Bass Chord Charts

[caleb5991]

I've been looking around for one everywhere and cant find any 4 string bass chord charts. I just want to know the important ones, I need to start to seriously start studying those along with all my scales and crap... then start tapping and slapping and popping im getting better but i still dont have anything really cool i can do! ill get alot of practicing in this summer.

Cheerio lol

[OtterOnBass]

Are you going to play chords on your bass? As in multiple notes at the same time?

If yes, you can use a guitar's chord charts, since the 4 strings you have are the same as the bottom 4 on the guitar.

If no, then just use your scale references.

[Rufus]

Check this site out. Every scale and chord pattern for all fretboards and you can print them out with either the note names or the numbers. You will need Flash Player, and that's free.

[Choosh]

You forgot the link. www.studybass.com It's the fret board printer. You don't need to print, but the option is there.

[mutedeity]

You are better to learn the function of chords and chord construction anyway. That way you know what the chords do in context.

[spindizzy]

+1 mutedeity

Although it doesn't hurt to use these tools to visualize chords and such there is no replacement for understanding. Remember that learning just the fingering of chords is not enough. Understanding relationships is what matters and more understanding leads to more fluid use in your playing and composing.

Spin

[grayhawk1853]

ChordFind.Com - 4string Chord Finder

[van_gogh_bass]

Johnas Hellborg also has written an excellent book on bass chords. "Chord Bassics" I believe. I recently saw it at GC, so it is still in print.

[Ray C Parrish]

Originally Posted by spindizzy

+1 mutedeity

Although it doesn't hurt to use these tools to visualize chords and such there is no replacement for understanding. Remember that learning just the fingering of chords is not enough. Understanding relationships is what matters and more understanding leads to more fluid use in your playing and composing.

Spin

I think spindizzy hit it on the head here. The charts are only useful if you don't understand the concept of chords. Study the Intervals and their relationship to each other and you won't need any charts. It is really just simple math and there is only 13 notes to remember. 7 if you live in the USA....LOL

Mr. Wooten always speaks of comparing learning music to learning languages. Can you imagine how easy it would be to learn a language that only had 13 words?

[projectMalamute]

Originally Posted by Ray C Parrish

I think spindizzy hit it on the head here. The charts are only useful if you don't understand the concept of chords. Study the Intervals and their relationship to each other and you won't need any charts. It is really just simple math and there is only 13 notes to remember. 7 if you live in the USA....LOL

Mr. Wooten always speaks of comparing learning music to learning languages. Can you imagine how easy it would be to learn a language that only had 13 words?

Mr. Parrish is of course talking about the 13TET Bohlen Pierce scale, a system which divides the frequency ratio of 3:1 in to 13 equal parts. Most of us just have 12 notes.

[cammage]

http://www.bassmasta.net/b/bass_lessons/162352.html

I ran across that not to long ago...good thing to use as a reference if you don't know any notes along the fretboard.

[Atoz]

Originally Posted by van_gogh_bass

Johnas Hellborg also has written an excellent book on bass chords. "Chord Bassics" I believe. I recently saw it at GC, so it is still in print.

+1. I own it. $5 well spent, IMHO.

[El-Bob]

i don't know chords...i just kinda...make them as needed. it's probably not the bes approach, but it works for me

[DocBop]

Forget the books and just figure it out, it is really simple especially for a 4-string bass.

The two notes that define a chord are the 3rd and the 7th. Those are the notes in the typical double-stop. The low range of the bass you want open voicing especially if using the E-string. So the 3rd and 7th need to be on the D and G strings.

Take the chord you want to play like a C Ma7 and lets put the root on the E-string. The chord is spelled C, E, G, B, which are the root, 3rd, 5th, and Ma7th. The root C will be at the 8th fret on the E-string, now locate the 3rd and Ma7th on the D and G strings. They both are on 9th fret of the D and G string. Now you have a voicing for Ma7th chord with the root on the E-string.

Let do it again for the same chord CMa7, but this time with the root on the A-string. Okay the root C will be on the 3rd fret of the A-string. Now where is the 3rd and 7th on the D and G strings. The 3rd E is on the D-string, second fret. The Ma7th is on the 4th fret of the G-string.

So now you have two voicing for Ma7 chords with roots on E or A string. You can use that process to make mi7 and 7th chords and have your main chords. I use that process for make chords for my 5 and 6 string basses. Once understand this process you can write your own chord book.

[Muss]

Originally Posted by DocBop

Forget the books and just figure it out, it is really simple especially for a 4-string bass.

The two notes that define a chord are the 3rd and the 7th. Those are the notes in the typical double-stop. The low range of the bass you want open voicing especially if using the E-string. So the 3rd and 7th need to be on the D and G strings.

Take the chord you want to play like a C Ma7 and lets put the root on the E-string. The chord is spelled C, E, G, B, which are the root, 3rd, 5th, and Ma7th. The root C will be at the 7th fret on the E-string, now locate the 3rd and Ma7th on the D and G strings. They both are on 8th fret of the D and G string. Now you have a voicing for Ma7th chord with the root on the E-string.

Let do it again for the same chord CMa7, but this time with the root on the A-string. Okay the root C will be on the 3rd fret of the A-string. Now where is the 3rd and 7th on the D and G strings. The 3rd E is on the D-string, second fret. The Ma7th is on the 4th fret of the G-string.

So now you have two voicing for Ma7 chords with roots on E or A string. You can use that process to make mi7 and 7th chords and have your main chords. I use that process for make chords for my 5 and 6 string basses. Once understand this process you can write your own chord book.

C is the 8th fret on E

[DocBop]

Originally Posted by Muss

C is the 8th fret on E

Opps. Thanks for correction C on 8th fret and E and B on 9th.

Thanks for the catch.

[mutedeity]

Originally Posted by DocBop

Forget the books and just figure it out, it is really simple especially for a 4-string bass.

The two notes that define a chord are the 3rd and the 7th. Those are the notes in the typical double-stop.

That really depends on the the chord and its use. In a diminished or augmented chord the 5th is a structural part of the chord function, for example, whereas in a major or minor chord it can be implied. Double stops are technically only harmonic intervals too. It takes three notes to make a chord.

[AlphaMale]

Jonas Hellborg made a book of them Like over like a million. AHhaha

[Valerus]

Originally Posted by van_gogh_bass

Johnas Hellborg also has written an excellent book on bass chords. "Chord Bassics" I believe. I recently saw it at GC, so it is still in print.

Thanks!
I just bought it off Amazon for $0.02

[DocBop]

Originally Posted by mutedeity

That really depends on the the chord and its use. In a diminished or augmented chord the 5th is a structural part of the chord function, for example, whereas in a major or minor chord it can be implied. Double stops are technically only harmonic intervals too. It takes three notes to make a chord.

The OP sounds like he's just getting going so I intentionally left out symmetric chords. I never called a double-stop a chord. When I leave things out it is usually to keep things simple and hope once the person has the basics they can figure the rest out on their own.