im pretty new to bass, so forgive me if this is a stupid question. i know how to play the roots of power chords etc, but if the guitarist was playing this, then what would the root on the bass be??

thanks

In a 4 string bass, tuned the same as the 4 lower strings of the guitar, THat Would be :

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--------6--6--6---8---8--------------------------


The guitar was playing the root note but in a higher position (an octave higher) plus a lower fith of that note.

Well, I'm assuming he's tuning his guitar as E-A-D-G-B-E. If that's the case, the first 3 "power chords" he's playing are F with a C in the 5th position. The last two are G with an A in the 5th position.

Thus, you'd just play F-F-F-G-G:D

If you want to venture out from the root, you could always play the other notes in the chord.

The trick is to look at the lowest note the guitarist is playing. That's often the root, particularly with power chords. When you start seeing more advanced chords, you'll see chord inversions, where the root note is NOT the lowest note.

Originally posted by luisnovelo
In a 4 string bass, tuned the same as the 4 lower strings of the guitar, THat Would be :

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--------------------------------------------------
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--------6--6--6---8---8--------------------------


The guitar was playing the root note but in a higher position (an octave higher) plus a lower fith of that note. Uh...not to correct you, but I find I must.:eek:

The notes you just listed are not the root, but are, in fact, the 5th.

thanks a lot!

Originally posted by RAM
Uh...not to correct you, but I find I must.:eek:

The notes you just listed are not the root, but are, in fact, the 5th.

I tend to believe that Im always wrong when someone on talkbass tells me I am, but Wouldn't those be 4ths of the notes you listed?

Originally posted by luisnovelo


I tend to believe that Im always wrong when someone on talkbass tells me I am, but Wouldn't those be 4ths of the notes you listed?

yes. but the important thing is, it's wrong, so let's not confuse brazil843 any further. ;)

ahhh! so which answer is right?! :D

Originally posted by Brazil843

ahhh! so which answer is right?!

Originally posted by RAM

You just play F-F-F-G-G:D

In the modern day of power chords, I would say that luisnovelo has a good point. It realy depends how the rest of the song goes and what function those double stops serve. I know that if i was playing a double stop to a A# and a C I might very well play it like that(f and g being harmony). Try both ways and see which sounds better. It should be easy to tell.