Chord Tones & 7th Chord Arpeggios

[subexpression]

Heya Friends!

Have you ever been handed a piece of music with only chord symbols, and asked to make sense of it?
Or, you're looking to understand how to interpret chords on a bass without actually strumming chords like a guitar?

Outlining chord tones is one of the mainstays of bass playing...it's pretty much expected of us. Yet, in many cases my students have come to me without any idea on how to do this. I've attempted to help them with chord building, but without a practical application, it seems to fall upon deaf ears. Then, about 10 years ago, I decided to map out what I knew to be true about the 5 most-basic chord types and develop a system of managing them no matter the key, chord, or position of the neck.

"Playing Chord Tones" means the bass insinuates the quality of the chords other musicians are playing by playing strategically on 4 specific tones.
These tones are the root (or 1st), the 3rd, the 5th and the 7th.
The notes in between (2nd, 4th, 6th) are still important, but are typically used as passing tones...devices to move from one chord tone to the next.
To make this effective, play chord tones on metrically strong beats...like the 1st beat in a measure, or 3rd beat in a measure. The effectiveness varies when the chord tones are moved to different places within the measure, falling on stronger or weaker beats.

Committing it to memory seems like a daunting task, but it's really not very difficult.
Below are the patterns I use to play chord tones over most chord progressions.

For the ease of charting this out, all chords are "C".
The benefit of using all "C" chords is that you can see with each chord, slight alterations to the major create the different chord qualities. Once you commit them to memory in C, move the root note to another...G, F, D, etc.

So, the chords covered are:

• C Major 7 (Cma7)
• C Dominant 7 (C7)
• C Minor 7 (Cm7)
• C Minor 7 Flat 5 or Half-Diminished 7 (Cm7b5)
• C Fully-Diminished 7 (C°7)

The "Inversion" number simply means the particular 7th chord arpeggio starts on a specific chord tone. The root position is self explanatory...the first note in the pattern is the chord's root note. 1st inversion is the chord's 3rd, 2nd inversion is the chord's 5th, 3rd inversion is the chord's 7th.

They lend themselves to many uses... from walking bass lines to melodic soloing with "sweep" style arpeggios. The 7th adds tremendous flavor as opposed to plain old triad arpeggios. Having a solid grasp on these will propel your bass playing to new levels.

I encourage everyone to warm up and stretch first before attempting these.
Also, don't be afraid to use all 4 of your fingers on the fretboard!

All patterns are charted in standard tuning: EADG

C Major 7

Cmaj7 2nd Inversion
|----|----|----|--B-|--C-|----|----|
|----|--E-|----|----|--G-|----|----|
|----|--B-|--C-|----|----|----|----|
|----|----|--G-|----|----|----|----|
.............3


Cmaj7 2nd Inversion - alternative
|----|----|--B-|--C-|----|----|----|
|----|----|----|--G-|----|----|----|
|----|--C-|----|----|----|--E-|----|
|----|--G-|----|----|----|--B-|----|
........3


Cmaj7 3rd Inversion
|----|--C-|----|----|----|--E-|----|
|----|--G-|----|----|----|--B-|----|
|----|----|----|--E-|----|----|----|
|----|----|----|--B-|--C-|----|----|
..................7


Cmaj7 Root Position
|----|----|----|--E-|----|----|----|
|----|----|----|--B-|--C-|----|----|
|----|--E-|----|----|--G-|----|----|
|----|----|--C-|----|----|----|----|
.............8


Cmaj7 Root Position - alternative
|----|----|--E-|----|----|--G-|----|
|----|----|--B-|--C-|----|----|----|
|----|----|----|--G-|----|----|----|
|----|--C-|----|----|----|--E-|----|
........8


Cmaj7 1st Inversion
|----|--G-|----|----|----|--B-|--C-|
|----|----|----|--E-|----|----|----|
|----|----|----|--B-|--C-|----|----|
|----|--E-|----|----|--G-|----|----|
........12



