Tricks/Tips for making interesting lines under power chords

[officialjlox]

So the band I'm auditioning for is a heavy rock band that uses primarily power (fifth) chords and runs based off of those chords. I'm still trying to recall my theory training and adapt it to bass, but if I were to want to create lines other than R-5 in these situations, what is the best way to do so?

If I were to walk from chord to chord during a chorus of extended chord holds, what notes would be the best to do that with? Are all notes in the given key acceptable?

For sake of argument, say the chorus progression goes something like this..

E5 - G5 - A5 - C5- B5 - E5

halp?

[DudeistMonk]

So a power chord only has the root and 5th in it which leaves all the coloration to you and whoever has the melody. This gives you a whole lot of control over how the song sounds.

However the chords, in arrangement, imply qualities.

Of course you have artistic license and you should do what sounds best, and this is only assuming diatonic harmony without key changes.

Using your charts:

E5 - G5 - A5 - C5- B5 - E5
or written based on their scale numbers
I - III - IV - VI - V - I

E is the starting chord/tonal center/resolving chord (the B to E at the end there is a V - I which is a common cadence or resolution/tension release) so its safe to assume we are in the key of E something (in this case minor, which I'll explain in a second)

Okay so the G and the C are the give aways that we are in a minor key, because they are minor, if the key was major they G would be a G# and the C would be a C#

E major = E, F#, G#, A, B, C#, D#
E minor = E, F#, G, A, B, C, D

So applying diatonic harmony your chords are really...

Emin | Gmaj | Amin | Cmaj | Bmin | Emin
or
i - III - iv - VI - v - i

This is because in a minor key the chords are:

i=minor
I=major
*=diminished (I dunno how to make that keyboard character)

i | ii* | III | iv | v | VI | VII

for major it would be:

I | ii | iii | IV | V | iv | iv*

If this is confusing remember that A is the relative minor of C and just like C it has no sharps or flats, the relative major of E minor is G, which also only has one sharp (F#). The pattern revolves see http://files.meetup.com/227762/Circl...hs%20wheel.gif

Remember this is all based on diatonic harmony and in the end its up to what you feel sounds the best...you have artistic license.

As far as walking goes that's a whole thread/DVD/book in and of itself (and something I need to practice) but from what I understand most walking lines consist of chord tones, then scale tones, then passing/leading tones, each to fulfill a certain roll. So if the chord was a Emin and you want to walk it to G then something like E, B, A, G# would work. The E is the root and should start the bar in most cases, the B is the 5th which is a safe chord tone to move too, the A is a scale tone, and the G# is a passing tone that is out of key except it leads you right into the G which is next chord....the hard part is improvising them, crazy jazz musicians.

[MalcolmAmos]

If the band uses power chords in all their music, i.e. R5 they probably would not appreciate anything beyond a steady stream of R-5. They may want a hard driving steady stream of root nothing or root 5. Root nothing will play a bunch of songs. Now .....

You asked;

If I were to walk from chord to chord during a chorus of extended chord holds, what notes would be the best to do that with? Are all notes in the given key acceptable? For sake of argument, say the chorus progression goes something like this..

E5 - G5 - A5 - C5- B5 - E5

This will not get into what would be "the best" and will dwell only with what could work in 4/4 time.

Any major chord aka C a riff of R-3-5-3 will work -- and fill out a 4/4 measure nicely.
Any minor chord aka Cm a riff of R-b3-5-b3 will work.
Any diminished chord aka Cdim = R-b3-b5-b3 and then the Cdim7b5 = R-b3-b5-bb7 will work.
Now the extensions:
C5 R-5 is all you need. If they wanted more they would have asked for it, i.e. a C or Cmaj7 perhaps C7.
C6 R-3-5-6 if major.
Cm6 R-b3-5-6 if minor.
C7 R-3-5-b7.
Cm7 R-b3-5-b7.
Cmaj7 R-3-5-7.
I normally do not worry with 9th, 11th, 13th etc.
A slash chord aka Gm7/F forget about the Gm7 the bass should only play the slash or F.
Two chords per measure. Remember you are in 4/4 time so a R-5 on each chord will work nicely.
Something like Bb13(#11) Bb works for me, like I said I don't go beyond 7ths. Up to you....

You also asked;

.....what notes would be the best to do that with? Are all notes in the given key acceptable?

Acceptable? Yes all notes of a scale will sound OK with each other, however, it's best if we play chord tones, i.e. limit our notes to specific notes found in the chord. To make all that work you need to know the notes in each chord and to know that you need to know the notes in each scale, i.e. what is the 3rd note in the A scale. Why? Well the 3rd note in the A scale is C#. If you are playing over an A chord your notes would be A-C#-E, (R-3-5)however, if you were playing over an Am chord your notes would be A-C-E or R-b3-5. What? I have to memorize the notes in 12 scales? No, you just need to be able to find the ones you need.

