Chording, Fully Dim 7

[Jazzerbone]

Hey Guys,

I am trying to figure out how to chord a Dim7 chord using 4 strings (I play a 6) in a non-carpeltunnel sort of way. I have a few 3 string positions lined out, but using 4 strings gets rough. Is there a way that I'm not finding?

Also, is there a book on bass guitar chording?

[FreaqyFrequency]

Well, what do you mean by non-Carpal-Tunnel way?

The way I would best think it could be done is starting with the root, lets say, an A, so that would be the fifth fret of the E. After that, form the Tritone or diminished fifth, which would be an Eb (6th fret on the A,) and finally the diminished seventh, the G (fifth fret on the D). That should capture the essence of the chord, but if you want to, you can emphasize the dim 5 by making the octave on the G-string (eighth fret). That would be a stretch though, depending on your fingering, so I would stick with just those three notes. If you want to sound less muddy, just take it an octave up starting on the D-string (7 on the D, 8 on the G, 7 on the C)

Hope that helps.

-Sean

[ManuelJG]

uhm... it's pretty hard for my hands to get the full chord on my 4 string bass, i'd say, since you have a 6 string bass you could just skip one note of the chord and play it as a tension.

[Stereo Joe]

For a moveable closed voicing (no open notes) here's how I'd do it:

A (root)- Fifth fret E string - second finger
Eb (flat fifth)- Sixth fret A string - pinky finger
Gb (dim seventh) - 4th fret D string - first finger
C (minor third) - 5th fret G string - third finger

On a six string, for a more open voicing:

A (root) - Fifth fret E string - third finger
Gb (dim 7) - fourth fret D string - second finger
C (minor third) - fifth fret G string - pinky
Eb (flat 5) - third fret C string - first finger

FreaqyFrequency, your way would be a half diminished or minor7b5. I think the OP needs fingering for a fully diminished 7.

[needmoney]

Originally Posted by Stereo Joe

For a moveable closed voicing (no open notes) here's how I'd do it:

A (root)- Fifth fret E string - second finger
Eb (flat fifth)- Sixth fret A string - pinky finger
Gb (dim seventh) - 4th fret D string - first finger
C (minor third) - 5th fret G string - third finger

That's how I do Dim chords too.

[HaVIC5]

Originally Posted by FreaqyFrequency

You are absolutely right, sorry about that. I mistook the o7 for a m7b5

So an Ao7 would be constructed like so:

A C Eb Abb (or Gb)

Stereo Joe's way would certainly be the easiest way, just from messing with different ways on the bass here.

My dose of humbleness for today...

Sorry man, Abb does not equal Gb (it would be enharmonic to G natural). The correct spelling is A C Eb Gb. The easy way to think of it is that the note names for any 7th chord, or tertian tetrad, built on A will be the same - A C E and G. A major 7? A C# E G# A minor 7 b5? A C Eb G. Etc.

[FreaqyFrequency]

Originally Posted by HaVIC5

Sorry man, Abb does not equal Gb (it would be enharmonic to G natural). The correct spelling is A C Eb Gb. The easy way to think of it is that the note names for any 7th chord, or tertian tetrad, built on A will be the same - A C E and G. A major 7? A C# E G# A minor 7 b5? A C Eb G. Etc.

Right again!

I'm just going to let you guys handle the theory until I get older and wiser