Playing the I V vi IV

[adrianpavone]

Hey all,

I currently play in a church worship band (working on a second unrelated band as well, probably blues or classic rock, soon as I get my Precision) and so song after song after song has the Pop favourite I V vi IV progression. And very commonly in the key of B, although the key does seem to be changing a bit more of late. Basically I'm wondering what people tend to play over the I V vi IV progression that sounds good and groovy beyond just playing root notes with the occasional walk thrown in.

Every book or site that I have seen talks about the turnarounds I vi IV V and I iii IV V which are both standard turnarounds from up to around the 1950's (and still exist in some genres), but nothing seems to speak to the current pop fad progression .

One of the biggest things I've noticed is that playing a 1 + 5 type line, such as 1 5 1 5, works fine for the first three chords although it softens the move from the original I to the V. However, on the IV at the end before going back to a I playing the 5 (the octave of the I) really seems to sound weird to me and makes the I at the start of the progression sound strange when returned to.

Also playing a 1 5 4 5 type line sounds quite strange on the vi chord and downright wrong on the IV chord (due to the "normal" 4).

Of late I've been trying out doing this, which I obviously borrowed from Jazz walking lines:
1 5 4 b5 | 5 b5 5 b6 | 6 b6 5 b5 | 4 5 4 3

However I'm sure there's other riffs and ideas that would sound good over this progression, and so would appreciate people's input.

[MalcolmAmos]

I agree with what you are doing, here are a few of the things that happen in my playing. But first, you asked about turn-a-rounds, vii (m7b5) iii-vi-ii-V7-I is the old classic turn-a-round. What you have work great.

R-3-5-3 is a safe major bass line for the type of music you are talking about. As is R-5-8-5, and then R-b3-5-b7 works fine for minor chord bass lines, but, judging from the bass lines you listed in your post, I'm sure you already know this.

I normally see or hear the chord and try just roots first, if I need something then R-5 still need more the 8 is safe as mentioned above. So after the root, the five and the eight then the 3's and 7's come in when I go to a full chord tone. Of course the correct 3's and 7's depending on the chord being major or minor.

I tend to use chromatic runs to tie the chords together, i.e. target (look where the next root is) then leave early and - miss the next root - by one, two or three frets, then walk to it one fret at a time - being on the next root in time for the change. Easy to do just takes a little practice to get the leaving early thing worked out. Gotta time this. And then be aware of any other runs the lead guitar or keyboard are doing. Nothing good about two or three instruments taking off on a walk a couple of seconds ahead or behind your walk, i.e. song only needs one walk, you and the other guys work that out amoung yourselves. Some of the things you are experimenting with seem like what I do on my chromatic runs. Any thing that sounds good is good.

You mentioned some of the things you are doing not sounding right. I tend to use the 2 and 4 chord tones as passing notes, i.e. they are normally only found in the Sus chords, and I treat Sus chords as passing chords. So they seldom get into one of my chord tone bass lines. No reason other than it's just something I do not do.

Have fun...

[mebusdriver]

Dude..... the world works in mysterious ways.... I was just asked by a buddy to play bass on a little ep that hes doing. And well, every song is in B. And every song has this same exact progression. I just came here to do some research because I'm having the SAME problems as you. Nothing seems to sound right!!!!

[Audiophage]

I'd probably stay away from using 4's in basslines for a regular major chord. It clashes too much with the 3 unless you're going for that sound of course.

[MalcolmAmos]

Originally Posted by mebusdriver

Dude..... the world works in mysterious ways.... I was just asked by a buddy to play bass on a little ep that hes doing. And well, every song is in B. And every song has this same exact progression. I just came here to do some research because I'm having the SAME problems as you. Nothing seems to sound right!!!!

B, ugg, five sharps! B, C#, D#, E, F#, G#, A# If you use the box not a problem, however if you do not let the box place the correct notes for you remember there are a lot of sharps involved.

[LucienBel]

I'm currently writing a song with a I V IV progression. It wasn't really intended, but I was playing around and found something I really liked the sound of. I've never really done a whole lot with that progression, and I'm also having difficulty finding a bass line, and for that matter lead guitar parts that I like. It's taken me a week or so and I feel I have a bass line that I like enough, but I'm still having a time working in lead guitar and harmonies that I like.

Personally, just put a decent amount of time into it, fooling around, seeing what certain things will do for you and eliminating things you really don't like the sound of for the equation. Maybe lose a bit of the theory and trust your ears a little more too (I have the hardest time doing this sometimes).

[colcifer]

Axis of Awesome - 4 Four Chord Song (with song titles) - YouTube

[adrianpavone]

Originally Posted by MalcolmAmos

B, ugg, five sharps! B, C#, D#, E, F#, G#, A# If you use the box not a problem, however if you do not let the box place the correct notes for you remember there are a lot of sharps involved.

Yeah, the other one that's fairly common in modern worship music is Db (which of course has the same problem), closely followed by Ab... *Sigh*

Originally Posted by colcifer

Axis of Awesome - 4 Four Chord Song (with song titles) - YouTube

Yeah, seen that one, quite enjoy it, and that's the main reason I'm trying to avoid pop when getting into a new band.

Originally Posted by Audiophage

I'd probably stay away from using 4's in basslines for a regular major chord. It clashes too much with the 3 unless you're going for that sound of course.

Umm, good point Audio, didn't think of that, thanks. It's probably a lot safer to do 1 5 3 5 instead (adjusting the 3 to a b3 on the vi chord of course).

[HolmeBass]

"So Lonely" by the Police? How can it suck? Sting pretty much just played the roots, but the amount of movement you'd need/want depends on the tempos and how long each chord is held.

But taking one of your original lines:
1 5 4 b5 | 5 b5 5 b6 | 6 b6 5 b5 | 4 5 4 3

Maybe try something using more of the triad tones for each chord, more of a "soul" approach:
1 5 3 (2|b5) | 5 2 3 5 | 6 8 (6|10) (3|6) | 4 low6 b7 7 (meaning drop to the 3rd of the IV chord below the root of the I and walk up chromatically to the 1)

Where (2|b5) means either the 2 or the b5, 6 or 3, etc. But I agree with the idea of avoiding the 4 on the one chord. And don't discount not moving on each beat, a few half notes on the root at the beginning of a bar may make it sit better. Good luck experimenting and differentiating those tunes!

[cire113]

are you kidding man there so many ways to play and groove over this progression..

[cewillm]

Originally Posted by cire113

are you kidding man there so many ways to play and groove over this progression..

Why don't you enlighten us with some of your ideas instead of being so vague and condescending?

[longfinger]

current pop fad... discovered today from another talkbass thread...

(I had no idea this song existed, or who this group / singer is... yet 147 million views on youtube.... in 6 months)

Michel Teló - Ai Se Eu Te Pego - Oficial (Assim você me mata) - YouTube

it's in B. ;-)

somewhat recent is "I'm yours"
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=EkHTsc9PU2A
Jason Mraz - "I'm Yours" LIVE (Official RMTV Acoustic) Rare Early Performance! - YouTube

same song over and over again...

Axis of Awesome FTW.

[joebar]

Originally Posted by Audiophage

I'd probably stay away from using 4's in basslines for a regular major chord. It clashes too much with the 3 unless you're going for that sound of course.

if using a 4, it will strongly want to resolve to a three usually

[hleach]

Grab your harmonic destiny and use the second inversion of the V and vi to march stepwise up the bottom of the progression.

In B: B C# D# E