How to Play Chords on Bass (like the Pros do it)
ฝัง
- เผยแพร่เมื่อ 6 ก.ย. 2024
- Learning how to play chords on bass is really important.
But some players think that playing chords on bass is just a “fancy trick’ and bass players should leave playing chords to the guitar players…
Honestly, they couldn’t be more wrong.
As bass players our primary role is to outline the chords of the song, just like the rest of the harmony instruments within the rhythm section, so how can we effectively outline the chords if we don’t have in-depth chordal knowledge - i.e. how they’re built, why inversions matter, what extensions we can add to the different chord types.
Simply put, having a deeper understanding of how to play chords on bass is going to help your bass playing, your musicianship, your ear training, and your overall understanding of harmony.
Now, in this week's new lesson we’ve got 2 bass players who are crazzzzy good at playing chords on bass.
Seriously, these guys are insanely talented.
In this lesson you’ll be learning about:
- Exactly where to start when you begin playing chords on bass
- The power and impact of learning triads
- Why inversions will help you move around the fingerboard much more freely
- Why some players play the roots on the highest string (wait for it!)
- And much more
As always, see you in the shed…
Scott :)
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32 years now playing bass. Bout a year back I decided to work on chords/triads in the 7th fret + area. The unlock Ive had since has been mind blowing.
#1 My regular bass lines now choose between fills, framing, and passing notes. I used to just call them all fills.
#2 My ear is WAY better now for what my guitar players are giving me. I'm not just grabbing the root out of what im hearing anymore.
#3 The whole fret board opened up finally. I used to have a box around where I was playing, its top to bottom of the neck now.
Probably one of the biggest jumps I've had in my playing, and my mind is kinda blown by it happening at this age.
That means there's hope for me :) Saying that though, I've only been playing for a little over a year!
Can you share your practice routine on this particular topic
@@dylancarther9627 Sure.
I keep my chords 3 notes so they dont get muddy. I do not use the E string for my chords, and typically use the double dots as a starting point.
Here are two simple shapes;
1. Play the D string at the 12th fret with your ring finger. That D is your root note. Play the 11th fret on the G string with your index finger and the 12th fret on the A string with your middle finger.
2. Play the A string at the 12th fret with your middle finger. That A is your root note. Play the 11th fret on the D string with your index finger and the 14th fret with your pinky finger.
There are a lot more chord shapes than those obviously, tiny bit of digging will hook you up. Using the above two shapes as a starting point is fantastic practice. Side to side movement changes key for both shapes obviously, and going back and forth between the two shapes does interesting things.
Sometimes I just strum. Sometimes I do picking patterns with the chord shapes. Sometimes I'll have bass runs connect and/or dance around the chords. Above all else, I've spent a decent number of hours over the last 3ish years jamming chords all by my self.
Have even written some fun to play and sing acoustic bass campfire flex songs if you know what I mean.
The trippy thing to me? The bass chords themselves are not really applicable in either of my musical projects. Soon as someone else starts playing, I cant help but go back to playing.... the bass part. No matter how cool a bass chord sounds to me when JUST the bass is playing, they seem to either disappear or make mud in a mix. As such, I consider them a solo show off trick for the most part outside of an intro/bridge or two. YMMV
Despite the lack of direct practical application outside of showing off on my acoustic, I refer to my original post above for some super cool unlocks the practice gave me over the long term.
Apologies for the book, your ask + caffeine = word vomit.
Thank you for your reply
Really greatful🙏🙏🙏
That’s awesome man. I sharpie-marked every note onto the fretboard and that gives me so much information constantly
I'm peruvian and I loved when Andrés played "Fina Estampa" of Chabuca Granda, I feel proud of my country.
07:47
También peruano y también alegre de que Andrés tenga basto conocimiento de la musica de la increíble Chabuca! Genios!
im in 🇺🇸 and i love that singer!
@@binkydamauler and she's from Greece! Lead singer of Banda Magda!
I love chords on bass this gives bassist the same opportunities as pianist and guitarist and chords are a gateway to composition on bass.
@Johnny G thats a load of crap and I already play keyboard! No one has said the bass should not function in its traditional role, however the bass can do many things. Micheal Mannring, Victor Wooten and leagues of others do that. As I mentioned before that statement was idiotic. If you want to limit yourself as a player fine but dont tell other folks what to do. Under the right circumstances with the right players chordal playing sounds great and is a wonderful way for a bassist to compose and open up their ears. Stop being a musical facist. You dont know what your talking about!
