Chords + some music theory questions

[bobbygeisler]

Not a lot of bassists use chords, I know. But I really enjoy playing them rather than bass lines! I'm fairly new to bass, been playing a little over a year now. I still practice an hour or two every day, but I just did it self-taught, rather than get lessons. I mostly play post-punk, and I really enjoy playing anarcho-punk stuff like crass, but I don't really play covers, especially if I'm playing with other people / live (except for learning songs, I know how to play a good bit of crass songs on bass, but they're really simple and easy)

Anyways, on to the questions...

What I've been doing is mostly something like this:

This is my first time writing a tab so bear with me haha, not even sure if I did it right. but basically I can hear 8 1/8 notes per measure, or possibly 4 quarter notes, which is a pretty standard 4/4. I can't make my mind up.

I don't really know how to type out the rhythm I feel in it.

This is as close as I can get to describing it...

1 and 2 and 1 and 2// 2 2 2 2 ----1 and 2 and 1 and 2 2 2 2 2
1-----2-----3----4 // 5 6 7--8
............................(doesnt have the "ands"!!!)

Does that make sense?? IDK!!

G ----21 -- 21 -21 - 21 21 21 21 - 21 21 21 - 21
D ----21 -- 21 -21 - 21 21 21 19 - 19 19 19- 19 (X4 or so)
A --------------------------------21 21 21 --21
E ---------------------------------------------

THEN

G ----(play this string open for each strum)
D ----18 18 18 18 (X2) - 16 16 16 16 (X2) -14 14 14 14
A ----19 19 19 19 (X2) - 17 17 17 17 (X2) -15 15 15 15
E ----(do same as G string)

Then while on 14 / 15, add this

G - - 16 16 16 16 15 15 15 15
D - - 14 14 14 14 14 14 14 14
A - - 15 15 15 15 15 15 15 15
E - -

Then back to

G - -
D - - 19 19 19 19
A - - 21 21 21 21
E - -

Then add the 21st fret back onto the G string.


IDK, does that make ANY sense to you guys?? I feel like I over-complicated it. Maybe I'll just post the chords I like

G - 21 - 21 - 21 - 0----0 ---0 - 16 - 15
D - 21 - 19 - 19 - 18 - 16 - 14 - 14 - 14
A -----------21 - 19 - 17 - 15 - 15 - 15
E-----------------0----0 ---0 ---0 - 0


I guess this isn't really music theory so much as learning the treble & bass clefs or reading music (which I actually can do from taking piano lessons in the 5th grade), but I just have no idea how to explain the rhythm I felt, because if you play just the chords above this paragraph, it'll sound like junk. IDK maybe I'll just record it or something and upload it for you guys to hear.



But uh, does anyone play chords?

 

[MalcolmAmos]

Does anyone play chords? I do but one note at a time, I do not strum. Say the chord is the Cmaj7 instead of fingering that chord and then strumming I would play the notes of the Cmaj7 chord - R-3-5-7 one note at a time. Now how many of those notes besides the R actually get into my bass line is another story best done on another post.

Major Scale Box. 

G|---2---|-------|---3---|---4---| 1st string
D|---6---|-------|---7---|---8---|
A|---3---|---4---|-------|---5---|
E|-------|---R---|-------|---2---|4th string

Quarter notes R-3-5-7 or eighth notes R-R-3-3-5-5-7-7. This site gives you the notes used in a chord. http://www.smithfowler.org/music/Chord_Formulas.htm R stands for root or the 1 note.

Sounds like you are asking the same question a newbie rhythm guitar player does when he is first starting out; "What strum pattern should I be using with this song?" The answer for a rhythm guitar player is play what you feel is right for the song. Reach into your memory tank and pull out the strum pattern that fits this song. Most rhythm guitar guys/gals have 3 to 4 favorite strums and they mix and match them to the song. Now back to the bass and what we do......

Tab is not going to help you with the rhythm. How you play the R-3-5-7 notes of the chord is how you develop your rhythm. I sing the song under my breath and let singing the lyrics help with when I sound a note. One note per lyric word - two syllable words get two notes - that will keep you in time with the vocalist. Ma-ry had a lit-tle lamb

Now if there is a drummer rely upon the drummer for the rhythm.

I do not play your type of music, so take that into account, but, IMO strumming would be an advanced skill, for a bassist not something we do right at first.

Good luck.

 

[fearceol]

Not a lot of bassists use chords, I know. But I really enjoy playing them rather than bass lines!

I am not sure of exactly what your question is Bassists play chords 95% of the time, but they play them one by one, which is called an arpeggio. I assume you are referring to chords where the notes are played all together, the way a guitarist would strum a chord ? If so then yes, some times a bassist will play chords this way, but generally the role of the bassist is to hold down the groove along with the drummer and to emphasise the root of a chord.

For people to be of any more help, you will have to be more specific as to what you need to know.