Bass chords? (stupid question from an ignorant bassist)!

[Fassa Albrecht]

When you play a chord on a bass, do you fret the chord as normal and then pluck all four strings or do you only play the fretted strings?
I know this is such an amateurish question but I am self-taught and my instructional books don't tell me.

[Chili]

i'm sorry, but i dont really know what you mean, but when i play chords, i usually strum or use my finger like a pick, or pluck the strings with my thumb and index finger or just pluck with 2 fingers, it all depends on what sound i want.

i dont know if this is any help at all

[ManuelJG]

you play the notes that are on the chord, it doesnt matter if its an open string or not...

[Johnny Crab]

You can do either. Four strings do not have to be used for chords as 2,3, or 4(or 5?) could be used.

If your want to "fill" like an acoustic guitar does by plucking the notes of the chord one at a time....do that. If you want to play all three notes EXACTLY at the same time, do that either like a geetar player or however you like.

Examples:
We use a piece of Bob Dylan's "Like a Rolling Stone" in another song. I fingerpick chords formed using the A-D-G strings like a geetar guy would do. Fills in space.

The end of Cream's "Crossroads" gets an "A" chord played all three notes at once(A string open, D string 2nd fret, G string 2nd fret). Similar chords appear in Cream's "Sunshine of Your Love" and many other songs....just listen.

Amy "spanks" her bass during chords in this cut:
http://www.clatter.com/samples/CLATT...e%20sample.mp3
on the chorus "and the truck has crossed the Centerline"
Watch here(click the trailer of your choice) where she uses her fingernails as picks "strumming on steroids":
http://www.filmbaby.com/films/428%3b...roducts_id=428

[thewanderer24]

If you wanna get technical, if the "chord" only has 2 notes, it isn't a chord.

[JLW]

Originally Posted by thewanderer24

If you wanna get technical, if the "chord" only has 2 notes, it isn't a chord.

He's right. If it's only two notes its known as a double stop.

[Goofball Jones]

I think what the original poster meant was do you strum the chords...like on a guitar.

For instance:

---2---
---3---
---2---
---0---
---0---
---x---

On a guitar would be a D chord where you strum all the strings of the chord at the same time and the ringing of all the strings together form the chord of "D".

The original poster was asking if this is the same in Bass when all the theory books FOR bass are talking about chords. The bass is an instrument that for the most part is played one note at a time and not strummed like a guitar to get the chord sound. Correct? So when you see notation in a bass theory book about a chord, what exactly are they talking about in relation to the actual playing. I mean, it's mentioned so often yet I've actually never seen someone strum a bass like a guitar.

[Deacon_Blues]

When you play a chord, only play the notes that belong to the chord. You may use one open string but two generally sounds awful on bass, at least E+A and A+D. In general, the higher up on the neck you play the chords, the better they sound. And the cleaner the strings.

In the D chord described in the previous post, the A should be muted. It belongs to the chord, yes, but there should be a bass playing the D below not to make it a D/A chord. It always sound cleaner without the open A string. Alternatively, tune the guitar in drop D and hit all strings.

[Goofball Jones]

Yes, but the confusion comes with the chords themselves in relation to actually playing the bass.

In all the tabs I've seen, in all the performances I've seen, the bassist plays one note at a time and not 3 or more notes at the same time. Yet in the bass theory notes and books they always talk about chords. Is it just making the chord form with your left hand and then pluck out the individual notes one at a time? It can't be strumming can it? I never see strumming.

Like I said, with all the theory books talking about chords in relation to basses....yet I never see a strummed chord in bass. So it has to be we're talking about something else.

[Chili]

Originally Posted by Goofball Jones

Yes, but the confusion comes with the chords themselves in relation to actually playing the bass.

In all the tabs I've seen, in all the performances I've seen, the bassist plays one note at a time and not 3 or more notes at the same time. Yet in the bass theory notes and books they always talk about chords. Is it just making the chord form with your left hand and then pluck out the individual notes one at a time? It can't be strumming can it? I never see strumming.

Like I said, with all the theory books talking about chords in relation to basses....yet I never see a strummed chord in bass. So it has to be we're talking about something else.

hmm, theres plenty of struming on bass, you just have to look harder, check out stanley clark

[Goofball Jones]

Rare cases if you have to "look harder". Chords on a bass are not played the same as chords on a guitar, except on rare occasions like stanley clark mentioned above. Playing several low-pitched notes at the same time can sound muddy. Playing chords on bass can sometimes fill up too much sonic space competing with the rest of the band

Look at it this way. Guitarists say a whole word (e.g. “house”), while bassists spell it out (e.g. “H” “O” “U” "S" "E"). We get the same point across, but in a different way.

At least, that's how I understand it.

[KayCee]

Originally Posted by JLW

He's right. If it's only two notes its known as a double stop.

That term is specific to stringed instruments, however.

In music theory, two notes played together is called a Harmonic Interval. Played in sequence they are a Melodic Interval.

[lamarjones]

Originally Posted by Goofball Jones

Rare cases if you have to "look harder". Chords on a bass are not played the same as chords on a guitar, except on rare occasions like stanley clark mentioned above. Playing several low-pitched notes at the same time can sound muddy. Playing chords on bass can sometimes fill up too much sonic space competing with the rest of the band

Look at it this way. Guitarists say a whole word (e.g. “house”), while bassists spell it out (e.g. “H” “O” “U” "S" "E"). We get the same point across, but in a different way.

At least, that's how I understand it.

Can't say I agree with this. I look at what you are saying as one way of doing it, not necessarily a preferred way or anything.

BUT, to your point, I do think hitting 4 string chords at the same time does get muddy. I hit intervals or possibly three note chords at the same time without thinking twice aobut it, and I'll also hit notes in sequence so as to spell out a chord, but the effect is completely different.

As for strumming, you can strum, then they come out sequentially. there are four string, I got four fingers (don't use pinky, use my thumb) so I can bust out the simultaneous using one finger per string. however, I much more use it on 3 note chords, using thumb index and middle.