Fret Zealot For Bass Beginners

[BassBeginer64]

Well, Fret Zealot looked good a few months back as a beginner, The LED idea was to learn quick, as I used it, I stopped using the LEDs, the software program is nice, download versions either Apple or Android, I am learning more and more from the soft ware, they are not showing notes instead they show cords by fret number and soft ware has 3 timing uses, slow for use that need to learn finger positions, med to get used to the tempo and at time to impress the room! has tons of songs and many bands, unfortunately the sound has no drum beat just an electronic bing to each note, what i would like to fins is a website or a download of bass songs with the music and fret notes (numbers) not music notes, that will be down the road, any type of Bass ware like this?
Fret Zealot
Fret Zealot | Learn Guitar With Light

Fret Zealot App - Software Video

 

[MalcolmAmos]

……. what i would like to find is a website or a download of bass songs with the music and fret notes (numbers) not music notes, that will be down the road, any type of Bass ware like this?

Google to the rescue. Ask Google for --- Chords, name of the song --- and you will get fake chord sheet music on the song giving the lyrics and the active chord used over the specific lyric word. For example:
May The Bird Of Paradise lyrics chords | Little Jimmy Dickens

Armed with the fake chord then ask Google for ---- Video, name of the song --- that will give you the song being played. Armed with both listen for the beat, follow the chords and play notes of the active chord. Hint; each lyric syllable will probably be a beat. Happy would get two beats, as would birthday. The to and you would get one beat each.

I know which notes ??? The root, five and eight will play a lot of bass. Use first position (first five frets of your neck) for where the chord names, aka roots, are found. I use C as my home bass. Where is the D? Yep toward the bridge two frets. What is down a string from the D? The A. Where is the B? Back a fret from the C. What is up a string from the B? The E. The F is up a string from the C and the G is down a string from the C. Put that to memory and you'll be able to grab roots to what the fake chord sheet music is showing.

Want to add something besides the root - use the 5th and 8th. Root on the first beat and the 5 on the 3rd beat. When that flows try the ole tried and true R-5-8-5 it will fill out any bass line.

Where is the 5th? It is always from the root, up a string and toward the bridge two frets, or down a string, same fret as the root. Where is the 8th? Up a string from the 5 same fret as the 5.

Want a song - find some sheet music, good luck with your ear telling you what chords will be needed right now. Later, yes, you ear will kick in. Until it does rely upon some sheet music to help with the chord progressions.

Why rely upon fake chord sheet music? Every band I've ever played with used fake chord. Might as well get used to using fake chord sheet music.

Google to the rescue.

 

[nesbuddha]

MalcolmAmos,

Could you say a few words on what a fake chord is exactly? I have an idea, but would appreciate an explanation if you would offer one.

 

[MalcolmAmos]

MalcolmAmos, Could you say a few words on what a fake chord is exactly? I have an idea, but would appreciate an explanation if you would offer one.

Fake chord sheet music May The Bird Of Paradise lyrics chords | Little Jimmy Dickens is a quick dirt simple way for "ole boy musicians" to pass song lyrics, chord progressions, etc. among themselves. The name fake comes in, because the treble clef, aka solo part, is not shown so the solo instruments have to fake the tune.

Armed with the sheet music all we mortals have to do is follow the chords and play notes of the active chord, hit the chord changes dead on and don't step on the solo's toes. Start by following the chord progression shown on the fake chord and just pound roots to the beat. Later you can get into other things to add.

Rhythm comes from following the beat and tempo of the song. Most times it will be 4/4 time and the bpm are seldom given, you just listen to the drummer or vocalist and go from there.

Give me some fake chord sheet music ---- and have someone sing the song ---- and I can wing a bass line on a song I have never heard before -- it is not rocket science. Let Google pull up some songs for you and in no time you will be doing the same.

Good Luck.

 

[nesbuddha]

You are a great asset to the board, I see your posts often and you offer some very practical advise.

Thank you very much

 

[nesbuddha]

Fake chord sheet music May The Bird Of Paradise lyrics chords | Little Jimmy Dickens is a quick dirt simple way for "ole boy musicians" to pass song lyrics, chord progressions, etc. among themselves. The name fake comes in, because the treble clef, aka solo part, is not shown so the solo instruments have to fake the tune.

Armed with the sheet music all we mortals have to do is follow the chords and play notes of the active chord, hit the chord changes dead on and don't step on the solo's toes. Start by following the chord progression shown on the fake chord and just pound roots to the beat. Later you can get into other things to add.

Rhythm comes from following the beat and tempo of the song. Most times it will be 4/4 time and the bpm are seldom given, you just listen to the drummer or vocalist and go from there.

Give me some fake chord sheet music ---- and have someone sing the song ---- and I can wing a bass line on a song I have never heard before -- it is not rocket science. Let Google pull up some songs for you and in no time you will be doing the same.

Good Luck.

Is the fake chord sheet music you posted for "May the Bird of Paradise", is that also showing what people refer to as "chord progression". That C, G7, C, G7? I know this is an elementary question, but I just want to make sure that is what is referred to as 'chord progression'

Could you offer any advice on practicing chord progression or a few words on understanding it?

 

[MalcolmAmos]

Chord progressions 101 dirt simple version.

First why do we need chords? Chords provide two things; movement and harmony. I'll speak about harmony first. The song writer will place a chord under the melody that has some of the active melody notes in it. Why? Like treble notes and bass notes bring harmony. It's the sharing of like notes that bring harmony. What we do with our bass is made of the tune, the harmony and the rhythm. So with out the chords we would only have treble clef or the tune and rhythm. When we add all three we get a fuller sound and good things happen.

Certain chords like to move to certain other chords. This is what we refer to as the movement or chord progression. In a simple song we probably would have only three chords used. They probably would be the I or tonic (name of the key) chord. This is the tonal center of the song and will probably be used the most.

The next most used chord would be the IV and then the V would round out the progression with a I-IV-V-I progression.

I's can go any where within the key they like, however, when you return to the I you resolve any tension you have built. Tension is a good thing.

ii's are sub-dominant chords and like to move to dominant chords as in ii-V7-I.

iii's are the median chord and likes to move the progression along beyond the normal I-IV-V cadence. The iii chord likes to drag the vi chord with it in this movement. If you have a iii I bet there will be a vi coming...

IV chord is also a sub-dominant chord and like the ii wants to go to a dominant chord. As the ii and the IV want the same thing they can sub for each other. The ii-V-I is used in jazz and the I-IV-V-I is used in Pop, Rock, Country, etc.

V chord is the dominant chord in the progression and it likes to resolve to the I tonic chord, i.e. wants the progression to move to an ending back with the tonal center I chord. When you make the V a V7 chord you increased the tension and the V7 wants to move to resolution RIGHT NOW. Anything else would be anti-climatic.

vi chord wants to move to a sub dominant chord. I think you will find that the iii and vi chord are "tied at the hip".

vii chord is also a dominant chord, however, is in no hurry to resolve, thus makes a good turn-a-round chord, i.e. vii-iii-vi-ii-V7-I.

I said likes to move, it's your progression and you can have them move where you want them to as all chords made from one scale are going to sound OK with any other chord made from that same scale.

Most of what I do is I-IV-V7-I with a ii or vi thrown in for color.

Get a keyboard or guitar and play different chord progressions to get an idea of how they work together. Call up some fake chord sheet music and see what is being used in the music you like.

Good luck.