Major-Minor Posted October 5, 2009 Share Posted October 5, 2009 (edited) Playing chords on BG can be very effective if approached in the right way. My good friend Colin Hodgkinson was one of the first players to try this in the late 60's with his trio Back Door (sax/ bass / drums). You can find him on youtube. Well worth watching ! If you try playing chords in the low or mid region of the instrument, it will always sound muddy, OK for a special effect but limited in reality. Octave double stops work fine anywhere and 5th double stops work in the the mid range and above. I tend to only use chords in the range above the 12th fret and I limit this to 3 note chords for clarity. Minor sevenths (no 5th) and major sevenths (again no 5th) work well. Try this easy little sequence of 3 note chords in C major modulating to A major: Dm7 D (3rd finger 17th fret on A string) F (1st finger 15th fret on D string) C (4th finger 17th fret on G string) G7 G (1st fing 15th fret on E string) F (2nd fing 15th fret on D str) B ( 3rd fing 16th fret on G str) Cmaj7 C (2nd fing 15th fret A string) E (1st fing 14th fret on D string) B (3rd fing 16th fret G string) Fmaj7 F (1st fing 13th fret E string) E (2nd fing 14th fret on D string) A (3rd fing 14th fret on G string ) Bm7 B (3rd fing 14th fret A string) D (1st fing 12th fret D str) A (4th fing 14th fret on G string) E7 E (ist fing 12th fret E string) D (2nd fing 12th fret on D string ) G sharp ( 3rd fing 13th fret G string) A major A (open string or 2nd fing 12th fret ) C sharp (1st fing 11th fret D string) A (4th fing 14th fret G string) Once you have mastered this, you have the basic shapes that you can use in any key. And there are many other options we can look at another time - let me know if you want me to do some more on this ! The Major Edited October 5, 2009 by Major-Minor Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
GonzoBass Posted October 5, 2009 Share Posted October 5, 2009 Excellent post Major! Just one [i]small[/i] thing. If I may? [quote name='Major-Minor' post='617323' date='Oct 5 2009, 01:43 AM']G7 G (1st fing 15th fret on A string) F (2nd fing 15th fret on D str) B ( 3rd fing 16th fret on G str)[/quote] - G7 G (1st fing 15th fret on E string) Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
waynepunkdude Posted October 5, 2009 Share Posted October 5, 2009 This is a good song to learn chords. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
alexclaber Posted October 5, 2009 Share Posted October 5, 2009 This morning on Radio 4 Claire Martin performed a tune accompanied by Laurence Cottle on bass guitar in a chordal tour de force - not a good place to start but shows you far bass guitar can go! [url="http://www.bbc.co.uk/radio4/womanshour/01/2009_40_mon.shtml"]http://www.bbc.co.uk/radio4/womanshour/01/2009_40_mon.shtml[/url] The song starts about 6 1/2 minutes into the 'listen again' link. Alex Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Major-Minor Posted October 5, 2009 Share Posted October 5, 2009 [quote name='GonzoBass' post='617527' date='Oct 5 2009, 03:17 PM']Excellent post Major! Just one [i]small[/i] thing. If I may? - G7 G (1st fing 15th fret on E string)[/quote] Many thanks for pointing out my stupid (age-related) error GonzoBass ! Now corrected. The Major ...... really must learn to be more careful and precise ......... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Major-Minor Posted October 5, 2009 Share Posted October 5, 2009 [quote name='alexclaber' post='617550' date='Oct 5 2009, 03:37 PM']This morning on Radio 4 Claire Martin performed a tune accompanied by Laurence Cottle on bass guitar in a chordal tour de force - not a good place to start but shows you far bass guitar can go! [url="http://www.bbc.co.uk/radio4/womanshour/01/2009_40_mon.shtml"]http://www.bbc.co.uk/radio4/womanshour/01/2009_40_mon.shtml[/url] The song starts about 6 1/2 minutes into the 'listen again' link. Alex[/quote] Just what you would expect from the great Laurence Cottle - bass guitar playing at its very best ! Thanks for that Alex. The Major Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
