Topic: bass
can anyone help im a brand new bass player, is there anywhere i can get bass chords instead of tabs?
- James McCormick
- Honoured Member
- Offline
Re: bass
Hello manics4eva - welcome to chordie and congratulations on learning to play bass! A knowledgable bassist is always in demand. Generally, the bass line is not chords, but rather is created using the notes of the chords being played by the 'lead' instruments.
The bass will not usually be playing all the notes of a chord together - rather, you will be playing the parts of the chords all spread out. A spread out chord is called an 'arpeggio'. (It is pronounced ar-pedj'-e-o)
Once you learn the basic arpeggio patterns for major and minor chords, you can create solid bass lines that provide the tonal and rhythmic foundation for a group. If you know what chords are being played and you know the arpeggio patterns you can make magic!
Here is site that has lots of great bass stuff:
http://www.cyberfretbass.com/arpeggios/basic/index.php
Some guitarists see the bass as a 'dumbed down' guitar. It most definately is not! In some ways playing the bass well demands more musicianship than guitar. A great bass player can add real snap and drive to a group. James
"That darn Pythagorean Comma thing keeps messing me up!"
[url]http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Pythagorean_comma[/url]
[url]http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Pythagorean_comma[/url]
Re: bass
thank you very much
- cytania
- Senior Member
- Offline
Re: bass
Just picked up a bass myself Eva. The ground floor of bass playing is simply playing the root note, so if the chord is G fret on 3rd on the E string, if the chord is C drop down to 3rd on A etc. This cna sound fine on tracks where you are providing unobtrusive support, country ballads etc. It is also key to simplistic 60s frat rock stuff like 'Louie Louie' and 'Hang On Sloopy'. But after that you need to start getting into full blown grooves, lines you cand move around and apply.
Another good starter song I've had fun with tonight is 'Little Honda' by the Beach Boys. Look for a version that is C F G although it's all up one fret (capoed at first on regular guitar). Watchout for some wrong bass tabs for this. Correct 3 notes are 4th fret A string, 2nd fret E string and 4th fret E string. Use a hard pick to imitate a honda two-stroke engine. Great fun!
'The sound of the city seems to disappear'