Start with What Becomes Of The Broken Hearted. The original arrangement is an excellent example of not playing roots.
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Start with What Becomes Of The Broken Hearted. The original arrangement is an excellent example of not playing roots.
Do you need to play roots?
Yes!
Do you always need to play roots?
No!
If you choose not to however, you better have a good reason for that decision.
Yes!
Do you always need to play roots?
No!
If you choose not to however, you better have a good reason for that decision.
Genre, song, context and feel. Roots do not equal ruts. A lot of the time they are what works best. Not only works, but works best. However, on occasion you will find an instance that calls for something else. Be ready. It will sound cool.
I'm only halfway joking, but:
The amount of money you make as a bass player will be inversely proportional to the amount you play the root notes of a song.
The amount of money you make as a bass player will be inversely proportional to the amount you play the root notes of a song.
I like your comment, but I've decided to check on your "Ron Carter playing damn near any note but the root."
N.B. Please don't forget we are talking about the Great Miles Davis and Ron Carter playing some "serious jazz".
I truly doubt that the OP has reached that kind of Jazz level.
Here is just a snapshot from that video.
I've highlighted the Root notes. Let's check it out.
It's not at the beginning of the song.
I'm sorry, I forgot to highlight the root note in Measure 178.
Recently, I've re-listened to a lot of music from "Mezzoforte."
Here is one of those "boring" bass-lines with mostly root notes.
(Just a rhetorical question. When I hear a bass player playing and properly dynamically/rhythmically articulating that simple (just the roots) bass line, do I think
A. Thank bass player really sucks,
or
B. Wow, what a cool bass-line?
Here is one of those "boring" bass-lines with mostly root notes.
(Just a rhetorical question. When I hear a bass player playing and properly dynamically/rhythmically articulating that simple (just the roots) bass line, do I think
A. Thank bass player really sucks,
or
B. Wow, what a cool bass-line?
The prechorus and chorus of Borderline by Madonna is a good example of changing the character of a rather pedestrian chord sequence by using different chord tones besides the root in the bass line.
In Herbie Hancocks composition Maiden Voyage, the bass does not emphasize the root during the head, it is only used as a passing tone by the bass.
The 1st chord is Am7, the bass plays D
chord changes to Cm7, bass plays F
above is twice thru
next change is
Bbm7 with Eb bass to C#m9 with an F# bass
Herbie Hancock - Maiden Voyage
The 1st chord is Am7, the bass plays D
chord changes to Cm7, bass plays F
above is twice thru
next change is
Bbm7 with Eb bass to C#m9 with an F# bass
Herbie Hancock - Maiden Voyage
what did the composer/arranger have in mind? would the composer/arranger go ape-$hit over your 'deviations and embellishments' from the intended bass part? would your deviations/embellishments do anything for the listener?
most of the time: rewarding the audience with great bass lines (whatever it is) is preferable to proving that you can be 'odd' while still being 'theoretically correct'. being 'musical' is always a safe bet, IMO.
most of the time: rewarding the audience with great bass lines (whatever it is) is preferable to proving that you can be 'odd' while still being 'theoretically correct'. being 'musical' is always a safe bet, IMO.
Actually,the bassline is not doing just the root E.
He's outlining the E minor pentatonic chord.
You’re not really getting the Harmonic Content, of this composition. Nor, what a "Passing Tone" is.
A-Section:
Am7/D (D, A, C, E, G) = D9sus4 (D, G, A, C, E)
Cm7/F (F, C, Eb, G, Bb) = F9sus4 (F, Bb, C, Eb, G)
The Form is: || A | A | B | A ||
You might want to recheck the B-Section chords you posted. Nope.
However, excellent link that you posted.
Yes you do. And No you don't. When you learn more you will know the right time for each. Until then, just play the roots. As for Flea- who plays the root most of the time on most of the Chili Peppers tunes--- Listen to Aeroplane for example, he doesn't miss a root note for the entier chorus--- G--- C___
He does however play other notes and walk ups too...
He does however play other notes and walk ups too...
Sounds like the OP needs a serious dose of Adam Neely. Here's your portal to the dark side grasshopper. 
Even more dull amd pointlessly unproductive is putting them in alphabetical order over and over again and expecting to say something different every time...
The bass is typically where the root is established and usually guitar/piano chords reinforce it. The inversions come in to play and when the composer wants something other than root. They specify it in the inversion. (Am/C when they want the c to be the root). I've had bandleaders get aggravated when I decide to make an inversion when there wasn't one.
All that said I did an experiment with my student this morning at lesson where we wrote a walking line over II, V, I, VI progression playing 2365 on each chord. It was pretty boring an formless on its own. When i grabbed a guitar and played simple chords with him it was really cool. Point was as long as someone has the roots clearly played it can work. If i'm playing with a guitarist who plays roots on the bottom pf their chords like in barre chords, there is a good chance I wont play roots as much because someone else is playing them. If i'm playing with a pianist with complex voicings i will likely play more roots on beat one so my ear hears the progression.
Avoiding roots is also a musical contrast tool to create tension and instability. Some notes ( like 3rds and 7ths ) really lead our ear "home" to the root. Diminished 5ths and aug 4ths really are unsettling as the ear cant tell where the line is headed. Sometimes I get a way with playing a root, moving up to the major 2nd and back just to create some tension. Some parts of songs benefit from manipulating that instability and make the "home" notes sound more powerful once we get there. I do that stuff when I get to create the bass parts like original rock and jazz. I wouldn't do that while accompanying an SATB Choir.
All that said I did an experiment with my student this morning at lesson where we wrote a walking line over II, V, I, VI progression playing 2365 on each chord. It was pretty boring an formless on its own. When i grabbed a guitar and played simple chords with him it was really cool. Point was as long as someone has the roots clearly played it can work. If i'm playing with a guitarist who plays roots on the bottom pf their chords like in barre chords, there is a good chance I wont play roots as much because someone else is playing them. If i'm playing with a pianist with complex voicings i will likely play more roots on beat one so my ear hears the progression.
Avoiding roots is also a musical contrast tool to create tension and instability. Some notes ( like 3rds and 7ths ) really lead our ear "home" to the root. Diminished 5ths and aug 4ths really are unsettling as the ear cant tell where the line is headed. Sometimes I get a way with playing a root, moving up to the major 2nd and back just to create some tension. Some parts of songs benefit from manipulating that instability and make the "home" notes sound more powerful once we get there. I do that stuff when I get to create the bass parts like original rock and jazz. I wouldn't do that while accompanying an SATB Choir.