@Johnny G Bro.
I don't like to get into YT arguments but . . .
That mindset only applies to certain times of music. In rock music and others, yes the bass takes a backseat and usually don't come into the spotlight, and that's fine. However, that does not mean that the bass should be held back in every music style. The industry needs new innovations, so perhaps bass taking a spotlight can be one of them?
I'm not saying you're wrong, because in a "real life" setting, a bassist won't be doing a solo or playing chords. But that's only if that band is striving to sound like everyone else. Why should we be put in that box?
@Johnny G well tell that to the tens of thousand bassist who are members of Scotts bass lessons who are intrested in learning music and not just the bassist traditional role. And as Ive said you do what you want and the rest of us will learn music! Im going to play chords and enjoy it! If you want to be a musical nazi good for you!
@Johnny G youre probably a jealous rock and roll guitar player thats not that good to begin with so you probably hold back the other people in the band that play better than you and tell them what their place is and how they should back your inept solos. Perhaps you should give them a little more room and they may drawn you out and improve your sound finally! Lol
@Johnny G the very reason that Stanley and Tony Levin and Jaco and James Jamerson played so great was because they played chords on bass. They may not have done it playing with most people but the ability to play and hear the diffrence between a major or minor chord consistently on your own instrument develops your ears. And yes im most musical setting bass players would get in the way doing this but times have changed and bassist are taking a greater role these days than just being a support player and not everyone plays in a damn wedding band. Bassist do now play solo at open mics or in avant garde or jazz settings. Not everyone plays in tribute bands or regular rock bands. Chordal playing is greater harmonic knowlege and in order to being a great player you learn to play EVERYTHING on your instrument. To say go learn guitar instead is backwards thinking. Again you go do what you want but dont limit the rest of us or dictate to the rest of us what we should be playing.
Recently I've started doing online lessons with Andres. I find him very humble, really happy to help and very inspiring. His musicality Is Just beautiful!
Them : The!! Yeah! Yeah! Yeah!
Me : what the heck is happening?
Yea yea yea yea yea
One hour ago and already over 2,000 downloads. I just joined the academy a week again as a member and this video shows why. Not only is there a useful diagram on the right but he has world level guys like these two and when they’re moving fast , he stops the tape and slows it all down and explains. SO good . And I’m a drummer not a bass player . But he makes learning so cool that I got my bass out of the closet and signed up anyway.
Being a drummer, your timing while playing bass should be amazing! You must have all your rhythms down!
@@bassrumblings It’s an advantage , yeah. The biggest one is that I know how to play with a drummer .
Andres Rotmistrovsky grande
Percebe jaja yo no entendía nada, abrí el video pensando que era uno de Andrés, y lo dejé para ver después, cuando le di play no entendí nada jaja pensé que lo había re confundido
@@BarriDuty 😁 me paso lo mismo. Es un capo Andrés!
When I saw how the 5-string was tuned, E A D G C, bells and whistles went off. I have a 5-string bass tuned, B E A D G. I think I'll be changing it just for playing chords. For me, that one change will mean a lot and will open up my options. THANK YOU!!
Was the first thing I did when I got mine. The low B is just that. 5 lower notes. But with the high C there is just so much more that becomes possible now.
Also the 5 upper strings on a 6 string bass standard tuning for those willing to get one
Update: Ah just watched the second artist with the 6s now lol
The nylon strings he's using are awesome too. I'm not going back to metalwounds, ever. EADGC on nylon is the best a five-string bass can be, in my opinion.
I’m honored to be a part of this dialogue and I’ll just share what I;m doing without judging value other than for my needs. I started playing bass 40 years ago and guitar 37 or 8 but am nowhere as good as that may imply but I’m still trying and learning. Learned an awful lot from Carole Kay’s website. I found/made a friend here in Playas de Tijuana who was making fabulous plexiglass and wooden guitars and basses right in his garage. Although I was studying jazz guitar I bought 2 5 string basses from him one of each. Suddenly I decided instead of both with lower B’s if I add a HIGH B IT’LL BE BETTER FOR CHORDING. As a bassist at heart I’ve struggled with that G-B discrepancy my whole life but am finally dealing with it peacefully and of course it was created to make chording easier so there you have it.
