Flats

[bassbeginner95]

Hi, I am learning to play chords. And I was wondering how do I play flats. Thanks in advance.

[Edward G.]

Please define exactly what you mean by 'flats'. I'm interested.

[PaulMacCnj]

Same here. I'm not sure what you're asking. "Flat" is relative term. Do you mean "minor" for chords?

[bassbeginner95]

like Ab and Bb minor

[Edward G.]

Flat is a general musical term meaning a half-step or semi-tone less in degree. There are many contexts in which this can apply, but it's usually pretty self-explanatory. It's not that tough to figure out. Without further specifics, it becomes a long lesson, or explanation at least. Have a ball.

[EatADeadGoat]

Playing in a flat key usually means moving the notes down by half a step, like from A to Ab. So on a standard tuned bass, it would be moving down from your 5th fret on your E string to your 4th, and staying in the major/minor scale of it.

Just remember that B/C and E/F are all half steps away from each other. So, Cb is the same as B, but instead of being spelled in sharps like how it would be in B, it's all the same notes, except it's written as the flat instead. (The difference between D# and Eb for example) It really doesn't make a difference unless you play a fretless I think. Same rule applies for E and F, except there is no Fb in the circle of fifths, F just gets itself and F#.

[kr0n]

Every major key is derived from the chromatic scale with the same formula and "flatted" keys are no different. I'm not sure what the formal take on this is but I'd differentiate "flat" as a note flatted within a key and Ab/G# a key.

Same pattern of notes on the neck.

Lets say you play Amaj7 on bass (lets omit the 5th) so we need 1st, 3rd and 7th scale degrees.
Notes are A, C# and G# (E-string 5th, A-string 4th, D-string 6th. or with open A, 6th on D-string, 6th on G-string for a different voicing.)
Flatten that to Ab, C and G to get Abmaj7
Notes are Ab, C and G. (E-string 4th, A-string 3rd, D-string 5th or open G.)

It's simpler than you think. Same shape, one fret down.

Figure out the notes for the chord, find root, omit 5th, find the rest. If there's EADG in the chord, try to incorporate open strings for cool voicings (voicing = same notes in different order, root is usually the lowest, doesn't have to be! Context!).

[MalcolmAmos]

Originally Posted by bassbeginner95

Hi, I am learning to play chords. And I was wondering how do I play flats. Thanks in advance.

It's as simple as a flat will have a flatted third interval, i.e. b3, but there is a little more ..... Let's start at the begging:

Major Scale Chart
C D E F G A B...............Notice the C scale has no Sharps
G A B C D E F#.............and the G scale has one, the F#
D E F# G A B C#...........and the D scale keeps the F# and
A B C# D E F# G#.........adds the C#. Then the A scale keeps
E F# G# A B C# D#.......everything and adds the G#. See how
B C# D# E F# G# A#.....it builds on it's self.
F# G# A# B C# D# E#
C# D# E# F# G# A# B#
F G A Bb C D E.............Look what happens with the flat scales
Bb C D Eb F G A...........F has one the Bb, then the Bb scale keeps
Eb F G Ab Bb C D.........it's self and adds the the Eb. Same thing
Ab Bb C Db Eb F G.......the sharp scales did...
Db Eb F Gb Ab Bb C
Gb Ab Bb Cb Db Eb F
Cb Db Eb Fb Gb Ab Bb

Memory pegs:
See God Destroy All Earth By F#irey C#haos. Order of the scales with sharps.
Fat cats go down alleys eating birds. Order of the sharps.
Farmer brown eats apple dumplings greasily cooked. Order of the scales with flats.
The key signature is showing three sharps. What scale has three sharps? C has none, G has one, D has two, A has three. Which sharps? Fat = F#, Cat = C# and Go = G# so the A major scale has three sharps, F#, C# and G#.

Natural Minor Scale Chart
A B C D E F G ................Notice how the 6th column of the
E F# G A B C D................Major scale becomes the 1st column
B C# D E F# G A..............in the minor scale and how the 7th
F# G# A B C# D E............column of the Major scale is now the
C# D# E F# G# A B..........2nd column in the minor scale. And
G# A# B C# D# E F#........yep, the 1st column in the Major scale
D# E# F# G# A# B C#......is now the 3rd column, etc. etc.
A# B# C# D# E# F# G#....Ask your self why? Hint, think relative minor.
D E F G A Bb C
G A Bb C D Eb F
C D Eb F G Ab Bb
F G Ab Bb C Db Eb
Bb C Db Eb F Gb Ab
Eb F Gb Ab Bb Cb Db
Ab Bb Cb Db Eb Fb Gb

Now how to play them:

Major Scale Box.

G|---2---|-------|---3---|---4---| 1st string
D|---6---|-------|---7---|---8---|
A|---3---|---4---|-------|---5---|
E|-------|---R---|-------|---2---|4th string

Basic Chords
Major Triad = R-3-5 -- C
Minor Triad = R-b3-5 -- Cm
Diminished Chord = R-b3-b5 -- Cdim

Notice minor chords have a flatted 3 (b3) and major chords have a natural 3. The diminished chord has both a b3 and b5.

7th Chords
Maj7 = R-3-5-7 -- Cmaj7
Minor 7 = R-b3-5-b7 -- Cm7
Dominant 7 = R-3-5-b7 -- C7
½ diminished = R-b3-b5-b7 -- C with the little circle and the circle has a strike through.
Full diminished = R-b3-b5-bb7 -- C with the little circle and no strike through.

Scales
Major Scale = R-2-3-4-5-6-7 Home base.
Major Pentatonic = R-2-3-5-6 For major pentatonic leave out the 4 and 7.
Natural Minor Scale = R-2-b3-4-5-b6-b7 Use the major scale pattern and flat the 3, 6 and 7.
Minor Pentatonic = R-b3-4-5-b7 Use the Natural minor pattern and leave out the 2 and 6.
Blues = R-b3-4-b5-5-b7 Use the minor pentatonic and add the blue note (b5).
Harmonic Minor Scale = R-2-b3-4-5-b6-7 Use the natural minor pattern and sharp the b7 into a natural 7.
Melodic Minor Scale = R-2-b3-4-5-6-7 Use the major scale and flat the 3 (b3).

Want to play a Cmaj7 chord? It's intervals are R-3-5-7 use as many as needed, i.e. Just the root may be enough, if you need something else grab a five (R-5-R-5) Still need some more think about an eight (R-5-8-5) Still have time for another interval bring in the correct 3 and 7,i.e. use as many as you think will fit.

Now -- get some of those patterns into muscle memory. See a Abm7 chord and your fingers know that R-b3-5-b7 will work. Yep, place the R on the Ab note. Use as many of those intervals that will fit with this specific song.

Good luck.

[sammyp]

don't play in flat keys! use a capo ...LOL kidding works for country guitar.

[TN WOODMAN]

I thought the OP meant flats, as in strings!

[WannaJazz]

Ricci Adams' Musictheory.net

[Buxtehude]

Originally Posted by TN WOODMAN

I thought the OP meant flats, as in strings!

I play flats with flat wounds and sharps with sharp wounds.

[Russell L]

Bear in mind that sometimes the word "flat" is used loosely when referring to altered tones in chords where the key requires sharps. For instance, an A chord is composed of A C# and E (1 3 5). You might hear someone say, "Use a flat third." That means lower the third a half-step, even though in this case there will be no flat symbol used. For the A chord a flat third will be C natural, which is one half-step below C#.

Inversely, the same can happen with the word "sharp."