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Roots and Fifths
- Thread starter c4lvint1me
- Start date
Granted that there are threads here that discuss the inconsistencies in musical notation, but my take is that it should be a universal understanding that "up" or "above" in the context of bass is relative to pitch, not physical realtionship to the floor.
Fifths are just like octaves - only the the plucking movement is from one string to the next above instead of a two-string crossing.
My advice would be to learn the index on the root, and the barred pinky for both the fifth and octave as needed. This will be "inconvenient" in situations where you also need to incorprate the third, or other non-root/5th/octave notes, but that's just part of the struggle of playing bass.
Ask questions and you'll get advice. The above is just my own advice from 31 years of playing, but I do have large hands, so some things are easy for me that may not be for others.
You might want to consider investing in a teacher. While I'm usually the first person to help out those with questions, you're asking some really simple stuff you could figure out just by reading a beginners book to bass playing.
I think what he might have meant wasn't what you call up or down, but rather, one string lower on the same fret is also a fifth. Well, not technically a fifth, but the same note.
Ah, indeed a fair point. Since the OP asked about fifths in the context of having learned octaves, the first thing that came to mind was the upper fifth on the way to the octave, not the fifth below (which is really a perfect fourth below the root, but no doubt we've all been convinced that theory is over-rated). 
Ah, indeed a fair point. Since the OP asked about fifths in the context of having learned octaves, the first thing that came to mind was the upper fifth on the way to the octave, not the fifth below (which is really a perfect fourth below the root, but no doubt we've all been convinced that theory is over-rated).
Hmm... Never actually thought of this. If you count backwards through chromatic scale you end up with P4 below but you won't end up with the correct subdivision of frequencies for it to be P4 but an inversion of P4 which is P5... Or is there a chapter of theory I'm missing here?
That you play the root and the fifth together at the same time
No, you play the root, then the fifth.... or the same note as the fifth would be
So for example, a very simple I IV V in G (G C D) could be:
G (first string third fret) D (second string fifth fret) repeat
C (second string third fret) G (first string third fret) repeat
D (second string fifth fret) A (first string fifth fret) repeat
Well you COULD play them together, but you might as well go buy a guitar if your going to be playing straight root-fifth chords (add the octive and you've got a powerchord, and can play all the misfits songs! lol).
Go on Youtube and watch some Jamerson covers, its a great example. Bass is more of a one note at a time kinda thing, at least most of the time.
Go on Youtube and watch some Jamerson covers, its a great example. Bass is more of a one note at a time kinda thing, at least most of the time.
That you play the root and the fifth together at the same time
That's one approach, colloquially known as a "power chord", popular in metal genres.
In country, polkas, etc., you might alternate R-5-R-5.
The left fingering is the same: Roots And Fifths
If that's too hard you could always tune your bass in fifths instead of fourths.
Good example of Root & Fiths...
Bass line for "Song for my Father"
Horace Silver "Song For My Father" (1964) - YouTube
A "Power Chord" is Root Fifth Octive of the Root (if you play guitar)...
Bass line for "Song for my Father"
Horace Silver "Song For My Father" (1964) - YouTube
A "Power Chord" is Root Fifth Octive of the Root (if you play guitar)...
I think he was referring to the fact that you can play root-fifth by staying on the same fret and dropping one string down (in pitch - one string up in space).
This is a great place to learn, study and practice. It will teach you not only the basics, but also underlying theories and roles of the bass.
It also has many great tools for printing out fretboard notes, chords, an online metronome, all sorts of stuff.
Spend a few weeks or more going through this site, following the lessons, and your understanding of the bass guitar will increase dramatically.
And it's all free!
Thanks, Andrew (site creator, teacher, player)!-K
There's confusion in the system because of terminology. Going from C up to G is an interval of a fifth, but going from C DOWN to the lower G is an interval of a fourth. However, G is the fifth of C. So if I'm thinking of root/five, the primary tones for a bass line, I'm thinking C and G, and not being particular about whether I put the fifth of the chord above or below the root. It's still the fifth.
John
John