For the sake of reinforcement I tune to a high B so it’s easier to go from playing guitar to Bass. That’s all I got. But the plexiglass that I left with a Low b. Man Oye Como Va, White Wedding, Walk on the Wild Side I love to see them top shelf tequila and scotch bottles doin that shimmy shimmy shake, haha haha, That’s all I got. Cheers mates and keep your practices fun, eh.
The Grand Master Andrés Rotmistrovsky, from Argentina to the world
DR black beauties?
I absolutely love his duet videos with all those gorgeous women!
I took Scott's chord course like maybe 2? years ago and it did more for my understanding of the fretboard than than *anything* I'd ever done before. It bridges the gap between harmony and melody and makes you understand why the chords are built the way they are. That forces you to remember where the intervals are on board for scales. Honestly it changed the way I look at the fretboard.
I dig the added graphics of the chords being played!
At 2:44 all I could hear was for end of the Super Mario theme
Andres! One of my favorite bassists on youtube , good to see him here !
Thanks a lot!!!
Pre-dawn Saturday morning bass chords, niiiice.
I studied with Andres Rotmistrovsky in NYC some time ago. Great guy!
I literally just started learning chords on my bass and I love the sound of them, it's fascinating how much more I have been learning and developing. Still though, have not quite started understanding the inversion aspects and why ridding notes is important other than not being able to physically play it.
Diagram on the right is a good idea but the choice of colour to highlight the notes is not. I am colour blind. I have no idea what was played (as a beginner who is mainly a drummer interested in bass). I was lucky that someone in the room had pointed out and asked, what are those red dots on the grid thing? The question made me realize I could have just looked at it instead of trying to decipher where the finger was on the fretboard.
Does your phone not have a color blind setting? Just curious seeing as addressability is every company's "oh look at us" yet hidden feature
I do not watch any sound related TH-cam video on any phone, especially when the main topic is low end of sound or audio. Just never do it. Not even on headphones. I use my studio.
@@ibleasse wait but this is mostly about learning how to play chords on bass, the sound quality isn't the point
@@fuumax7969 and Ahriman S , some of us use real computers to watch TH-cam: get over it! No big deal!
@@caddelworth i don't know if you understood what i'm getting at here, either way there should also be a colorblind mode on pc...
One of the first I saw doing chordal comping on the bass was the late Dave Carpenter. He was playing in duo with Andy Summers in a music tv program in an Italian TV channel, many years ago, and it blew my mind!
Oddio ti ricordi come si chiamava il programma?
@@TDB97 uhmmm... oddio, era una rubrica su Videomusic, mi pare (pensa quanti anni fa!) in cui chiamavano artisti a presentare i loro lavori e fare due chiacchiere... e quella volta c'era appunto Andy Summers, accompagnato da Dave Carpenter.
Andres is the man!!! This is extremely beneficial! Thanks Scott!!
Grande Andres y Magda! Thanks Scott for inviting him!
I finally got serious about practicing my scales recently and, whenever I'm noodling, constantly find myself wishing I had a C string. I've always pondered my next bass being a tenor tuned 5-string, but now I see this and think that's now definitive. That being said, I easily see a third bass including a B string as being a possibly down the road as well, lol
Or just get a 6-string bass and you will have both high C and low B. I'm using 6 strings bass for years and it helped a lot with chords, harmonics and solo stuff.
Here is my teacher and friend in New York City !! Andres Rotmistrovsky. highly recommend. Grande Maestro !!!
scott you're the man! thank you for everything you do!
Hey Scott, great lesson. My major takeaway is the tuning opening up the higher registers. Both using the high C. Not that one must go there, but it does add a sweetness to the tonality. Very cool lesson.
All of the segments on SBL with Andres and singer were awesome! Amazing talents!
Andres is very good.. He has a very melodic approach to Bass playing without loosing any foundation on the bass
Thanks Miguel!
Yes! Definitely expand on this format for the lessons!
Always a huge fan of Andres. He is criminally underrated.
I don’t know how many times I’ve watched this video and keep coming back
Everyone secretly wants to do what Joe pass does. He's the greatest (IMO)
Andrés is a monster. So happy he is here.
