Bass Lines WHERE THE PASSING TONES COME FROM Every chord has one or more scales which contain the chord tones (1,, 5, 7) and a set of passing tones (2, 4, 6). Diatonic, scale, passing tones come from the chord scale. They can be whole steps or half steps depending on the scale. Chromatic passing tones are always half steps. Below in the Bb scales, chord tones are marked with an arrow and all other notes are passing tones. Bb Major scale (diatonic) 1 (octave) 1 2 4 5 6 7 h h h h h Bb Chromatic scale (half-tones) 1 #1 or b2 2 #2 or b 4 #4 or b5 6 #5 b6 n # n # b h h h n or 6 b7 7 h Below are some I VI II V harmonic phrases where the bass line employs scale and chromatic passing tones. Numbers indicate relationships to the chord on which the notes occur. B b 7 G 7 1 5 1 5 1 2 7 Observe that the VI (G7) chord is dominant here. This is common where the VI7 functions as V7 of II (C 7). This is known as a secondary dominant. Other I VI II V progressions may use VI 7. B b 7 G 7 # 1 #5 1 b5 b 1 n 1 n b 1 b5 n b 1 b5 1 22 part i
Bass Lines QUICK REFERENCE FOR CHORD TONES PASSING TONES Chord Type Chord Tones Passing Tones (Scale) 7 1,, 5, 7 2, 4, 6 7b5 1,, b5, 7 2, 4, 6 7#5 1,, #5, 7 2, #4, 6 7 1, b, 5, b7 2, 4, 6 o7 1, b, b5, bb7 2, 4, b6, 7 ø7 ( 7b5) 1, b, b5, b7 b2, 4, b6 øn9 1, b, b5, b7 2, 4, b6 6 1,, 5, 6 2, 4, 7 6 1, b, 5, 6 2, 4, 7 7 1, b, 5, 7 2, 4, 6 Dominant 7 1,, 5, b7 2, 4, 6 Dom. 7 #11 1,, 5, b7 2, #4, 6 Dom. 7 #5 (augmented) 1,, #5, b7 2, #4 Dom. 7sus4 1, 4, 5, b7 2,, 6 Dom. 7 b9 1,, 5, b7 b2, #2, 4, 6 Dom. 7 b9 n1 1,, 5, b7 b2, #2, #4, 6 Dom. 7 altered 1,, b5, b7 b2, #2, b6 Dom. 7 b5 1,, b5, b7 2, 4, 6 This list shows scale passing tones only. Many more variations exist with chromatic passing tones or approaches, particularly with the dominant chords. 2 part i
Bass Lines Disc1 Track 2 (slow) Track (medium) VARIATIONS OF MELODIC BASS LINES ON THE FIRST FOUR MEASURES OF RHYTHM CHANGES Example 1a Roots only c Example 1b Roots and fifths b Example 2 Roots, thirds, fifths and sevenths with scale and chromatic passing tones b n Example Diatonic triad and seventh arpeggios resulting in occasional inversions on chord beats n Example 4 Melodic scale sequences n Example 5 Melodic scale sequences with chromaticism and implied secondary dominant (A7) ( A 7) #? b b Example 6 Melodic sequences yielding scale passages across barlines and occasional non-chord tones on chord beats 24 part i
Bass Lines Example 7a b Scale and chromatic lines which result in working substitute bass notes on chord-beats (bebop scale) # b n A b # Example 8 Diatonic triads with chromatic approach n # B b G 7 Example 9 Chromaticism and scale approach b b 9 b n b b Example 10 Major and minor sixth intervals n b b b b 25 part i
Bass Lines Disc1 Track 4 (1st chorus) c LINE 1A A 2-feel bass line. Here the emphasis lies on beats one and three. C 7. F 7. E b A b7 b n b B b G n 7/B # #5 /C # D 7 G 7. j n E b E b 6 b B b /D B b /F B b? D 7 b b G 7 n n C 7 F 7 n n b /B n #5 /C # #. b n n b # # E b b A b7 D 7. G 7 n b b 26 part i