alexclaber Posted October 5, 2009 Share Posted October 5, 2009 [quote name='Major-Minor' post='617634' date='Oct 5 2009, 04:38 PM']Just what you would expect from the great Laurence Cottle - bass guitar playing at its very best ! Thanks for that Alex.[/quote] I was only half-listening to Woman's Hour but that certainly got my full attention! To those just starting out with chords, have a go at root/fifth/octave power chords* (actually they're diads not chords). Take a rock song where you'd be playing something simple on the roots, go up twelve frets and fret power chords whilst strumming with your right hand (I use the tops of my finger and thumbnails but a pick will work just as well). Then send your second guitarist home on account of redundancy... Alex Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
The Funk Posted October 5, 2009 Share Posted October 5, 2009 [quote name='Major-Minor' post='617323' date='Oct 5 2009, 12:43 PM']My good friend Colin Hodgkinson was one of the first players to try this in the late 60's with his trio Back Door (sax/ bass / drums). You can find him on youtube. Well worth watching ![/quote] You, sir, are a friend of a legend! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Major-Minor Posted October 5, 2009 Share Posted October 5, 2009 [quote name='alexclaber' post='617645' date='Oct 5 2009, 04:45 PM']To those just starting out with chords, have a go at root/fifth/octave power chords* (actually they're diads not chords).[/quote] Alex I've not come across this term "diad" before. Of course it makes sense, a triad being 3 notes, so i guess the power chord you refer to is really only 2 notes and so diad sounds about right. But where did you find the term ? The Major Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
thepurpleblob Posted October 5, 2009 Author Share Posted October 5, 2009 [quote name='Major-Minor' post='617323' date='Oct 5 2009, 12:43 PM']Playing chords on BG can be very effective if approached in the right way. My good friend Colin Hodgkinson was one of the first players to try this in the late 60's with his trio Back Door (sax/ bass / drums). You can find him on youtube. Well worth watching ! If you try playing chords in the low or mid region of the instrument, it will always sound muddy, OK for a special effect but limited in reality. Octave double stops work fine anywhere and 5th double stops work in the the mid range and above. I tend to only use chords in the range above the 12th fret and I limit this to 3 note chords for clarity. Minor sevenths (no 5th) and major sevenths (again no 5th) work well. Try this easy little sequence of 3 note chords in C major modulating to A major: Dm7 D (3rd finger 17th fret on A string) F (1st finger 15th fret on D string) C (4th finger 17th fret on G string) G7 G (1st fing 15th fret on E string) F (2nd fing 15th fret on D str) B ( 3rd fing 16th fret on G str) Cmaj7 C (2nd fing 15th fret A string) E (1st fing 14th fret on D string) B (3rd fing 16th fret G string) Fmaj7 F (1st fing 13th fret E string) E (2nd fing 14th fret on D string) A (3rd fing 14th fret on G string ) Bm7 B (3rd fing 14th fret A string) D (1st fing 12th fret D str) A (4th fing 14th fret on G string) E7 E (ist fing 12th fret E string) D (2nd fing 12th fret on D string ) G sharp ( 3rd fing 13th fret G string) A major A (open string or 2nd fing 12th fret ) C sharp (1st fing 11th fret D string) A (4th fing 14th fret G string) Once you have mastered this, you have the basic shapes that you can use in any key. And there are many other options we can look at another time - let me know if you want me to do some more on this ! The Major[/quote] Thanks for taking the trouble to do that.... I'll go and fight with it Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Major-Minor Posted October 5, 2009 Share Posted October 5, 2009 [quote name='The Funk' post='617659' date='Oct 5 2009, 04:59 PM']You, sir, are a friend of a legend![/quote] Actually I slightly exaggerated my relationship with Colin ! The story: My cousin called and told me one of her neighbours who played bass guitar had just bought an EUB and wanted to talk to a pro DB player about fingering etc. I said "Sure, no problem, glad to help. What's his name, I'll call him." "Its Colin - Colin Hodgkinson." "What !!! THE Colin Hodgkinson ??" "Well I know he plays in a few bands." So of course we have a chat on the phone about basses and I thought that was that. What a lovely guy. It was great to talk to one of my early heroes. Then this summer, my wife and I called in on my cousin for coffee while we were nearby on holiday. She said " I'll nip over and see if Colin is home" and sure enough, over he came and we had another good long chat about all things bass. We could have talked all day, and would have if my wife hadn't dragged me away. So I like to think of Colin as "my good friend" ! The Major Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
alexclaber Posted October 5, 2009 Share Posted October 5, 2009 [quote name='Major-Minor' post='617752' date='Oct 5 2009, 06:17 PM']But where did you find the term ?[/quote] I've been using it for ages so I can't remember! Maybe I just extrapolated it from triad? Having googled it it doesn't appear to be in common usage but it is referred to here: [url="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Dyad_(music)"]http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Dyad_(music)[/url] The spelling is due to the Greek root. I think I use it rather than double-stop because double-stop really feels only suitable for stringed instruments because it relates to how the notes are stopped (i.e. fretted) so if you use open strings or a piano then it's not really a double 'stop'. Here's great double-stop tune: (First ones 47 sec in). Alex Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Major-Minor Posted October 5, 2009 Share Posted October 5, 2009 [quote name='alexclaber' post='617787' date='Oct 5 2009, 06:40 PM']I've been using it for ages so I can't remember! Maybe I just extrapolated it from triad? Having googled it it doesn't appear to be in common usage but it is referred to here: [url="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Dyad_(music)"]http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Dyad_(music)[/url] The spelling is due to the Greek root. I think I use it rather than double-stop because double-stop really feels only suitable for stringed instruments because it relates to how the notes are stopped (i.e. fretted) so if you use open strings or a piano then it's not really a double 'stop'.[/quote] Alex That is most interesting. Thank you. I shall try to use the word DYAD from now on - that should flumox some of my pro colleagues ! Yes "double-stop" is specifically a string instrument phrase, referring to the manner in which 2 notes are created ie by 2 fingers on adjacent strings ( on a bowed instrument). Theoretically, an open string played at the same time as a fingered note on another string is not a double stop, but in practice, most string players would still call this a double stop, mainly through lack of any other globally accepted term or phrase. 2 notes played on a piano could I suppose be called an interval, although that term really refers to the distance between the 2 notes, not the playing of 2 notes at once. The Major Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BottomEndian Posted October 5, 2009 Share Posted October 5, 2009 [quote name='Major-Minor' post='617323' date='Oct 5 2009, 12:43 PM']Try this easy little sequence of 3 note chords in C major modulating to A major:[/quote] Tabbed it for you. I'm not a [i]huge[/i] fan of tab, but I find this 100,000 times easier to read quickly: [code] Dm7 G7 Cmaj7 Fmaj7 Bm7 E7 A --17-- --16-- --16-- --14-- --14-- --13-- --14-- --15-- --15-- --14-- --14-- --12-- --12-- --11-- --17-- ------ --15-- ------ --14-- ------ -0/12- ------ --15-- ------ --13-- ------ --12-- ------[/code] Unfortunately there's no sensible (quickly readable) way of imparting fingerings, but I found your suggestions were exactly what I naturally fell into anyway. A nice little Autumn Leaves progression... until that A major! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ahpook Posted October 5, 2009 Share Posted October 5, 2009 i play chords on the bass quite a bit...but never above the octave, cos that just being a guitar isn't it ? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BottomEndian Posted October 5, 2009 Share Posted October 5, 2009 [quote name='alexclaber' post='617787' date='Oct 5 2009, 06:40 PM']Here's great double-stop tune: [/quote] Awesome groove, and I've always heard it as double-stops. Then I stumbled across [url="http://www.lucaspickford.com/transpjgrooves.htm"]this transcription by Lucas Pickford[/url], which notates it as triple-stops. That threw me somewhat -- I just can't hear the minor sevenths in the recording, but maybe I've got sh*tty ears. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