C Dominant 7

C7 2nd Inversion
|----|----|--Bb|----|--C-|----|----|
|----|--E-|----|----|--G-|----|----|
|----|----|--C-|----|----|----|----|
|----|----|--G-|----|----|--Bb|----|
.............3


C7 3rd Inversion
|----|--C-|----|----|----|--E-|----|
|----|--G-|----|----|--Bb|----|----|
|----|----|----|--E-|----|----|----|
|----|----|--Bb|----|--C-|----|----|
.............6


C7 Root Position
|----|----|----|--E-|----|----|----|
|----|----|--Bb|----|--C-|----|----|
|----|--E-|----|----|--G-|----|----|
|----|----|--C-|----|----|----|----|
.............8


C7 1st Inversion
|----|--G-|----|----|--Bb|----|----|
|----|----|----|--E-|----|----|----|
|----|----|--Bb|----|--C-|----|----|
|----|--E-|----|----|--G-|----|----|
........12



C Minor 7

Cm7 2nd Inversion
|----|----|--Bb|----|--C-|----|----|
|----|----|----|----|--G-|----|----|
|----|----|--C-|----|----|--Eb|----|
|----|----|--G-|----|----|--Bb|----|
.............3


Cm7 3rd Inversion
|----|--C-|----|----|--Eb|----|----|
|----|--G-|----|----|--Bb|----|----|
|----|----|--Eb|----|----|----|----|
|----|----|--Bb|----|--C-|----|----|
.............6


Cm7 Root Position
|----|----|--Eb|----|----|----|--G-|
|----|----|--Bb|----|--C-|----|----|
|----|----|----|----|--G-|----|----|
|----|----|--C-|----|----|--Eb|----|
.............8


Cm7 1st Inversion
|----|----|--G-|----|----|--Bb|----|
|----|----|----|--Eb|----|----|----|
|----|----|----|--Bb|----|--C-|----|
|----|--Eb|----|----|----|--G-|----|
........11



C Minor 7 Flat 5 or Half-Diminished 7

Cm7b5 2nd Inversion
|----|----|--Bb|----|--C-|----|----|
|----|----|----|--Gb|----|----|----|
|----|----|--C-|----|----|--Eb|----|
|----|--Gb|----|----|----|--Bb|----|
........2


Cm7b5 3rd Inversion
|----|--C-|----|----|--Eb|----|----|
|----|----|----|----|--Bb|----|----|
|----|----|--Eb|----|----|--Gb|----|
|----|----|--Bb|----|--C-|----|----|
.............6


Cm7b5 Root Position
|----|----|--Eb|----|----|--Gb|----|
|----|----|--Bb|----|--C-|----|----|
|----|----|----|--Gb|----|----|----|
|----|----|--C-|----|----|--Eb|----|
.............8


Cm7b5 1st Inversion
|----|----|--Gb|----|----|----|----|
|----|--C-|----|----|--Eb|----|----|
|----|----|----|----|--Bb|----|----|
|----|----|--Eb|----|----|--Gb|----|
.............11




C Fully-Diminished 7

C°7 2nd Inversion
|----|----|-Bbb|----|----|----|----|
|----|--Eb|----|----|--Gb|----|----|
|----|----|----|--C-|----|----|----|
|----|----|--Gb|----|----|-Bbb|----|
.............2


C°7 3rd Inversion
|----|-Bbb|----|----|--C-|----|----|
|----|----|----|--Gb|----|----|----|
|----|----|--C-|----|----|--Eb|----|
|----|----|----|----|-Bbb|----|----|
......................5


C°7 3rd Inversion - alternative
|----|----|--C-|----|----|----|----|
|----|--Gb|----|----|-Bbb|----|----|
|----|----|----|--Eb|----|----|----|
|----|----|-Bbb|----|----|--C-|----|
............5