There is a way to make that happen. You can visualize the major scale pattern and let the pattern place the correct notes automatically under your fingertips. If you want more details on that - just ask.

Good luck.

Some helps:
http://www.smithfowler.org/music/Chord_Formulas.htm

http://www.looknohands.com/chordhous.../index_rb.html

[officialjlox]

Thanks guys. I see I have some studying to do. As a former g*****ist, I am familiar with the relative minor and modes ( need to brush up on the names, but I know the forms on the neck) but chord theory was my biggest weak spot. This place should help that pretty quickly though

[MalcolmAmos]

The 6 string will flow right into your 4 string. Forget about modes for now and keep in mind we play notes of the chord one note at a time. The following helped me see my bass fretboard and after that everything I knew about music on my 6 string fell right into my 4 string. The following is a cut and paste from a post I did a while back.

Know your fretboard.

The Major Scale Root on the 4th string.
G|---2---|-------|---3---|---4---| 1st string
D|---6---|-------|---7---|---8---|
A|---3---|---4---|-------|---5---|
E|-------|---R---|-------|---2---|4th string

The Major Scale Root on the 3rd string.
G|---6---|-------|---7---|---8---| 1st string
D|---3---|---4---|-------|---5---|
A|-------|---R----|------|---2---|
E|-------|---5----|------|---6---|4th string

Where is the 5th? Up a string and over two frets from the Root. Yep 5ths are up a string and over two frets from the root all over your fretboard.
Where is the 3rd? Up a string and back one fret.
Where is the 2nd? Same string over two.
Where is the 4th? Up a string.
Where is the 6th? Up two strings and back one. Over the 3rd.
Where is the 7th? Up two strings and over one fret.
Where is the octave (8)? Up two strings and over two frets.

Yep, your 5th is always up a string and over two frets, or if you place your root on the 3rd string the 5th is on the same fret but on the 4th string -- as well as up a string and over two frets, i.e. take your choice. If you place your root on the 3rd string where is your 4th? Where is the 5th? Is that great or what? Check it out your intervals are always in the same spot just waiting on you.

Now using that lets get some bass line riffs into muscle memory, i.e. Root-5 or R-3-5-3 perhaps R-3-5-b7 and then the major pentatonic R-2-3-5-6 always comes in handy. Playing 8's how about R-R-3-3-5-5-6-5. Five or six go to riffs can get you started. What the heck here is the blues scale R, b3, 4, #4, 5, b7 go have fun with that.

For everything else check out www.studybass.com

We old 6 string guitar guys have a tendency of filling our riffs too full. Two chords in a measure, the R-5 for both or R-3 for both or R-3 for one and R-5 for the other -- you don't have room for any more than that. This less is more concept is also why I don't go beyond 8th.

Have fun.

[Barfy]

Prog metal bands like Opeth are always using weird scales like Phrygian or Aeolian. But as far as I can tell, aside from the ethereal ballad-y parts where the rhythm guitar is played clean, the rhythm guitarist is mainly just thrashing away at power chords the whole time; and more often than not, on a drop-tuned guitar.

Am I in the ballpark if I assume that, in a typical "proggy" metal band, the bassist and lead guitarist are the ones doing the esoteric scalar melody thing amid (or, despite) all the R-5-8 distortion? Or am I missing something?

I was always under the assumption that if a rhythm guitarist has it on super power puke death grind face-scrape distortion, his one and only option for chords (as far as strumming them goes) is the good old Devil's Chord. Hell, I thought this was more or less determined back in the time of Link Wray. Hope I'm not sounding too terribly ignorant here.

[guroove]

Power chords make me nuts. It sounds like they want you to play what the rhythm guitar is playing, but just the root. That said, the key you just outlined is E minor. In E minor, the E chord is minor, the G is major, the A can either be major or minor, the B is dominant, and the C is major.

You can't go wrong playing root - V - octave, and it's a figure that we've all heard in hard rock music since the beginning of hard rock.

I recommend playing the tritone (A and D#) over that B chord - preferably high up the neck if you want to make a real crunch sound on the B.

[Barfy]

One of my main influences was Geezer Butler of Black Sabbath. He most certainly worked the R-5-8 while backing up Tommy. Steve Harris (Iron Maiden), my #1 influence, also did so quite frequently and interestingly.

Dig up those old Sabbath and Maiden records, listen, find the tabs, and play those lines. "War Pigs" by Sabbath, and "Phantom of the Opera" by Maiden in particular.

[Mr. Lovejoy]

Uh oh, someone mentioned tabs!

[officialjlox]

Thanks for all the advice- I think the way malcom explained it showed me exactly what I was confusing myself with and clarified it. I'm used to seeing progressions and scales written out in charts as opposed to the number of each note in the scale. I learned modes by learning hand placement and which mode starts where and what the "shape" as in physical muscle memory is involved, as opposed to R 3 5 etc. Much clearer now.

And I actually have been listening to a lot of maiden lately and threw in several r-5-8's into my practice runs tonight, worked like a charm