When working with chords that already contain melodies, it can be useful to have the rhythm of your bass notes match some of their melodic pattern in order to add additional size without losing sight of the lead melody. This technique can allow for increased complexity without taking away from its effect.
This two string bass chord pattern works with any major chord – including 7th, augmented and extended chords common to jazz such as MA7sus4.
Root position
Minor chords differ from major chords in that their root note is typically lower, creating an atmosphere of sadness or melancholy instead of cheeriness and openness. Furthermore, their third note is generally flattened one note (giving this sound its unique minor tone).
Root position chords can be broken down into their constituent parts: thirds stacked upon each other. The number written underneath the bass line tells you how many thirds there are present and gives an indication of its chord quality.
Chords may be altered (known as inversions) by shifting the third below the root higher or lower by an octave, altering their sound but without altering their name.
If you see a figure 64 beneath a bassline, this indicates a root position chord – one of the easiest ways to form minor chords.
Third position
There are only three first position minor chords that use open strings – C, G and E – when playing first position minor chords; all other minor and major triads and seventh chords require barres or closed fingering. Understanding figured bass numbers that contain symbols for thirds and fifths above root notes is crucial to successful playing.
Example: a figure bass number that contains C and 43 indicates it is a 5th inversion of a C minor chord. To identify its root, say all letter names from C up by thirds until reaching F – this will reveal it as being at its core.
Chord patterns for all four-stringed instruments share similar patterns, yet its important to remember that some notes don’t always translate directly. For example, bass guitar tunings may vary; bass guitarists use fifths while cellists utilise fourths. This determines where and how chord tones are voiced in an ensemble setting.
Fifth position
Though each chord consists of root, minor third, and fifth notes stacked atop each other, they do not necessarily need to be evenly balanced in terms of ratio; each interval type offers its own distinctive sound.
Example 3 illustrates this by having each successive triad’s bass notes descend by one diatonic fifth – this helps keep the progression within an manageable pitch range.
Play Figure 1 with your thumb over the bass to reduce all of the extra notes and simplify to an E minor shape. Give it a try this way to experience its sparkling, chiming sound that works well in chord sequences. Furthermore, practice moving each finger position up the neck; these delicate arpeggios will sound beautiful while practicing minor pentatonic scale!
Inversions
Some chords may contain different inversions, which can have a dramatic impact on how they sound. A first or third inversion chord will have all of the same notes but be arranged differently; vice versa for any second inversions.
An inverted chord can dramatically alter the contour of a melody. For instance, if a melody features a rising major third, its inversion will feature a falling major third instead. This phenomenon is known as melodic inversion and it is commonly found in tonal music.
To determine the inversion of a chord, look at its figured bass symbol. This will give you the letter name of its root chord – three for triads and four for sevenths – from which you can determine its quality by looking at other letter names; C/G denotes an inverted chord where G is present in its bass notes.