Getting out of riding the root.

[Ka-ching]

Ok, I need help as to know what would be -proper- to play. I play without a drummer and mostly play slow worship style songs. Most of the time I just hit the root note on the first beat, let it ring, and then hit it again on the first beat. It sounds ok for the slow style, but it gets boring pretty quickly, so how do I get some more interesting things in a slow song like that?

For example, if I'm playing 'A' I just simply play the note 'A' on the first beat and let it ring for the 3 beats after that.

So what would be a way to get out of this "only do the root note" thing but would still be suited for slow worship style?

[screaminglucy]

add the fifth somewhere in there?

[alejan]

I think you should be able to use some chord arpeggios to color things up. Playing other chord tones while you are in the chord being played is always cool. Try at first eperimenting with the fifth and octave, then throw in a third. Eventually you can play a whole arpeggio and even use to move to your next chord. Hope that helps.

[MooseLumps]

I like utilizing the octave and emphasizing the voicing of the chord.
I.e. playing Amin7? play root-3-min7.

[woolysock]

Laying on the maj 3 on beat one and resolving to the 1 on the third beat is glorious. A little jazz theory will take you a long way ;-)

[Wildcats2004]

Here is what I would suggest if anyone came to me and asked this question:

Do you have *anyone* on your worship team playing an instrument that holds a rhythm? (Acoustic guitars or maybe even a piano). If you've got one of those, play off the rhythm they are playing. Acoustic guitars are especially good for this. Yes, they will probably be playing a whole bunch of strokes but most of them are unnecessary. Figure out where they are adding their accenting strokes (usually going to be a down stroke). Once you find their accent notes, play a rhythm off those. You can't go wrong if you play the same rhythm they are accenting. I've played on worship teams where it was just me and an acoustic guitar.

Same goes for piano (although a little harder). His/her left hand may play a bunch of extra notes but if you can listen and find where they are throwing in the accented beats, play off those.

Bottom line, BEFORE you start moving off the root you've got to figure out a way to establish some kind of rhythm and lock in (i.e. play with) with the rest of the band.
Once you find and establish that rhythm, that's when you have fun with it by adding in 3rds, 5ths, 7ths, etc.

Although he isn't my favorite bassist (I know, shock), Victor Wooten's drummer had it right when he said "You can't hold no groove if you aint got not pocket" and that pocket will be finding the rhythm and locking in.

Once you find that rhythm, that's when you have fun with it by adding in 3rds, 5ths, 7ths, etc.

[guroove]

Arpeggios, arpeggios, and more arpeggios. Learn to arpeggiate all the chords, practice them ascending and descending, and add the 7ths. One of my favorite exercises is to arpeggiate the I chord ascending, and the II chord descending, and so forth. This will teach you multiple routes through the same harmonic structures so you can flow smoothly from one chord to the next. Also, try playing the 3rd when it makes for a smoother line than playing the root would. Tritone substitutions on dominant 7th chords works well if the harmony isn't being played in full chords on another instrument.

[TimK]

Along with playing the 3rd, 5th, 7th etc you can start using leading tones to move the the next chord. Meaning play the note directly above or below the root of the next chord, usually on the 4th (or last) beat of the measure. Just be sure you resolve it when the next chord change comes. You don't want to be caught playing an Aflat on beat 1 of an A7 chord.

Spend time learing thoery and this will help a lot! Good luck!

[dimetech]

I don't want to nitpick (and correct me if i'm wrong), but wouldn't Am7 be: root-b3-5-7

Originally Posted by MooseLumps

I like utilizing the octave and emphasizing the voicing of the chord.
I.e. playing Amin7? play root-3-min7.

[Elemeninki]

Originally Posted by dimetech

I don't want to nitpick (and correct me if i'm wrong), but wouldn't Am7 be: root-b3-5-7

A7 = root - maj3 - 5 - min7
Am7 = root - min3 - 5 - min7
Amaj7 = root - maj3 - 5 - maj7

root - min3 - 5 - maj7 ... let's not go there.

[dimetech]

I was thinking the dom7 was implied...like i said not trying to nitpick

Originally Posted by Elemeninki

A7 = root - maj3 - 5 - min7
Am7 = root - min3 - 5 - min7
Amaj7 = root - maj3 - 5 - maj7

root - min3 - 5 - maj7 ... let's not go there.

[jzauner]

Along with playing the root fifth motion, try to do fills, walkups, anticipations, anticipations with neighbor tones, etc. For example, going E major to A major (if you are in the key of A, E is the V, play E for the measure, them AG# as eighth notes on beat four, followed by an A on the downbeat. The A on beat 4 is an anticipation, the G# is a neighbor tone, resolving to A on the downbeat. It has the potential to be extremely effective in harmonies.

What I did to develop chops was play downbeats, then add in one lick at a time. For a few weeks, I only played a walk up from the five to the one. A week later I added in a simple 7th scale degree on beat four of the measure with the V in it.

Basically develop a grab bag of different licks, and pull them out whenever. Remember, especially for worship songs, simpler is better. Just remember you have to keep time no matter what you play.


Hope this helps

[Ka-ching]

Lots of good stuff for me to try here. Thanks a lot everyone!

[jzauner]

Oh and the neighbor tone is not just G# you cold do B and make it an upper neighbt. Just like your neighbors, you have them on both sides. Or you could do a double, A as an eighth note, then B-G# as sixteenth notes or all as triplets.

Just experiment with basic counterpoint and see what you can do. The possibilities are endless, just start basic and expand!

[bigtexashonk]

Octaves and subtle harmonics are always nice ear candy.

[onlyclave]

Originally Posted by dimetech

I don't want to nitpick (and correct me if i'm wrong), but wouldn't Am7 be: root-b3-5-7

That would be redundant. An Ami7 chord has a root, third, fifth and seventh. To name the qualities is unnecessary since you just read the chord symbol.

[wideyes]

Ever listened to James Jamerson? He was good at bouncing around the notes in a chord.

[FunkMetalBass]

To clear it up:

Major 7 - 1, 3, 5, 7
[Dominant] 7 - 1, 3, 5, 7b
Minor 7 - 1, 3b, 5, 7b
Minor-Major 7 - 1, 3b, 5, 7

examples:

Amaj7 - A, C#, E, G#
A7 - A, C#, E, G
Am7 - A, C, E, G
AmM7 - A, C, E, G#

[sleepytime]

Try learning to play the vocal melody on bass. It's good ear training, and will usually bring a good idea or two to mind for accompaniment. Look for rhythmic hooks also.

[bassic.science]

Most of this is good advice and contains valuable information to your growth as a bass player. However, you're dancing a tough line in that you playing for church.

Like Wildcats, I've played for churches before and in my experience they STRONGLY frown on excessive playing. What excessive playing is depends on the church, but in some atmospheres simple chord voicings will be treated as near blasphemy. Your best option is to experiment with the rhythm. You're playing the most obvious rhythm which is the downbeat on the 1. You can begin with something simple like quarters or eighths, and at some point maybe even try some syncopation. You'd be surprised how much fun it can be to experiment with rhythms.

Alternatively, I'd go with what many others have said and play a 3rd or a 5th (I prefer the 3rd for the harmonic voicing, but that's a personal thing).