BASS
GETTING FAMILIAR WITH CHORD TONES AS A BASSIST | Adam Nitti
Bass players can sometimes be intimidated by the idea of improvising over chord changes , especially when those changes modulate through different key centers . Although it would be well-beyond the scope of this article to present a comprehensive guide to improvisation , I feel it is important to note that the basic harmonic knowledge required to know how to improvise is really no different than the basic knowledge required in order to play complementary foundational bass lines . So , in light of this I wanted to try and shed some light on some simple concepts that you can work on to improve your harmonic awareness as a bass player . In subsequent columns , I ’ ll elaborate on these some more and demonstrate more of their application .
For any bass player , it is essential to have a working knowledge of basic chord types . Chords are the building blocks of harmony , and they essentially act as ‘ signposts ’ that help a musician navigate through a chart . Many of us who have experience playing improvised bass lines or solos probably have at the very least assembled a collection of scale forms or patterns that we have associated with particular chord types . Scales can be useful in the creation of musical phrases , but for any bass player is very important to have a thorough and complete understanding of chord tones and how to find them on the fingerboard .
A good test for whether or not you have solid harmonic awareness of the song you are playing is to see if you can outline the chord changes for the listener without having any accompaniment , whatsoever . If you can outline the changes and harmonic movement of a tune using nothing but your bass , then you probably are on the right track to further developing your improvised voice as a player . It is very difficult to do this relying on scales alone … Take for example , a common four bar ii-V-I progression . For example 1 , let ’ s use the key of F major :
Using modal concepts , the most basic way to improvise through this entire 4 bar phrase would probably be to use the notes a single F major ( Ionian ) scale ( F , G , A , Bb , C , D , E ). All
Example 1 of the notes included in the F major scale are compatible with each of the 3 chords ( Gm7 , C7 , and F maj7 ), because all 3 of these chords come from the harmonization of the F major scale ( Fmaj7 , Gm7 , Am7 , Bbmaj7 , C7 , Dm7 , Em7b5 ). If you were playing with a band , you could simply improvise using the F major scale while a keyboard player or guitar player was comping the changes and you would sound as if you were playing ‘ in key ’ over the entire progression . However , if you were to just improvise using that same F major scale without any accompaniment , to the listener it would sound as if you were simply noodling using a major scale in a more static fashion . In other words , you would not be effectively outlining the changes , even though you might still be playing “ in key .”
Now , imagine if you were to use arpeggios instead of scales to improvise over this same ii-V-I progression . Arpeggios are just broken