Making a bass line when the band plays "F/G"

[owensea777]

I bought a practice tracks for jazz bass players CD, how do I make a bass line when the rest of the band plays F/G or G/A? Also what would I work with when the band plays D7(#9). Any help is greatly appreciated.

[Pokeroo]

Without knowing the context, these could be transition chords leading to I. So F/G -> C and G/A -> D. If this is the case, you can play the F/G as if over a G7sus4. The G indicates the root and the F tells you to stay away from the B-natural. Again, I'm just guessing at the context.

In the most basic terms, the #9 tells you that the 3 can be flatted or not (sorry, not really correct theory but in practice this is what it boils down to). You should be able to treat it as a D7 without any problems.

[owensea777]

The song with the F/G and G/A is also in the key of D minor. Forgot about that. Thanks for the reply bro

[DocBop]

They write slash chords to tell you what they want in the bass. F/G they want a G in the bass G/A they want A.

The D7+9 is not being played long just treat it like D dominant. If they are sitting on it for awhite you can use one of the scales for an altered dominant. Bottom line is use your ear and listen to the rest of the band and decide what fits use D7 chord tones or add altered 9's.

[bassbrock]

Originally Posted by DocBop

They write slash chords to tell you what they want in the bass. F/G they want a G in the bass G/A they want A.

The D7+9 is not being played long just treat it like D dominant. If they are sitting on it for awhite you can use one of the scales for an altered dominant. Bottom line is use your ear and listen to the rest of the band and decide what fits use D7 chord tones or add altered 9's.

+1 thats how we write our chord sheets and if I saw slash notes, I'd play the chord to the right of the slash. Any weird D7sus or stuff like that I just play the root (D).

[Zebra]

When it shows one chord over another, like F/G, the bass plays the bottom chord while the rest of the band plays the top chord.

[TheBassBetween]

Right, the chord to the right of the slash should be the lowest note the band plays, but that doesn't mean you can't use other notes from the chord to the left of the slash.

But as was stated earlier, you really should just find out where each chord is going, and build the bass line around the entire progression.

[bassbrock]

Yeah, and you'll know when it sounds right (or wrong!). Good luck!

[KayCee]

Originally Posted by owensea777

I bought a practice tracks for jazz bass players CD, how do I make a bass line when the rest of the band plays F/G or G/A? Also what would I work with when the band plays D7(#9). Any help is greatly appreciated.

F/G and G/A are usually suspended V chords, using Mixolydian scales with the third being the "avoid" note harmonically.

D7(+9) is often (as in Aebersold) used to suggest an altered dominant scale (D Eb F Gb Ab Bb C), which is the seventh mode of Eb melodic minor. However, it could also suggest an Eb diminished scale or G blues scale over the D7 chord.

[owensea777]

Thanks for the help, this forum is the sh*t!

[DocBop]

Originally Posted by Zebra

When it shows one chord over another, like F/G, the bass plays the bottom chord while the rest of the band plays the top chord.

That is a Slash chord when the line is angled. That means a chord with a specific bass note.

What you are describing is a Polychord. Polychords the line is horizontal not at an angle. Polychords are one triad over another triad, its a way to specify a chord voicing for piano or guitar. For the bass you will again play the bottom triad. The upper triad is usually color tones. For example my favorite polychord is D over C. Analyze it, it creates a C 6/9 +11 chord.

[KayCee]

Originally Posted by DocBop

That is a Slash chord when the line is angled. That means a chord with a specific bass note.

What you are describing is a Polychord. Polychords the line is horizontal not at an angle. Polychords are one triad over another triad, its a way to specify a chord voicing for piano or guitar. For the bass you will again play the bottom triad. The upper triad is usually color tones. For example my favorite polychord is D over C. Analyze it, it creates a C 6/9 +11 chord.

My understanding is that the horizontal line represents a polychord (chord over chord), and that the angled line represents a chord over a bass note. This can represent:

1. An inversion: Gb/Bb

If the bass note is the 3rd, 5th or 7th of the upper structure.

2. A "hybrid structure: Gb/C

The bass note is not the 3, 5, or 7 of the upper chord.

[ryco]

Originally Posted by owensea777

F/G or G/A?

When I see F/G I emphasize the G note and use A F C (F chord) on weaker beats.
When I see G/A I stand on the A and experiment using B G D (G chord).

When a writer/arranger singles out a particular note they want to hear the bassist play, which is what the note on the right of the slash indicates, play it. Emphasize the note and experiment with the chord tones on the left.

D7#9

D Eb E# F# G# A# C called Altered Dominant

[KayCee]

Originally Posted by ryco

D Eb E# F# G# A# C called Altered Dominant

I believe that while these notes are enharmonically correct, the spelling of this scale must reflect it's relationship to Eb Melodic Minor, hence:

D Eb F Gb Ab Bb C

The reason being that in a diatonic scale, each line or space on the staff is represented once and only once.

Symmetrical diminished, whole tone, chromatic, pentatonic, and blues scales don't adhere to this rule, as they're not diatonic scales.

[ryco]

I'll concede to your point regarding using enharmonics to relate the D AltDom to the Eb Jazz Minor Scale as opposed to G Major.

However I feel it's an artificial scale in an alternative harmony (albeit a very accepted and used theory in modern music: read legit) so the diatonic rules of traditional harmony don't necessarily apply in things like designating lines and spaces.

The chord belongs in both realms

with respect, -Ryan

[KayCee]

Originally Posted by ryco

I'll concede to your point regarding using enharmonics to relate the D AltDom to the Eb Jazz Minor Scale as opposed to G Major.

However I feel it's an artificial scale in an alternative harmony (albeit a very accepted and used theory in modern music: read legit) so the diatonic rules of traditional harmony don't necessarily apply in things like designating lines and spaces.

The chord belongs in both realms

with respect, -Ryan

Excellent point, and a subject that deserves a thread (or even a forum) of it's own.

After all, on a D7 altered scale (let's say resolving to G major in the key of G major), we're really just allowing for the co-existance of the tritone substitution (Ab7(+11)). What we're left with is two scales that are modes in Eb melodic minor that do a great job of filling the bill...the seventh (altered dominant) and the fourth (Lyd b7).

But are we actually "borrowing" Eb Melodic Minor at this point? Is this "modal interchange"? Are we "in Eb Melodic Minor" for a split second? I think maybe not. Great point, Ryan.

And, if we're throwing artificial scales at the tritone sub, the Eb diminished scale (read: D half-whole) covers this, too. You get a D7 chord with (b9 #9 #11), and an Ab7 chord with the same tensions (b9 #9 #11).

The general rule of thumb is that non-diatonic dom7 chords use Lydian b7, which brings the Melodic minor modes into play. Interesting to think outside the box on this one, though.