Understanding Chorded Songs

[Bass-4-God]

Let me first start off by saying that I play in church so I focus mainly on gospel music. This is were I need some guidance. I have been trying to learn some songs by using the chorded songs that the organinst uses. But I am confused as to what notes I should use, the notes on the left side of the slash or on the right side of the slash. Here are 3 examples of what I am talking about. Can someone please point me in the right direction.

EXample 1

A- Eb \G Bb Eb BROTHER, DON'T GIVE
DA / F6[1] UP, HOLD ON MY
CF / Gm7[1] SISTER, JUST LOOK
DA / F6[1] UP, THERE IS A
CF / Gm7[1] - MASTER PLAN IN
DA / F6[1] STORE FOR YOU IF
CG / Gm7[1] - YOU JUST
A / Cm[3] - MAKE
D / D [2] - IT
GD / Gm7[1] THROUGH

Example 2

las - Eb \ Bb Eb G
And - Eb \ Bb D F
Did - Eb \ G Bb Eb
My - Eb \ Bb Eb G
Sav - Eb \ Eb G Bb
-ior - Eb \ C F Ab
bleed - Eb \ Bb Eb G
And - G \ Eb G Bb
Did - Ab \ Eb Ab C
My - G \ Eb G Bb
Sov - F \ Bb D Ab
-ereign - Eb \ Bb Eb G
Die - Bb \ Ab Bb D F
Would - Eb \ G Bb Eb
He - Eb \ Bb Eb G
De - Eb \ Bb D F
-vote - Eb \ G Bb Eb

Example 3

Blessed be the name of the lord

Ab.......................Bb-...................Ab/C...............Eb

He is worthy to be praised and adored
............Ab.................F7(b9)/A..........Bb-...........Eb

So we lift up holy hands with one accord
............Ab7(sus 4).........Ab7..................Db...........Ddim6

Singing Blessed be the name
...............Ab/Eb......................

Blessed be the name
Gb/Db................F7(b9)/A

Blessed be the name....................of the lord.
Bb-.......................Eb(sus4)...............Eb7. .......Ab

[mambo4]

each example seems to be a different approach to spelling out chords for a keyboard.

example 1 is unfamiliar to me, but looks like notes before the slash are left hand notes -for the keyboardist - followed by the name of the actual chord,so I'd assuem the bass would play teh root of the chord after the slash, but it is safest to ask the keyboardist "what chords are these?"

Example 2 is also unfamiliar. this time it appears to be a desired bass note followed by a spelled out chord...i'd probably vamp on the note before the slash in this case , but it is safest to ask the keyboardist "what chords are these?"


only example 3 looks at all standard and familiar to me, and in those cases the note after the slash is the one intended to be in the bass. but it is safest to ask the keyboardist "what chords are these?"

[Febs]

Originally Posted by Bass-4-God

EXample 1

I have no idea what is going on in this example.

Example 2

I agree with mambo 4 that the note before the slash is probably what the keyboard is playing in the left hand, and the note after the slash is probably what the keyboard is playing with the right hand. So for example:

las - Eb \ Bb Eb G

This would be an Eb Major chord (Eb G Bb) with the Eb in the bass.

And - Eb \ Bb D F

This would be a Bb Major chord (Bb D F) over an Eb bass.

Etc.

My guess is that this is written out this way because the top note in each voicing is the melody and whoever wrote it out is trying to give specific voicings to the organist. If I'm right, this is a very awkward way to notate a song, but I think that you would be safe playing the note to the left of the slash.

Example 3

This is a more common way of notating chords. What is to the left of the slash is the chord. What is to the right of the slash is the bass note. So you have:

Ab = Ab Major chord, which contains the notes Ab C Eb.

Bb- = Bb minor chord, which contains the notes Bb Db F. (The dash is a shorthand way to indicate a minor chord.)

Ab/C = Ab Major chord, over a C bass note.

Eb = Eb Major chord, which contains the notes Eb G Bb.

F7(b9)/A = F7(b9) chord, which contains the notes F A C Eb Gb, over an A bass note. Note: I would write this as an A diminished 7 chord, which contains the notes A C Eb Gb. Really what's probably happening here is that the root of the chord is moving from an Ab to an A while the other notes of the chord are staying the same. Either way, it's safe for you to play the A.

Ab7(sus 4) = Ab7 chord with a 4th instead of a 3rd = Ab Db Eb Gb.

Db = Db Major chord, which contains the notes Db, F, Ab.

Ddim6 = I interpret this as a D diminished chord, D F Ab B. The "6" is somewhat superfluous to me, but probably just indicates that it is a full diminished chord rather than a dminished triad.