Vamos Andrés!!!! Aguante 🇦🇷🇦🇷🇦🇷
I just started experimenting with chords on my bass at gigs. Then this video poped up. This takin to a whole nother level! Thank you!
Andres is such an amazing bass player! Definitely one of the best I have ever had the opportunity to play with!
wish you did this with 4 string!
Buy a 5 string.
This inspired me. I now have a ponytail on top of my head!
Thank You So MUCH Scott's bass team! Last week I have just joined the lesson for a whole year. But I was struggling with chord progression and I was frustrated. Then I went on the forum and asked. A staff replied me but a week later here is the video! I am not sure if this is coincidence but I am so grateful for the help!! Thank you Scott!
Love Oteil's segment- it's definitely very academic though!
8:40 haha loving your brutal honesty (so true) haha "it makes me want to WEEP" has me cracking up. thanks for sharing!
i thought Scott you have interview Andres Rotmistrovsky oneday
Good job;)
Like the new format Scott!
This was an awesome! Made the topic of chord playing on bass totally doable for me. Thanks!
You the man Scott! Great vid, Oteil's Modulus sounds so heavenly
As somebody who's going to be picking up bass very, very soon I was honestly kinda worried about the harmonic capabilities of the bass, but now that I've seen some people play chords on one they just sound beautiful to me~!
It's like writing an entire song in the lowest register of a piano, y'know? It's really rich and full of flavour, but not muddy.
would have loved for Scott to have broken down Oteil's approach some more: as Oteil said, he doesn't analyze it much. it sounds great, but it largely goes against what I've learned about conventional chord structure
Just what i wanted to see today Scott, Cheers!
I love that sucked into a black hole vibe guys like Oteil (sp?) get. They just explore and live in the music. That’s what keeps me playing.
Continually the the bast bass content on the web. Scott is a BAMF.
when he's playing that d7(3rd inversion) to d augmented/b so beautiful
Really nice lesson! Might wanna give a heads up that the guy has a five string with a C string on top rather than a low B (which is a nice way to do it for this more melodic style of playing).
Love this format, great content as always keep it up :)
Best lesson format so far.
;-)
This is good. Need more chord stuff like this. Thanks
That sustain on that E dayum
Love the video, Scott! The content is awesome. I have been getting into chords recently and use them quite a bit to create a relaxing atmosphere for the hospice patients that I play for. Wish I could dive into the SBL academy, but the budget is tight right now. Someday! Keep up the good work 👍
Brilliant. Loved that lesson. The inversion stuff was pretty eye opening. The bass is such a beautiful instrument.
Your best video on bass chords yet. Or maybe I just got it this time...
Seems like i need a 5 string bass now
i have a 5 string harley benton p-bass. You should check it out.
Go fast and commit. Get a 6 string! Tbh, in standard E tuning (B-E-A-D-G-C), it´s not that much different from 4 or 5 string, but gives you the upper range that is just beautiful. Get something active (it pushes the B string much better) and with strings through body (´cause sustain!).
And if you don´t live in Germany, don´t buy Harley Benton. Keep your local MI store alive.
@@SpaceSteve37 I disagree. You really have to learn how to be efficient with your muting on a 5 string. LET ALONE a 6 string. And try going to a local guitar shop and getting a bass under 200 bucks that doesn't suck.
@@CommanderPiglet You will have to learn how to mute any bass anyway. Also, ever heard of Fret Wrap (in case of emergency)?
The price point is the devil. No bass under 200 bucks would be great, but simple $20 setup can go a long way. HB has that setup included in the price of an instrument. They can afford that, cause they cut costs on HW, pups, wood and basically everywhere. In the end, it´s just a polished turd. I work in a MI store and had shitton of cheap guitars in my hands, including several HB. Tuning pegs that just rotates back when you pull the string, pickups that sounds like mud, bodies made out of fibreboard (yes, sounds insane but it´s true), just poor craftsmanship I barely seen elsewhere.
The other thing is: if you already play the instrument, there is no reason to buy the cheapest shit on the market, just because it´s cheap.
@@SpaceSteve37 The fact that you have 04 in your name indicates that you really don't know what your talking about. Also my Harley Benton (Which i have owned for a year) is the best bass i own atm. No buzz. no nothing. Please don't go around saying a sub 200 bass can't be good. Check any video or review on a HB and see what they say.
