Understanding Chords
A chord is a group of three or more notes played simultaneously. Different types of chords can be formed by using different combinations of notes. The most common type of chord is the major chord. All major chords contain three notes, taken from the major scale of the same letter name. These three notes are the 1 (first), 3 (third) and 5 (fifth) degrees of the major scale, so the chord formula for the major chord is:
The C Major Chord
The C major chord is constructed from the C major scale. Using the chord formula on the following scale, it can be seen that the C major chord contains the notes C, E and G.
C Major Scale
The chord symbol for a major chord is just the letter name of the chord, e.g., the chord symbol for the C major chord is C. It is common practice to refer to a C major chord as the C chord. This abbreviation applies to all major chords.
Arpeggios
Although it is possible to play chords on the bass, it is more common to play the notes individually as part of a bass line. When the notes of a chord are played one at a time, they are called an arpeggio. The value of arpeggios is that they enable you to play lines which fit chord progressions perfectly, since every note of an arpeggio is a note of the accompanying chord. The following example demonstrates a C major arpeggio which consists of the notes C, E and G. These are the root, third and fifth of a C major chord.
Here are two common arpeggio patterns for any major chord. The first diagram shows the root, third and fifth, while the second diagram shows the repeat of the root note an octave higher.
A red dot indicates a note in the Major Scale.
Like the scale patterns you learned in Lesson 2, these arpeggio patterns are movable. The following example demonstrates how these arpeggios can be used to create a bass line. The arpeggios follow the chord symbols directly, i.e., the first arpeggio is G major, the second is C major and the third is D major. All you have to do is start with the correct root note and follow the fingering.
Arpeggios Beginning On the Third String
You will have noticed that the previous example required lots of movement up and down the neck. However, by using the same arpeggio pattern beginning on the third string instead of the fourth for the C and D chords, it is possible to play the same line with far less movement.
Here is a bass line which makes use of major arpeggios beginning on both the 4th and 3rd strings.
Inversions
Once you have the correct notes for a chord they can be arranged in any order. These various arrangements of the notes within a chord are called inversions. For example, a C chord could be played C E G (called root position), or E G C (first inversion), or G C E (second inversion). The use of inversions opens up many new fingering possibilities all over the fretboard. It is worth learning all inversions of each arpeggio, as this enables you to identify all the degrees of the chord (called chord tones) more easily, which means you can respond quickly to what is being played by other musicians you are playing with regardless of the harmony.
If you know the notes and inversions of chords well, it also makes it a lot easier to improvise your own bass lines in any position on the fretboard. It is also recommended that you learn at least a bit of basic keyboard or guitar so you get used to hearing the sound of all of the notes of chords together instead of one at a time. Most of the great bass players also have an excellent knowledge of keyboard harmony.
Upside down Arpeggios
Because it is the role of the bass to provide the bottom end of the sound of the band, it is usually best to stay on the lower part of the neck, or at least on the lower strings, for most of the time. If you play too much high up on the neck on the first and second strings, the sound gets thin and the punch of the bass is lost.
Remember that the bass is a foundation instrument, providing the drive of the groove and stating the basis of the harmony of a song. A useful technique for enabling you to stay in one place lower down the neck is the use of "upside down" arpeggios. This means that you go down from the root to the third instead of up, as demonstrated in the following example.
