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how to know stuff like 7th's and minor

Ok beginner question.
On a bass guitar lets say in for instance in a key of G you see Fm7, where is that played on a bass guitar? Same as an F?

Fm7 is a chord, not a note. It is composed of 4 notes. You can choose to just play the root of the chord, which is F. It works most of the time.
I know you just took a random example but there is no Fm7 in the key of G.
Search for basic harmony instruction, including formation of chords. It isn't as tricky as it looks.

The root of the chord is still F - so playing an F would be fine. You could also play the 7th note (E flat I think) in the minor scale - and that would sound fine as well.

If in doubt playing the root note will get you by.

--Chris

Quote:

Originally Posted by Kenn (Post 13808572)

Ok beginner question.
On a bass guitar lets say in for instance in a key of G you see Fm7, where is that played on a bass guitar? Same as an F?

There are 7 notes in any key. In the key of G, G is the first note. The first, third, fifth, and seventh notes make up a 7 chord; G B D F# = Gma7(I), A C E G = Am7(II),
B D F# A = Bm7(III), C E G B = Cma7(IV) D F# A C = D7(V) E G B D = Em7(VI) F# A C E = F#1/2 diminshed(VII). Ther is one sharp# in the key of G and that is F#. This is the basics of music theory. You can add or take out any notes to make the alternate chords of non-7 chords. No matter what note you start on its the same order. You can actually figure out every scale and every chord in any key with this formula. Fm is not actually in the key of G let alone the note of F. The bass usually plays the root note of the chord. Each key also has a relative major and minor; in the key of G, Em is the relative of Gma (the I and the VI).

My copy of this is framed and right above my practice chair.

Quote:

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

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?
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

Same thing for chord formulas ..... So here they are:

Major Scale Box.
Code:
G|---2---|-------|---3---|---4---| 1st string
D|---6---|-------|---7---|---8---|
A|---3---|---4---|-------|---5---|
E|-------|---R---|-------|---2---|4th string
Want to play the F#m chord. Place the box's R on an F# note.
4th string 2nd fret and then visualize the box and play the R-b3-5 notes
within the box. A "b3" is a flatted note, i.e. one fret back toward the nut.
Now the music may not allow you time for all those notes. Get the R in, and
then as many more of the chord tones as the song will allow. R on the 1st beat,
5 on the 3rd beat and then the b3 and say 8 on the 2 and 4 beat. Root on 1 is what
we shoot for, any thing else is gravy.

Basic Chords
• Major Triad = R-3-5
• Minor Triad = R-b3-5
• Diminished Chord = R-b3-b5

7th Chords
• Maj7 = R-3-5-7
• Minor 7 = R-b3-5-b7
• Dominant 7 = R-3-5-b7
• ½ diminished = R-b3-b5-b7
• Full diminished = R-b3-b5-bb7
See a chord and play it's chord tones. As every key will have three major, three minor and one diminished chord it's a good idea to get your major, minor and diminished bass line chord tones into muscle memory so when you see a chord your fingers just know what will work. Now the song may only give you enough room for the root, or root five - adapt and get as many chord tones into your bass line as needed. Root on 1 and a steady groove from the other chord tones plus something to call attention to the chord change is what we do.

Here is the rest of the story. http://www.billygreen.pwp.blueyonder...20Advanced.pdf

Welcome to our World. Have fun.

Quote:

Originally Posted by MalcolmAmos (Post 13809372)

My copy of this is framed and right above my practice chair.

Here is the rest of the story. http://www.billygreen.pwp.blueyonder...20Advanced.pdf

Welcome to our World. Have fun.

That's handy, I just made a copy of this for my practice room - thank you. :)

Just remember... Because we are the all powerful bass note, (the lowest sounding note), we wield the power to change the type of chord the rest of the band is creating by playing different notes in the chord.

Experiment in practice, and use carefully when playing with others :)

Have fun!
speeves