Hal Leonard Bass Method Exercise Help

Maybe, the letters are identifying the chords, not the notes itself.

 

I'm inclined to agree with Jibudo that what you're looking at, up above the staff, are the chord notations. If they look something like E7 or E-7 (major and minor dom. seventh chords) or sometimes simply E (a triad chord based on E as the root) or perhaps something like C/G (a "slash" or inverted chord where the fifth interval to be played is the G below C and not the G above C), then you're looking at chord notations. They won't always be the same as the note you're given to play in a written bass part on those rare occasions when you're given a bass part.

Though notionally written for chord instrument players--mainly keys and guitars--chord notations are vital to many (most?) bass players in formulating their own bass lines as they indicate the appropriate root or inversion to play as well as suggesting chord tones from which one can build a nice sounding bass melody that will work harmonically with the main melody.

That's maybe more than you wanted to hear right now, and others can no doubt explain it better.

Jeff

 

If you get hung up on chords and keys, you might want to check out Online Bass Lessons at StudyBass.com. It's the best online bass tutorial site I've found. Maybe others can recommend better ones.

Jeff

 

Yeah top line is chords.

 

Written just above exercise #42:

"Notice how the bass is not always playing the root when the chords change. You can play other notes that belong to the chord (This will be explained in depth in Book 2)."

This happens a few times throughout the exercise, i.e., in the 2nd measure, the chord is D but it's notated for you to play an A.

In both cases, you're playing the 5th of the chord. As Ed wrote above, you'll get to that later in the book.