C°7 Root Position
|----|--C-|----|----|--Eb|----|----|
|----|----|----|-Bbb|----|----|----|
|----|----|--Eb|----|----|--Gb|----|
|----|----|----|----|--C-|----|----|
.......................8


C°7 Root Position - alternative
|----|----|--Eb|----|----|----|----|
|----|-Bbb|----|----|--C-|----|----|
|----|----|----|--Gb|----|----|----|
|----|----|--C-|----|----|--Eb|----|
.............8


C°7 1st Inversion
|----|--Eb|----|----|--Gb|----|----|
|----|----|----|--C-|----|----|----|
|----|----|--Gb|----|----|-Bbb|----|
|----|----|----|----|--Eb|----|----|
.......................11


C°7 1st Inversion - alternative
|----|----|--Gb|----|----|----|----|
|----|--C-|----|----|--Eb|----|----|
|----|----|----|-Bbb|----|----|----|
|----|----|--Eb|----|----|--Gb|----|
.............11


EDIT: The TalkBass mobile app doesn't preserve the font used for the patterns show above. They will look skewed and be difficult to decipher. I suggest viewing the post with a modern web browser. The "Courier New" font preserves the correct spacing, since every character is the same width. It works great for tabbing and charting.

[ducknturtle]

I have printed this and intend to study it. You have done a very good service to the TB community.

[MalcolmAmos]

Yes thank you. Good information here.

[Spin Doctor]

Cool. I will note that in most of the sources I've seen where the bass plays chords to accompany someone, etc, they almost never play the 5th, unless the chord is diminished or half diminished. Also, I haven't seen a source where the chord was not played in root position. Doesn't mean you have to always play root position I guess.

But as a bassist, if you're comping with someone and you chord some inversion, does that not make the harmony ambiguous? In what cases would playing an inversion be useful?

I'm just asking for my own knowledge, I'm not saying your method is wrong.

[JTE]

Well, this isn't about strumming chords, it's about knowing what notes are in the chord, so the fifth is critically important. The stock bluegrass and country bass move is root - five.

Playing an inversion is rather common- and the ambiguity is part of what it does. It catches the ear when the bass emphasizes a non-root note. Paul McCartney is a big fan of this (which he says he got from listening to Brian Wilson's bass lines on The Beach Boys recordings). Motown and contemporary Gospel is very fond of playing other notes than the root too.

John

[Spin Doctor]

You are right. If I'd botherd to read the post correctly, I'd have figured that out. Sorry. I just got into strumming chords and I think I have that on the brain... duh.

[TL5]

Originally Posted by Spin Doctor

Cool. I will note that in most of the sources I've seen where the bass plays chords to accompany someone, etc, they almost never play the 5th, unless the chord is diminished or half diminished. Also, I haven't seen a source where the chord was not played in root position. Doesn't mean you have to always play root position I guess.

But as a bassist, if you're comping with someone and you chord some inversion, does that not make the harmony ambiguous? In what cases would playing an inversion be useful?

I'm just asking for my own knowledge, I'm not saying your method is wrong.

Originally Posted by JTE

Well, this isn't about strumming chords, it's about knowing what notes are in the chord, so the fifth is critically important. The stock bluegrass and country bass move is root - five.

Playing an inversion is rather common- and the ambiguity is part of what it does. It catches the ear when the bass emphasizes a non-root note. Paul McCartney is a big fan of this (which he says he got from listening to Brian Wilson's bass lines on The Beach Boys recordings). Motown and contemporary Gospel is very fond of playing other notes than the root too.

John

John - agreed.

Spin Doctor - here's a contemoprary Gospel example.
A common chord progression is 1, 4, 6m, 5
In C that's C, F, Am, G
In a verse where that progression is repeated a common alt bass line could be: C F A B
the B is the third of the G major chord and leads right back to the C.
If you alternate the root line with the example above it gives a hint of variation to what is otherwise a cliche' chord progression.

