Example 1 - Getting started with roots & fifths
Lesson time: (2min 28sec)
Bruce gets us started building bass lines using only roots and 5ths.
Course preview
This lesson is part of the course Contemporary Bass Guitar Grooves
Watch a preview of the full course below.
Lesson transcript:
Music Lesson: Approaching Chords and Bass Lines
Example 1: C Major 7, F Major 7, D Minor 7, G7
Root and Fifth Approach
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C Major 7:
- Play C (root) and G (fifth).
-
F Major 7:
- Play F (root) and C (fifth).
-
D Minor 7:
- Play D (root) and the corresponding A (fifth).
Rhythm Count
- "1, 2, 3, 4" ? repeat this pattern:
- Root twice
- Fifth twice
Creating a Bass Line
- This creates a bass line that moves smoothly between chords.
Alternative Variations
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Root, Fifth, Octave, Fifth
- Sounds like: "Two, three, four."
-
Root, Octave, Fifth
- Sounds like: "Two, three, four."
Summary
- Experimenting with the different combinations of root, fifth, and octave allows for a varied sound and can enhance your playing technique.
About the instructor
Bruce Gertz is an award-winning bassist (acoustic and electric), composer, educator, and author. He is a professor of bass at Berklee College of Music, where he has taught since 1976. Bruce is the recipient of the National Endowment for the Arts Jazz Performance Award Grant, the Massachusetts Cultural Council Musical Composition Award, and numerous outstanding bassist awards from the Boston Music Awards, A.S.C.A.P. Plus Popular Awards, and multiple recognition awards from the International Association of Jazz Educators and the Jazz Education Network. Bruce also serves on the board of directors of the International Society of Bassists. He has performed and recorded with such artists as Gary Burton, Jerry Bergonzi, John Abercrombie, Joey Calderazzo, Kenny Werner, Mick Goodrick, Kurt Rosenwinkel, Billy Hart, George Garzone, Mike Stern, Larry Coryell, Joe Lovano, Cab Calloway, and Count Basie, among many others. In Contemporary Bass Guitar Grooves, Bruce puts all of that experience to work for you. You'll learn to build solid, swinging bass lines and lock into authentic grooves across funk, jazz, and fusion, so you can hold down the bottom end and walk into any band situation with confidence. His extensive discography and additional information can be found at www.brucegertz.com. read more