Ab/Eb = Ab Major chord over an Eb bass note.

Gb/Db = Gb Major chord (Gb Bb Db) over a Db bass note.

Eb(sus4) = Eb suspended 4, which means that there is a 4th instead of a 3rd = Eb Ab Bb

Eb7 = Eb G Bb Db

[Pat C.]

As Febs stated already, a chord symbol along with a slash with an additional note typically indicates a chord inversion, or alternate bass note. I've not seen the symbols written differently than this for this type of notation (unless it was done incorrectly) but I'm not familiar with gospel so maybe it's a notation particular to that genre.

Is it possible for you to scan the charts you are working with so that we can see exactly what they look like? I think something is being lost in translation when you typed the chords into your post.

Typically the bass would play the bass note indicated (to the right of the dash), but depending on the style of music and desired sound you could play surely other notes in or outside of the chord. The firmest foundation for the music will be to stick with the given bass or chord tones, particularly on the strong beats.

Originally Posted by Bass-4-God

Can someone please point me in the right direction.

[Bass-4-God]

Pat C. when you said typically the notes played on the right side is generally played by the bassist is what was told to me once before but then I got some conflicting info. This why I am doing my research and hopefully it will make me a better al around player. The example given were cut and pasted so I did not change anything.

[Pat C.]

I have never seen a chord chart that looked like example one or example two. It really doesn't seem to be an effective way to communicate music, particularly when there are several (many?) more effective, standardized ways in which to notate music.

I know that doesn't help you at all. It's likely that the charts your being provided with have been notated by musicians who don't quite know enough to effectively notate music.

The conflicting info you've gotten is probably incorrect. I've studied and played classical, jazz, pop, rock...and to a lesser extent funk, latin and P&W, and I've never seen the bass note indicated before the actual chord (triad).

Usually the goal of using an alternate bass note is to provide specific voice leading on the low end of the harmony at the point in the song, I would recommend using that bass note indicated whenever possible. If you can, perhaps take some time to sit down with the musical director (or guitarist and/or keyboardist) and work out the harmonies to see what sounds best. Then consider writing out your own chord charts so that you can more easily follow along.

Originally Posted by Bass-4-God

Pat C. when you said typically the notes played on the right side is generally played by the bassist is what was told to me once before but then I got some conflicting info. This why I am doing my research and hopefully it will make me a better al around player. The example given were cut and pasted so I did not change anything.

[Bass-4-God]

You can find these charts anywhere on net this usually what the organist plays, this how they write there chords it's not written for all the other musicians but it contains the chords and bass notes just not sure which notes. As we are a small family church I don't have the luxury to sit with the oganist to explain what he or she is doing. If you go to www.earnestandroline.com you will find maybe 100 of chorded songs written in this manner.

[Pat C.]

Originally Posted by Bass-4-God

You can find these charts anywhere on net this usually what the organist plays, this how they write there chords it's not written for all the other musicians but it contains the chords and bass notes just not sure which notes.

Ah, I see, that website clarifies things quite a bit.

The term "chorded songs" is one I've never heard before, and I'm not sure it's actually the correct usage of the word "chorded". I'm not pointing these things out to be derogatory, but musicians can best communicate if we are using the same language and terminology. Part of your struggles may be due to the non-standard notation being used, I know that I'd surely be struggling if I had to follow along to those charts.

The good thing about the internet is that there is so much information available, the bad thing is that much of it is misleading or outright wrong. Chord charts such as this one, while not ideal, would be much more useful than your first two examples. At the very least the chords are clearly notated and not jumbled up awkwardly with the corresponding lyrics, and the alternate bass notes are properly indicated.

---------------------------

And now to correct myself:

Apparently there are gospel chord charts that place the bass note on the left hand side of the slash, indicating the note to be played with the left hand on the piano, and the chord tones to be played with the right hand on the right side of the dash. This webpage provides some explanation.

I guess this is a way to provide music to someone who does not read music at all, and perhaps doesn't even know what notes are in a given chord if given the chord name, but knows the names of the notes on the keyboard. It's unfortunate that this method is used at all, since it's not that difficult to learn the standard methods of notation.

As we are a small family church I don't have the luxury to sit with the oganist to explain what he or she is doing. If you go to www.earnestandroline.com you will find maybe 100 of chorded songs written in this manner.

I would think that in a small family church it would be easier to build a relationship between worship team members. Have you asked the organist to help you out? Try that first, I'd be surprised if they said they were not willing to work with you a little outside of worship time.

[Bass-4-God]

My sister in-law is the organist and she is just learning and she doesn't use these yet.