thepurpleblob Posted October 5, 2009 Author Share Posted October 5, 2009 [quote name='BottomEndian' post='617996' date='Oct 5 2009, 09:38 PM']Tabbed it for you. I'm not a [i]huge[/i] fan of tab, but I find this 100,000 times easier to read quickly: [code] Dm7 G7 Cmaj7 Fmaj7 Bm7 E7 A --17-- --16-- --16-- --14-- --14-- --13-- --14-- --15-- --15-- --14-- --14-- --12-- --12-- --11-- --17-- ------ --15-- ------ --14-- ------ -0/12- ------ --15-- ------ --13-- ------ --12-- ------[/code] Unfortunately there's no sensible (quickly readable) way of imparting fingerings, but I found your suggestions were exactly what I naturally fell into anyway. A nice little Autumn Leaves progression... until that A major![/quote] Oh.... you guys! :wub: Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
GonzoBass Posted October 6, 2009 Share Posted October 6, 2009 To me, the "King of Chords" is still [url="http://www.michaeldimin.com/"]Mike Dimin[/url]. (Mainly becuase he does what he does so well on a [b]four[/b] [b]string[/b]...) He has a handful of great lessons available on his site but here is a direct link to his chordal/solo bass arrangement of [url="http://www.michaeldimin.com/autumn.htm"]Autumn Leaves[/url] where he not only kindly provides notation as well as TAB but even includes an audio file. What a guy! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
whimsy23 Posted October 8, 2009 Share Posted October 8, 2009 I use these in my band's songs... F|--------------7------ C|--7----------6---- G|--5----9----5----- C|--0----9---------- Pretty simple but effective in our music. The one on the 9th fret are very short, sharp stabs where I do upstrokes and it sounds pretty cool and offsets against the guitar's downstrokes really well. I must say, I've come over to bass from playing guitar, so playing chords comes naturally. Some interesting new stuff and patterns in this thread that I will be trying out though. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
urb Posted October 9, 2009 Share Posted October 9, 2009 Here's a chord based solo piece I wrote, I use variations on some of the commonly used triple stops, i.e. root, third, seventh, but I also like to use some barred chords which give a slightly more ambiguous quality to their sound, these are sort of 6ths and 13ths, but I've given it all a twist with the variation on Wooten's open, hammer, pluck thing, hope you like it: Cheers Mike Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
beerdragon Posted October 9, 2009 Share Posted October 9, 2009 (edited) This guy seem to be playing quite a few chords, [url="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=x3sMsp14Wy8"]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=x3sMsp14Wy8[/url] Edited October 9, 2009 by beerdragon Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
hookys6stringbass Posted October 24, 2009 Share Posted October 24, 2009 [quote name='Major-Minor' post='617323' date='Oct 5 2009, 12:43 PM']Playing chords on BG can be very effective if approached in the right way. My good friend Colin Hodgkinson was one of the first players to try this in the late 60's with his trio Back Door (sax/ bass / drums). You can find him on youtube. Well worth watching ! If you try playing chords in the low or mid region of the instrument, it will always sound muddy, OK for a special effect but limited in reality. Octave double stops work fine anywhere and 5th double stops work in the the mid range and above. I tend to only use chords in the range above the 12th fret and I limit this to 3 note chords for clarity. Minor sevenths (no 5th) and major sevenths (again no 5th) work well. Try this easy little sequence of 3 note chords