/ Register

Minor Triads/ general stretch help....

Discussion in 'Technique [BG]' started by purple_haze, Oct 7, 2001.

  1. Oct 7, 2001 #1
    purple_haze

    purple_haze Guest

    Jun 29, 2001
    London Town
    Okay, I was screwing around with chords, y'know, for fun, when I came across a "Minor Triad" or a "Minor Chord Voicing", consisting of a root, flattened third and the octave.

    Now, in the upper register, this is no problem, but lower down the neck, say, playing the Minor Triad of the C at the third fret of the A string, this requires being able to fret the 1st, 3rd and 5th frets simultaneously........and I just can't fricking reach. I can go from the 1st to 4th frets, but no more.

    How the Hell do I pull this off short of buying a six string?

    If anybody has advice on this, and general tips for improving my finger range, any help would be hot.
     
  2. Oct 7, 2001 #2
    Lovebown

    Lovebown Guest

    Jan 6, 2001
    Sweden
    I believe that playing C(3rd fret) , Eb(1st fret) and A(5th fret) octave as a triple-stop is pretty impossible to play unless you got monkey hands.

    Now what you could try instead, which is kinda tricky and can sound muddy...is to do the minor triad (r, b3, 5) Which in C would be played as :

    G--0 <--open
    D--1 <---index
    A--3 <--ring
    E--
    and in any other key as:
    G--2 <--index
    D--3 <--middle
    A--5 <--pinky
    E--

    OR you could play it with the 5th (5, R, b3) in the bass
    which would be:
    G--3 <--index
    D--5 <--pinky
    A--5 <--ring
    E--

    Ok, sorry if I didn't help you with your original question.

    later,
    Lovebown
     
  3. Oct 7, 2001 #3
    Chris Fitzgerald

    Chris Fitzgerald Student of Life Staff Member Administrator Gold Supporting Member

    Oct 19, 2000
    Louisville, KY
    It sounds like whatever source you got this from is suggesting a pretty muddy sonority. One of the first concepts taught in most orchestration/arranging classes is that the lower you go, the wider the spacing you need at the BOTTOM of the chord to keep the sound from getting too muddy. A good general rule of spacing is to follow the spacing of the harmonic series, which has the LEAST muddy intervals (8ve, P5th) on the bottom, followed by the following intervals, which get muddier (because they're closer together) as you get further along: P4th, Ma3rd, mi 3rd, Ma2nd, mi2nd.

    What does this mean for a 4 string bass? It means that if you're anywhere down low on the neck, it's a good idea to have an octave or a Perfect 5th as your lowest interval, and add from there. The most common chord forms I've seen, built from the bottom up, go like this:

    Triad: Root, (5th), 8ve, 3rd (either major or minor)
    Frets:....3.......5......5.....3(minor) or 4 (major)

    The above chord formation is movable, and stays within a 2 fret span. The 5th is optional...some like it, and some say that it muddies things up too much. As with any sound, season to your taste. Hope this helps.

    DURRL
     
  4. Oct 7, 2001 #4
    Pacman

    Pacman Layin' Down Time Staff Member Gold Supporting Member

    Apr 1, 2000
    Omaha, Nebraska
    Endorsing Artist: Roscoe Guitars, DR Strings, Aguilar Amplification
    THE DURRL IS ALLRIGHT

    damn, man, I was going to bring up lower interval limits
     
  5. Oct 7, 2001 #5
    Lovebown

    Lovebown Guest

    Jan 6, 2001
    Sweden
    Aye, that's very true, the old barre guitar minor/major thing which I think you're explaining here works real good too. The only problem, I guess, is you'd be forced to play the 5th on the E-string if you're playing the root on the A-string.

    /lovebown
     
  6. Oct 7, 2001 #6
    Chris Fitzgerald

    Chris Fitzgerald Student of Life Staff Member Administrator Gold Supporting Member

    Oct 19, 2000
    Louisville, KY

    TIDDLEYBLINK TABEVIL,

    I just live to thwart you. :D
     
  7. Oct 7, 2001 #7
    Chris Fitzgerald

    Chris Fitzgerald Student of Life Staff Member Administrator Gold Supporting Member

    Oct 19, 2000
    Louisville, KY

    On a 5 string, I would almost always leave the 5th out of the bottom of the chord, which cleans up the sonority as well as leaving more options open.
     
  8. Oct 9, 2001 #8
    purple_haze

    purple_haze Guest

    Jun 29, 2001
    London Town
    GURRL, you genius! Thanks! :)
     
  9. Oct 9, 2001 #9
    Chris Fitzgerald

    Chris Fitzgerald Student of Life Staff Member Administrator Gold Supporting Member

    Oct 19, 2000
    Louisville, KY

    SMURFY_WAYS,

    You're quite welcome. Any time... :)