Quote:
Originally Posted by Dickie_uk  Hi,
These were labeled as strong chord progressions on a songwriting website I found. How would you write a bass line for them? I know about root notes, root - fifth, and arpeggios. Am I limited to the Root, Third, Fifth, Octave and major or dominant seventh (where appropiate) of the revelant chord. I believe passing notes are allowed as long as you don't linger on the note?
Also are these progressions just one chord per bar then repeating?
C Dm G C
C Dm7 G C
C Fmaj7 G7 C
C Am Dm G C
C Em Am Dm G7 C |
+1 to what Bassman said.
Under Cmaj7 (R-3-5-7) you can/could do.
Just roots or.....
Just R-5 or any of the chord tones
as you said.
In a progression I'm working on now the notes used under a Cmaj7 chord are:
- R-R-5-R-R-7 no 3 used.
- It's 4/4 time and you have 6 notes so it's a combination of 1/4 and 1/8 notes, i.e. the duration comes into play as was mentioned. If you are playing from standard notation you know the note durations, however, if you are using fake chord you have to figure out the rhythm yourself. Easy if there is a drummer. More on this below.
- That 7 (B) in addition to being part of the chord tone, it is also a secondary dominant to the next chord (E7) so that is the pull, movement or walking part, as also mentioned.
To paraphrase Bassman's post it's a balancing act and at least three things are needed. Harmonization, rhythm and movement. And like he mentioned; note duration is something most of us, myself included, need more work on. As I play from fake chord 99.9% of the time note duration is left up to me. So, as I'm not playing from standard notation, I use the lyrics, - one note per lyric word (lit-tle and ma-ry get two notes) to help with note duration, tempo, etc. I sing the song along with the vocalist - under my breath. I need to spend more time on this portion of my bass line. So often I'm just using 1/4 notes four beats to the bar. Course I'm Country, and Classic Country at that, which is dirt simple R-5 with chromatic runs to the next chord. Let your ear be your guide. Here is what fake chord sheet music looks like - using Nashville interval numbers:
Quote:
I Don’t Hurt Anymore
(1) I don’t hurt any (4) more, all my teardrops have (1) dried.
No more walking the (5) floor, with that burning (1) inside.
G|---2---|-------|---3---|---4---| 1st string
D|---6---|-------|---7---|-8(1)--|
A|---3---|---4---|-------|---5---|
E|-------|-R(1)--|-------|---2---|4th string
|
Fake chord lyrics, and the Nashville number system do not help with note duration so that is left up to you. So you grab the tonic key note (1) and make a bass line you feel works best, all roots perhaps. Then when the progression moves to the IV chord (at the lyric word "more") you move the pattern and grab your 4 interval, making it the 1 tonic, and continue with root notes or R-5-8-5 or whatever bass line you feel is best. With fake chord all that is kinda left up to you. Use as many chord tones as the music dictates.
Other intervals. The 6 is neutral goes well with major chords (R-3-5-6). The 2 and 4 are passing notes just do not linger on them or stop on them - as you mentioned.
As far as your progression being one chord per bar, I would assume so. Looks like a study of some classic progressions. The first one is I, ii, V, I then the next one just makes the Dm into a Dm7. The third is the classic I, IV, V7, I and then the last line is a classic turn-a-round I-iii-vi-ii-V7-I so that normally is a loop to start everything over again. If that is being used as a turn-a-round it probably will occupy just one or two bars and just one root note per chord, i.e. like a lick.
Have fun.
