How do I finger an Ab7 chord ?

[LowDown Hal]

I'm new to trying to use chords instead of arpeggios.
I have a piece I'm trying to learn which uses an Am7 followed by an Ab7.

For the Am7 I use the 3rd finger to cover the G and D strings and the 2nd finger to cover the E.
For the Ab7 I use, well heck that's my question? Right now I'm using the 3rd finger on the G string the 2nd on the D and the 1st on the E. It doesn't "feel" right...


------ Am7 ----- Ab7 --------
G |--- 17 ------- 17 ------
D |--- 17 ------- 16 -------
A |-----------------------
E |--- 17 ------- 16 ------

[Mushroo]

Personally, I would use my 1st finger on the E, 2nd on the D, and 3rd on the G, for both chords. The 3rd finger can stay in place when you switch chords.

If you are new to playing chords, it is normal for your hand to feel weird. The muscle memory is closer to that of a guitarist than the average bassist. Keep practicing (but don't hurt yourself by practicing too hard) and it will feel more natural.

[LowDown Hal]

Thanks Mushroo,

The reason I was doing the Am7 by using the 3rd finger to cover the G and D strings and the 2nd finger to cover the E was so
The AM7 would mean just using the 4th finger instead of the third.

I'm kinda trying to figure common fingering patterns for chord types so I can just move them around the fretboard.

Finger used in parentheses

------- AM7 -------- Am7 -------- Ab7 --------
G |--- 18 (4) ----- 17 (3)------- 17 (3)------
D |--- 18 (4) ----- 17 (3)------- 16 (2)-------
A |-------------------------------------------------
E |--- 17 (2) ----- 17 (2)------- 16 (1)------

[iplaybassguitar]

gently at first.

[OxJohnson]

Originally Posted by LowDown Hal

Thanks Mushroo,

The reason I was doing the Am7 by using the 3rd finger to cover the G and D strings and the 2nd finger to cover the E was so
The AM7 would mean just using the 4th finger instead of the third.

I'm kinda trying to figure common fingering patterns for chord types so I can just move them around the fretboard.

Finger used in parentheses

------- AM7 -------- Am7 -------- Ab7 --------
G |--- 18 (4) ----- 17 (3)------- 17 (3)------
D |--- 18 (4) ----- 17 (3)------- 16 (2)-------
A |-------------------------------------------------
E |--- 17 (2) ----- 17 (2)------- 16 (1)------

I agree with Mushroo on this one. I just picked up my bass and that seemed the most comfortable when I played what you had above.

That being said, there are a many ways to do it. The second way that I tried it, I just barred the 17th and then the 16th fret and that seemed to work too. Now, I used to play guitar, so that made sense, but the fingerings seemed a little tight that far up on the neck and it is pretty difficult on the bass to quickly slide a barre.

Ox.

[Phil Smith]

Why skip over strings? You can play the Ab7 voiced with the root, 3rd and 7th as follows:

A string 11th(Ab) fret 1st finger
D string 10th(C) fret 2nd finger
G string 11th(Gb) fret 3rd finger

You can use a similiar approach for the Amin7 and the AMaj7.

Amin7
A string 12th(A) fret 1st finger
D string 10th(C) fret 2nd finger
G string 12th(G) fret 3rd finger

AMaj7
A string 12th(A) fret 1st finger
D string 11th(C#) fret 2nd finger
G string 13th(G#) fret 3rd finger

[LowDown Hal]

Originally Posted by Phil Smith

Why skip over strings? You can play the Ab7 voiced with the root, 3rd and 7th as follows:

A string 11th(Ab) fret 1st finger
D string 10th(C) fret 2nd finger
G string 11th(Gb) fret 3rd finger

You can use a similiar approach for the Amin7 and the AMaj7.

Amin7
A string 12th(A) fret 1st finger
D string 10th(C) fret 2nd finger
G string 12th(G) fret 3rd finger

AMaj7
A string 12th(A) fret 1st finger
D string 11th(C#) fret 2nd finger
G string 13th(G#) fret 3rd finger

For now I'm just a nOOb trying to figure out how to play what he wrote :-)

[Mushroo]

Originally Posted by Phil Smith

Why skip over strings? You can play the Ab7 voiced with the root, 3rd and 7th as follows:

A string 11th(Ab) fret 1st finger
D string 10th(C) fret 2nd finger
G string 11th(Gb) fret 3rd finger

You can use a similiar approach for the Amin7 and the AMaj7.

