Deciphering this hook...

[Kuoxasar]

Hi guys. To start off, I'm trying to figure out the methodology behind the note selection of one of my favorite songs. It's a song called "Cars and Calories" by Saves the Day. The song has two bass hooks in it that really grab me.

For reference, here's the tab, and here's the song. If you're not a big fan of emo/pop-punk, stay clear of the song itself , the tab appears to be almost completely correct.

The hooks in question come in the verses. The first hook is E8, A7, A5, played twice (the tab has those notes played on higher strings [A3, D2, D0]). It's just a major third upward, major second downward, right? (Have mercy on me, I'm beginning learning theory).

But in the last verse, the last time he would be expected to play that hook, he instead plays A7, D5, again played twice in succession. I think that's a minor third upward.

That hook COMPLETELY makes the song for me. The thing that bothers me is, I don't hear any changes in the guitar, I don't hear any changes in the singing. The drumming seems to be different when he plays the second hook, though. More anxious or something, but it's very subtle.

I lack the vocabulary to express what I'm trying to ask, and I apologize for that. And to a lot of you this must seem like the biggest mountain made out of the smallest molehill ever. But I really want to know how the change-up in notes can grab a listener.

To those of you with the patience to read and respond helpfully to this, thank you very much.

[JimmyM]

If we knew what grabs the listener and how when we record, we'd all have hit records. Don't try to read too much into it...just take it for what it is and learn that changing things up slightly can lead to very interesting discoveries.

BTW, I should have taken your advice not to listen to the song...I'm ready to drive my car into a wall now...so depressing!

[BlueStatic]

Originally Posted by Kuoxasar

. The first hook is E8, A7, A5, played twice (the tab has those notes played on higher strings [A3, D2, D0]). It's just a major third upward, major second downward, right? (Have mercy on me, I'm beginning learning theory).

But in the last verse, the last time he would be expected to play that hook, he instead plays A7, D5, again played twice in succession. I think that's a minor third upward.

so for the first hook, the notes go C- E- D
If C were to be the root or it you were working in C major, then that hook would be root- maj3- maj 2

for the second hook, the notes go E- G
Now if we were still working in C major, then that hook would be maj3- perfect5. But G is the minor third of E.

If you want to get a general understanding of the different intervals (min3, maj7, etc) and finding them on the fretboard according to the root, you might want to read this thread or atleast the background info.

Chords on bass.. anyone?

[Kuoxasar]

Thank you both so very much. This has been bothering me for a while and now I can turn it into a learning experience.