking here :) To be honest what I was playing sounds ok but he which makes me think its Bm7.

Edited September 16, 2009 by Linus27

[Linus27]

Just spoken to the guitarist again and he says its a B7 and has apologised for the confusion.

So should I then be playing B, D#, E, F#, G, A, B, D# ????

Edited September 16, 2009 by Linus27

[dlloyd]

[quote name='Linus27' post='600232' date='Sep 16 2009, 02:14 PM']Just spoken to the guitarist again and he says its a B7 and has apologised for the confusion.

So should I then be playing B, D#, E, F#, G, A, B, D# ????[/quote]

It looks like the tune is in E minor, in which case you'd be fine with those notes.

You'll probably find that D# won't work in any of the other chords, and will want to use a D natural.

(the third of the dominant chord in a minor key often gets raised to provide a better resolution to the tonic... in this case Bm7 will be substituted with a B7 to strengthen the progression to Em)

Edited September 16, 2009 by dlloyd

[Linus27]

OK, I have found a version of the song done acoustically. You can't hear the bass so well but you can hear the acoustic guitar in the verse. At the moment, in the verse where I am doing the walking part, I am playing the following notes G, B, D, F#, E, B, G, E, B, D, E, F#, G, A, B, D, E, D, B, A, G, E, D, E. Its what I am playing over the B7 chord in the verse which is the problem. Also, the third verse which is the instrumental verse I am playing a much busier walking bass line which may have the odd wrong note in Please feel free to point out wrong notes.

[attachment=32983:The_Flea...coustic_.mp3]

Sorry for the quality but its the best I can find and thanks for any help

[dlloyd]

[quote name='Linus27' post='600905' date='Sep 16 2009, 11:50 PM']OK, I have found a version of the song done acoustically. You can't hear the bass so well but you can hear the acoustic guitar in the verse. At the moment, in the verse where I am doing the walking part, I am playing the following notes G, B, D, F#, E, B, G, E, B, D, E, F#, G, A, B, D, E, D, B, A, G, E, D, E. Its what I am playing over the B7 chord in the verse which is the problem. Also, the third verse which is the instrumental verse I am playing a much busier walking bass line which may have the odd wrong note in Please feel free to point out wrong notes.

[attachment=32983:The_Flea...coustic_.mp3]

Sorry for the quality but its the best I can find and thanks for any help [/quote]

Chords in the verse are G, Em, B7, Em, C, Am, D, (B7)

Yeah, you should probably avoid the D on the B7. At the moment you're playing B D E F#... to be honest, that E is pretty weak too. B D# A F# would work better (IMO)

[Linus27]

[quote name='dlloyd' post='600941' date='Sep 17 2009, 12:36 AM']Chords in the verse are G, Em, B7, Em, C, Am, D, (B7)

Yeah, you should probably avoid the D on the B7. At the moment you're playing B D E F#... to be honest, that E is pretty weak too. B D# A F# would work better (IMO)[/quote]

Great stuff, thank you so much for your help and everyone elses help. You're all very cool