Amin7
A string 12th(A) fret 1st finger
D string 10th(C) fret 2nd finger
G string 12th(G) fret 3rd finger

AMaj7
A string 12th(A) fret 1st finger
D string 11th(C#) fret 2nd finger
G string 13th(G#) fret 3rd finger

It is called "voicing" and jazz guitarists devote a lifetime to it! Basically, there's more than one way to play any given chord, and there are many musical reasons to choose one voicing over another: which note is in the melody, which note is in the bass, voice leading, whether you want an "open" or "closed" sound, etc.

The voicings you suggest would sound good in a different context, but have a different top note, and so would create a different melody that wouldn't be Autumn Leaves any more.

[bassrique]

I've found that the answer to many [most?] questions begins with "it depends".

Get all the shapes "into your hands".

In other words, I think you should be able to barre as well as articulate each note with a separate finger.

[Phil Smith]

Originally Posted by Mushroo

It is called "voicing" and jazz guitarists devote a lifetime to it! Basically, there's more than one way to play any given chord, and there are many musical reasons to choose one voicing over another: which note is in the melody, which note is in the bass, voice leading, whether you want an "open" or "closed" sound, etc.

I can dig that but don't you want to avoid mudiness on the bass when you're voicing these chords?

The voicings you suggest would sound good in a different context, but have a different top note, and so would create a different melody that wouldn't be Autumn Leaves any more.

Hmmm, this uses the voicings that I posted and still sounds like autumn leaves to me...

http://www.realbook.us/music/autumnleaves.mp3

Perhaps you can post a version using your voicings that I can listen to?

[steve66]

Originally Posted by Phil Smith

Why skip over strings? You can play the Ab7 voiced with the root, 3rd and 7th as follows:

A string 11th(Ab) fret 1st finger
D string 10th(C) fret 2nd finger
G string 11th(Gb) fret 3rd finger

You can use a similiar approach for the Amin7 and the AMaj7.

Amin7
A string 12th(A) fret 1st finger
D string 10th(C) fret 2nd finger
G string 12th(G) fret 3rd finger

AMaj7
A string 12th(A) fret 1st finger
D string 11th(C#) fret 2nd finger
G string 13th(G#) fret 3rd finger

This is the same way I play these chords. I think the chord sounds better in the upper frets and much easier to finger

[Mushroo]

Originally Posted by Phil Smith

I can dig that but don't you want to avoid mudiness on the bass when you're voicing these chords?



Hmmm, this uses the voicings that I posted and still sounds like autumn leaves to me...

http://www.realbook.us/music/autumnleaves.mp3

Perhaps you can post a version using your voicings that I can listen to?

They're not "my voicings," lol, see post #7... The OP is voicing the chords that way because that's how they're written!
The difference between the OP's arrangement and the one in your link (which sounds good, by the way) is that you are just playing the chord changes, whereas the OP's piece is a "chord melody" arrangement like a jazz guitarist would play. In the latter instance, it's very important which note is the top note of the voicing so that the melody is clear.

If you are looking for a good book on the topic, check out "The Art of Solo Guitar" by Jody Fisher. It is (obviously) written from a guitarist's perspective, but the ideas are all applicable to bass as well.

ps "muddy" is a matter of opinion; I find the voicing with the root on the E string to be less muddy because the range of the chord is a 10th instead of a 7th, so there is more "space" between the bass note and its closest neighbor. Also, jazz ii-V-I progressions are tough to play if you only use voicings rooted on the A string!

[Phil Smith]

Originally Posted by Mushroo

Also, jazz ii-V-I progressions are tough to play if you only use voicings rooted on the A string!

Not if you're using a six or a five with a high C.

[jgroh]

Give it a rufie? Works for me.

[fryBASS]

Here's an example http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XWTaFcT26N4

[ClassicRock55]

In a 7 chord, I hit the root, M3 and dominant 7 so in Ab that would be Ab, C, and Gb. That is the 4th fret on the E string, 3rd fret on the A string and 4th fret on the D string.

[Mushroo]

Originally Posted by jgroh

Give it a rufie? Works for me.