Otiel butter bisciut in studio jams has been one of my favorite jams. Scott, you ever been asked to be part of the studio jams sessions?
I think I need to rewatch this once a year.
The collaborative format is amazing. You get the right guys.
I love oteil burbridge's chord technique
Scotty is the MAN! Thanks for all you do!
Holy shit, this video has opened up my chord playing to another level! The most chords I incorporated into my playing were random 4ths, but dude it never even occured to me to stack from root on top downwards
🙌🏻🙌🏻🙌🏻
We?
You mean, YOU can get your third and stick it up an octave. Lol
Loved this lesson Scott!
The new format is good for giving a taste of the full lessons, the fretboard illustration at the side of the screen was cool too.
Guess I'll have to restring my 5 string E-C, or even better buy a 6 string 😀
Beautiful stuff. Oteil always amazed me with his knowledge of chords and how he just sings those phrases out.
It seems Oteil Burbridge is using some kind of Jon Damian's Palette - Three Note Motifs. I strongly recommend to have a look on that!
How to play chords on bass ???
Christian Gálvez, from Chile... the best!
Sergio Oyarzún Gigante Gálvez!!
Yeah Scott that form of chord disclosure helps a lot thank you for sharing . Awesome!!
Andrés, your music, technique, and tone is amazing!!! I'm going to look up your music after finishing this video.
Yes, I thought this was a great format, and fantastic that I can now go and check these courses out on SBL... thanks Scott! ;-)
is there a full version of that recording of Tam Tam?
Thank you Scott for this Lesson I Love Chords on the Bass Jaco used them they sound Beautiful. Back to the Shed. 👍
Great vid Scott. Love the chordal aspect and melodic harmony approach. Your bass playing too, is packed with feelings and emotions (intro to this vid) cheers.
Un groso Andrés! No me va a alcanzar la vida para felicitarme por haber ido a su show en el ciclo de jazz del teatro Mendoza.
This was an outstanding lesson.
I've been looking for something like this on chords for a while. Nice lesson, thank you
thank you so much !
i play on an acoustic ubass, and a lot of things just does'nt work. she had buzzes, slapping is aweful, she does'nt stand in tune, and chords are so odds... slides are fun, but i can't play with my guitar, and finding a chord takes forever
something i just realised : my ubass is not meant to be tune EADG, but ADGC ! it explain so much of my troubles !
you are really handy !
ps: confirmed : in EADG, my A cord was buzzing. In ADGC, not anymore. Thank you sooooo much !
What hte hell ! now i can SLAP it !!!
You've just changed everything ! i'm in "accord" (sorry, froggys are lame in english) with my ukulele and my guitar, i can use my ubass in all the way it is meant to be used, slapping, slides, fingerpick... etc, etc...
and you show me chords ? wahoo !
Are Bass i key of F ???? i mean, we write the bass of piano in F key, so is it naïve to think bass guitar is set in F key ?
My bassist journey really begins today. Thanks alot, sir.
Very nice. Hope you find more uses for this format! Great show
Great information Scott
I need to check out cord inversions
Thanks for the motivation to get back in the Shed!
Scott said "Amazeballs!" lmao
and "dudes" a lot...
You have listen And see Felipe Moreno from Brazil! Is insane bass player.
amazing musicians right there!!! hugs
5.33 whats the name of the song?
Hello little chalan, its been a while, now i know that tune is call days of wine and roses, you're welcome
More to explore. Thanks Scott.
Liked the format . . . so nice , I watched it twice !
Keep these coming Scott! Thanks.
Love this.... Brought it a new concept of my thinking
Love the format, keep em coming!!!
Great format Scott!!! Loved it!!!
I love chordal bass.
Just enroll yourself in SBL. There are open voiced and closed voiced chords. There are invertions to the chord taught by the one and only Scott.
Good food for thought! Thanks!
So what i am seeing is that i need at least a 5 string bass ! Thanks scott for giving me a reason for getting a new bass
Great! I will always put like for ideas and new thinking
Whoa that intro was extremely impressive.
man your fodera is so gorgeous ! can you tell us whats the model and/or the colorway ?
TE AMO ANDY
10:20 "you can take the third... and stick it up to it an octave" /video cuts...
Shut up bitch