[fearceol]

On the same subject, I have found this useful.

http://www.scribd.com/doc/387695/Jef...-the-Bass-1987

[Calamity_John]

Originally Posted by Spin Doctor

Cool. In what cases would playing an inversion be useful?

generally to make a more interesting and melodic bass line .. if you play roots you can easily end up with lines that leap all over the place and make little melodic sense in and of themselves .. so throwing in an inversion can give your line more strong stepwise motion .. you are weakening the harmony by doing it .. but a strong line can be worth it

.. classical composers would use root position and first inversion (third in the bass) all the time .

. second inversion (fifth in the bass) is much weaker and only used in a few instances (stepwise passing motion in the bass, in arpeggiated patterns, pedal patterns - where the bass note sustains through chords .. like c-e-g, f-a-c, c-e-g holding the C in the bass, .. and the most common use was the cadential second inversion at I- V - I cadences ... G-c-e .. G-b-d .. C-E-G .. makes the the "c-e" falling to the "b-d" of the first two chords of the pattern feel like resolving a tension ..

sometime when you are playing a blues with somebody soloing just pedal the tonic note right through the I and IV chords (putting the IV in second inversion) .. you will just creates immense amounts of tension bursting and resolving into the V chord at the end .. a fun thing to pull out if your soloist is ready for it and won't flip .

if you want to freak people out put the seventh etc .. just remember it is a tension that wants to pull down a step into the next chord ..

have fun !

[subexpression]

Originally Posted by Calamity_John

generally to make a more interesting and melodic bass line .. if you play roots you can easily end up with lines that leap all over the place and make little melodic sense in and of themselves .. so throwing in an inversion can give your line more strong stepwise motion .. you are weakening the harmony by doing it .. but a strong line can be worth it

.. classical composers would use root position and first inversion (third in the bass) all the time .

. second inversion (fifth in the bass) is much weaker and only used in a few instances (stepwise passing motion in the bass, in arpeggiated patterns, pedal patterns - where the bass note sustains through chords .. like c-e-g, f-a-c, c-e-g holding the C in the bass, .. and the most common use was the cadential second inversion at I- V - I cadences ... G-c-e .. G-b-d .. C-E-G .. makes the the "c-e" falling to the "b-d" of the first two chords of the pattern feel like resolving a tension ..

sometime when you are playing a blues with somebody soloing just pedal the tonic note right through the I and IV chords (putting the IV in second inversion) .. you will just creates immense amounts of tension bursting and resolving into the V chord at the end .. a fun thing to pull out if your soloist is ready for it and won't flip .

All very true! Chord tones are larger interval leaps than scale motion, but certainly smaller leaps than if one were to play only roots or fifths. They lend themselves to smoother transitions between chords.

There are many stock "devices" which musicians have used over the years which can be utilized for chord resolution in the bass. The I-IV cadence has the tendency to from the I, to I first inversion, to IV root position. In practical terms, it would be like a D with an F# in the bass, moving to a G in root position.

For the patterns above, I encourage players to learn the inversions not necessarily for functional reasons, but for wrote memorization of how the pattern naturally is laid out on the neck. Later on, the discovery of the functional behavior of inversions within chord progressions is only natural. So, if inversions are confusing, they should just accept its existence, and treat them like "optional" notes, or alternatives to playing roots. The more time spent with it, their value becomes more apparent.

In my own practice, I like to choose an area of the neck and play as many chords as possible without moving my hand up or down the neck. Isolating a specific fret range will force you to think how the chord tones interact with one another as the other instruments change chords. Diatonic chord "sets" are the easiest. Without playing inverted patterns, this would be impossible.

Originally Posted by Calamity_John

if you want to freak people out put the seventh etc .. just remember it is a tension that wants to pull down a step into the next chord ..

Yeah, there's lots of tension in the 7th. I like to hint at it but not hang out too long.