in C major modulating to A major: Dm7 D (3rd finger 17th fret on A string) F (1st finger 15th fret on D string) C (4th finger 17th fret on G string) G7 G (1st fing 15th fret on E string) F (2nd fing 15th fret on D str) B ( 3rd fing 16th fret on G str) Cmaj7 C (2nd fing 15th fret A string) E (1st fing 14th fret on D string) B (3rd fing 16th fret G string) Fmaj7 F (1st fing 13th fret E string) E (2nd fing 14th fret on D string) A (3rd fing 14th fret on G string ) Bm7 B (3rd fing 14th fret A string) D (1st fing 12th fret D str) A (4th fing 14th fret on G string) E7 E (ist fing 12th fret E string) D (2nd fing 12th fret on D string ) G sharp ( 3rd fing 13th fret G string) A major A (open string or 2nd fing 12th fret ) C sharp (1st fing 11th fret D string) A (4th fing 14th fret G string) Once you have mastered this, you have the basic shapes that you can use in any key. And there are many other options we can look at another time - let me know if you want me to do some more on this ! The Major[/quote] Thanks for that your Majorness- bbbbbbbb Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Les Posted October 27, 2009 Share Posted October 27, 2009 [quote name='Major-Minor' post='617323' date='Oct 5 2009, 11:43 AM']Once you have mastered this, you have the basic shapes that you can use in any key. And there are many other options we can look at another time - let me know if you want me to do some more on this ! The Major[/quote] As I don't use chords in my band I read rather than contributed to this thread but I'm a bit gutted no one took you up on your offer as I really enjoyed messing about with your chords, so, please, if you've any more Major I'd love to see them. Thanks Les Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
thepurpleblob Posted October 27, 2009 Author Share Posted October 27, 2009 [quote name='Les' post='638466' date='Oct 27 2009, 08:50 PM']As I don't use chords in my band I read rather than contributed to this thread but I'm a bit gutted no one took you up on your offer as I really enjoyed messing about with your chords, so, please, if you've any more Major I'd love to see them. Thanks Les[/quote] I still haven't got the first lot under my fingers yet but I'm getting there :-) I'd certainly appreciate some more for when I get to that point! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Major-Minor Posted October 29, 2009 Share Posted October 29, 2009 (edited) [quote name='Les' post='638466' date='Oct 27 2009, 08:50 PM']As I don't use chords in my band I read rather than contributed to this thread but I'm a bit gutted no one took you up on your offer as I really enjoyed messing about with your chords, so, please, if you've any more Major I'd love to see them. Thanks Les[/quote] Hi Les I suppose there are few opportunities in most band situations to use these bass-chords, but they are great to practice and they help build dexterity and strength, and lets face it, they are good for showing off ! Try this turn-around sequence in C major: [attachment=35380:bass_chords_1.pdf] C major C (2nd fing 15th fret A string) E (1st fing 14th fret D string) C (4th fing 17th fret G string) C#dim C# (3rd fing 16th fret A string) E (1st fing 14th fret D string) Bb (2nd fing 15th fret G string) Dm7 D (3rd fing 17th fret A string) F (1st fing 15th fret D string) C (4th fing 17th fret G string) D#dim D# (3rd fing 18th fret A string) F# (1st fing 16th fret D string) C (2nd fing 17th fret G string) Em7 E (3rd fing 19th fret A string) G (1st fing 17th fret D string) D (4th fing 19th fret G string ) Eb 7 Eb (2nd fing 18th fret A string) G (1st fing 17th D string ) Db (3rd fing 18th fret G string) Dm7 D (3rd fing 17th fret A string) F (1st fing 15th fret D string) C (4th fing 17th fret G string) Db7 Db (2nd fing 16th fret A string ) F (1st fing 15th fret D string ) Cb (3rd fing 16th fret G string ) Once you've mastered the left hand fingering, try playing this as triplet quavers using, on the right hand, thumb index and middle fingers in classical guitar style. More soon ......... The Major Edited October 30, 2009 by Major-Minor Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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