Double Bass Tonal movement

[saltydog]

Hello all,
When your band is playing a tune in, let's say, the key of C, and the guitars are ending a passage with a G/G7th, headed back to the root C; what's a good alternative for the bass on the G7th? Just playing the root chord (G) works, of course, but it would really be nicer to a little more sophistication from the bass.
Your thoughts please.
Saltydog

 

[jaibot]

hm well you could play the f with the guitars, then hold it over to the final chord and then resolve down to a E thats a 4-3 sus right?

 

[Marc Piane]

Basically the big tension in the G7 chord is the tritone between the 3rd *B* and the 7th *F*. The strongest voice-leading is for the B to move to C (third of G7 to root of C) and F to E (7th of G7 to 3rd of C). The problem is that is that if the guitars are playing the regular open voiced chords this strong movement is not clearly voiced. You can help by having your line accentuate this motion.

The big question is... Is this a final cadence? If it is then resolving F to E like suggested above is going to feel less final.

 

[longfinger]

Some options for ending a passage...
G -> C
B -> C
D -> C
Db -> C
and stuff like G-B-D-G -> C etc


You can resolve to other notes than C, but they'll sound best if you keep on going after that. A lot of what sounds good is dependent on the music style you'd be playing in. Traditions vary.

 

[saltydog]

Thanks guys,
I like the suggestion to resolve down to the "E". I'll try it next time. I tried the "F" but it just didn't sound quite right to me. This is not the final cadence, the tune goes on quite a bit more with several more of the same tonal changes spread throughout.
saltydog

 

[Marc Piane]

Next question. What chord comes AFTER the C? I always approach a line thinking of where I'm coming from and going to.
Also remember that half step motion is always the strongest. B-C, F-E, Db-C, etc