Seventh chords

[Thomas Kievit]

Hello TB-ers,

I was hoping that some of you might have some videos for me about playing seventh chords. I do know how to play them, but I don't have any idea how to create a bassline with this.

Who can help me out?

 

[Mushroo]

Put on the blues or rock station and learn some songs. Build your musical vocabulary. There are certain "cliche" bass lines using the b7, and every player should know them. It really is that simple, in my opinion/experience.

I don't know your usual process for creating bass lines. Do you think in chord tones? Roman numerals? Scales/modes? Borrow riffs/licks from your favorite bass players? Double what the guitarist is playing down an octave? Sing something that sounds good and then figure out the notes on the bass? But think of it this way: the only difference between a 7th chord and a major chord is one note (the b7) so it seems like you can use your usual process of creating a bass line (whatever that may be; I don't know how you do it), and just add one extra note, no? And if you don't already have a process for "how to create a bass line" then that is probably a good topic to address at your next lesson.

 

[Don Kasper]

Here is an example of a bassline for Eb7...(It sounds like the guitar, and possibly bass, is drop-tuned to Eb - you might want to move it to E if you don't have a low B string.)

 

[mambo4]

not exclusively 7th chords, but how to use chord tones, scale tones, and chromatic to build a bass line

 

[Thomas Kievit]

Great

 

[devnulljp]

 

[Jhengsman]

Here is an example of a bassline for Eb7...(It sounds like the guitar, and possibly bass, is drop-tuned to Eb - you might want to move it to E if you don't have a low B string.)

I think Tommy Shannon always tuned down half a step with Stevie Ray Vaughn. There are a few of his lines were he bounces from an open string back up an octave or other note as he bounced down in a progression.

 

[Don Kasper]

I think Tommy Shannon always tuned down half a step with Stevie Ray Vaughn. There are a few of his lines were he bounces from an open string back up an octave or other note as he bounced down in a progression.

Thanks for confirming the Drop Tuning.

 

[MalcolmAmos]

To the question of how to use seventh chords. Dirt simple answer; they fill out the bass line. Example; power chord vs full four note chord.

Natural 7 with maj7 chords.
b7 with minor sevenths, dominant seven and diminished chords.

Is there more? Yes, but, if you need a four note chord tone the root, correct 3, five and correct 7th fills out a bass line nicely. Does it have to be in the bass line? No. If you think it adds something use it, if not don't.

 

[zenman]

Thanks for confirming the Drop Tuning.

I think that technically they are just tuned to Eb standard and are not "drop tuning". Drop tuning usually means that only low E is detuned while the rest of the strings are in E standard.

 

[Don Kasper]

I think that technically they are just tuned to Eb standard and are not "drop tuning". Drop tuning usually means that only low E is detuned while the rest of the strings are in E standard.

Understood.
Thanks for clarifying, zenman.