I always have this mental conception of the chord tones. The root is like standing on the ground. The 3rd is like a tender or vulnerable, emotional type of fragile stability. The fifth is solid and stable, but lifted up on a pedestal...dangerous altitude and ready to come crashing down. The 7th is the "fed up" note - it is impatient, unstable and can't wait to "get the heck outta here" - and resolve to something else.

In certain genres such as jazz, with solo instruments the emphasis is on the 3rd and the 7th, because the expectation is that the bass player will be holding down roots and fifths...traditionally. The 3rd and 7th are unique because in each of the 5 chords charted above, none of them share the same intervals. But with roots & fifths, the Maj7, m7 and 7 chords are identical. So, in jazz, a guitarist might be "suggesting" a chord quality simply by hanging out on the 3rds and 7ths, yet never play anything resolving to a root or a 5th.

[subexpression]

I like to restrict my playing to a small number of frets and see how many inversions I can play in a small area.
For this example, I'm playing within the C Major scale and staying completely diatonic...playing only the 7th chords which naturally occur inside the C Major scale.

After you play through the patterns below, you'll start to understand the benefit of memorizing your chord tones...because you'll be able to play anything anywhere on the neck!

Chords:
Cmaj7 -> Dm7 -> Em7 -> Fmaj7 -> G7 -> Am7 -> Bm7b5


Cmaj7 Root Position
|----|----|----|--E-|----|----|----|
|----|----|----|--B-|--C-|----|----|
|----|--E-|----|----|--G-|----|----|
|----|----|--C-|----|----|----|----|
.............8


Dm7 3rd Inversion
|----|--D-|----|----|--F-|----|----|
|----|--A-|----|----|--C-|----|----|
|----|----|--F-|----|----|----|----|
|----|----|--C-|----|--D-|----|----|
.............8


Em7 2nd Inversion
|----|----|--D-|----|--E-|----|----|
|----|----|----|----|--B-|----|----|
|----|----|--E-|----|----|--G-|----|
|----|----|--B-|----|----|--D-|----|
.............7


Fmaj7 2nd Inversion
|----|----|----|--E-|--F-|----|----|
|----|--A-|----|----|--C-|----|----|
|----|--E-|--F-|----|----|----|----|
|----|----|--C-|----|----|----|----|
.............8


G7 1st Inversion
|----|--D-|----|----|--F-|----|----|
|----|----|----|--B-|----|----|----|
|----|----|--F-|----|--G-|----|----|
|----|--B-|----|----|--D-|----|----|
........7


Am7 1st Inversion
|----|----|----|--E-|----|----|----|
|----|--A-|----|----|--C-|----|----|
|----|--E-|----|----|--G-|----|----|
|----|----|--C-|----|----|----|----|
.............8


Bm7b5 Root Position
|----|----|--D-|----|----|--F-|----|
|----|----|--A-|----|--B-|----|----|
|----|----|----|--F-|----|----|----|
|----|----|--B-|----|----|--D-|----|
.............7

[mambo4]

I think it's crucial for anyone prancing these to understand the intervals between the chord tones ,
so they can be apllied to any root....rather than just memorizing a pattern or memorizing the note names...
like so:

I maj7 Root Position
|----|----|----|--3-|----|----|----|
|----|----|----|--7-|--R-|----|----|
|----|--3-|----|----|--5-|----|----|
|----|----|--R-|----|----|----|----
.

[subexpression]

Originally Posted by mambo4

I think it's crucial for anyone prancing these to understand the intervals between the chord tones ,
so they can be apllied to any root....rather than just memorizing a pattern or memorizing the note names...
like so:

I maj7 Root Position
|----|----|----|--3-|----|----|----|
|----|----|----|--7-|--R-|----|----|
|----|--3-|----|----|--5-|----|----|
|----|----|--R-|----|----|----|----
.

Right on mambo4...that's equally as important.
However, it's difficult to show how they stack up vertically traveling up the neck unless the demo is specific to one chord. That's really the only reason why I didn't show the intervals.

Good catch!