Bass Patterns based upon the Major Scale box.
Code:
[b]Major Scale Box.
G|---2---|-------|---3---|---4---| 1st string
D|---6---|-------|---7---|---8---|
A|---3---|---4---|-------|---5---|
E|-------|---R---|-------|---2---|4th string[/b]
[b]Cmaj7 chord coming up find a C note on your fretboard,
perhaps 4th string 8th fret. Place the box's R (root) over
that note and play the R-3-5-7 chord tones found in the box,
to the beat of the song. The notes of the Cmaj7 chord are the
root, 3rd, 5th and 7th notes of the C major scale. Whoa, does
that mean I have to know what scale degrees (notes) are in each chord.
Yes, but, it's not that hard. I've listed them below. [/b]
Basic Chords
• Major Triad = R-3-5
• Minor Triad = R-b3-5
• Diminished Chord = R-b3-b5
7th Chords
• Maj7 = R-3-5-7
• Minor 7 = R-b3-5-b7
• Dominant 7 = R-3-5-b7
• ½ diminished = R-b3-b5-b7
• Full diminished = R-b3-b5-bb7 ---- Yep, that's all you will need for quite some time.
See a chord and play it's chord tones. As every key will have three major, three minor and one diminished chord it's a good idea to get your
generic major, minor and diminished bass line chord tones into muscle memory so when you see a chord your fingers just know what will work.
Now the song may only give you enough room for the root, or root five - adapt and get as many chord tones into your bass line as needed. Root on 1 and a steady groove from the other chord tones plus something to call attention to the chord change is about 85% of what we do.
Generic Notes - for your bass line.
• The root, five and eight are generic and fit most any chord. Remember the diminished has a flatted 5. So a bass line of roots, fives and eights is the starting point. R-R-R-R or R-5-R-5 or R-5-8-5, i.e. any combination of those three notes will get you started.
www.studybass.com will be a friend.
• The 3 is generic to all major chords. So R-3-5-3 will fit under any major chord. R-3-5-3 or R-3-5-6 will make a good ole stand-by bass line for most major chords.
• The b3 is generic to all minor chords. And R-b3-5-8 will fit under any minor chord. Why the 8? Well the 8 is just another root in the next octave.
• The 7 is generic to all maj7 chords. Yep, R-3-5-7 fits nicely.
• The b7 is generic to all dominant seventh and minor seventh chords. G7 = R-3-5-b7 or Gm7 = R-b3-5-b7.
• The 6 is neutral and adds color, help yourself to 6’s. Love the sound of R-3-5-6 with a major chord.
• The 2 and 4 make good passing notes. Don’t linger on them or stop on them, keep them passing.
• In making your bass line help yourself to those notes, just use them correctly.
• Roots, fives, eights and the correct 3 & 7 will play a lot of bass.