Bass Lines LINE 1C Roots, thirds and fifths along with scale and chromatic approaches leading into roots provide solid chord outlines with interesting melodic shapes and directions. B b G 7 c Disc1 Track 5 (1st chorus) E b A b7 b B b G 7 n F 7 b B b6 A 7 n n D 7 n G 7 n n C 7 b F 7 n b B b G 7 n b B b F 7 29 part i
Bass Lines Disc1 Track 15 Funk C REHARMONIZATION 6 A sections: half time swing/funk over Bb7 B section: walk. The first four bars feature an alternate progression with II V of IV Ó j n simile b j j j b b n walk F 7 c C 7 F 7 Funk C j j n b j j j b j n b j b 46 Transcribe the 2 nd and rd choruses. part i
Bass Lines OPEN CHANGES 1 (Bb) Disc1 Track 0 B c b Transcribe the bass line (6 choruses total). b # n b E b n # B b b b B b # n E b B b b D 7 # G 7 n # n C 7 G 7 C 7 F 7 B b E b B b F 7 66 part i
Bass Lines FREE STYLE 1 This is the line behind The Lizard of Odds (slow version) on page 142 (disc 2, track 21). Note the 8 bar intro. Complete the transcription. (Intro bass and drums)? 7 b b c Ó. j. Disc1 Track j. 69 part i
Play-Along Diatonic Melodies C major MODES AND DIATONIC CHORDS OF THE MAOR SCALE Example 1 Major scale and relative minor scale, possible seventh chords, functions and modes I II III IV V VI VII s A minor (natural) I II III IV V VI VII Chord Function Mode Chord Upper Tensions C 7 w D 7 w E 7 w F 7 w G 7 w I 7 II 7 III 7 IV 7 V 7 Ionian (major) Dorian Phrygian Lydian Mixolydian 1 5 7 9 11 1 1 5 7 9 11 1 1 5 7 9 11 1 1 5 7 9 11 1 A 7 w VI 7 I 7 (as minor tonic) Aeolian (natural minor) 1 5 7 9 11 1 1 5 7 9 11 1 B ø w VII ø II ø (of A minor tonic) Locrian 1 5 7 9 11 1 Notes marked with an x are notes that need to resolve. 74
Play-Along Diatonic Melodies APPROACH NOTES Basic Arpeggios? c C 7 C 7 b C 7 b b C 7 Example 1 Single chromatic approach from below approaching all chord tones # # # C 7. approaching rd only # # # # C 7 Example 2 Single chromatic approach from above approaching all chord tones b b C 7 b. approaching root only b b b b C 7 b Example Double chromatic approach from below approaching all chord tones n # # # b n C 7 approaching rd only # n # Example 4 Double chromatic approach from above C 7 approaching all chord tones b # n b b n b approaching 5 th only b b b C 7 C 7 Example 5 Single scale approach from above approaching all chord tones b approaching rd 5 th b b C 7 Example 6 Single scale approach from below C 7 (Mixo) approaching all chord tones b b b approaching rd 7 th b b C 7 78
Play-Along Diatonic Melodies HOP ON THE SCALE Disc2 bass Bruce Gertz Track 2 B c b G 7 n.. b A b7 b E b. w B b G 7 n.. b E b A b7 b B b6. n. b. Ó D 7 # # G 7 # n n. n Ó C 7 # n F 7 # n. n B b G 7 n.. b A b7 b E b B b6. n. b 82
Play-Along Rhythmic Melodies Track 8 or Disc 1 Track 25 THE RHYTHM METHOD Disc2 bass Bruce Gertz b b c A b 7 F 7 B b 7 Ó B b 7 A b7 b b Ó D b 7 G b7 B b 7 b b A b F 7 B b 7 Ó B b 7 A b7 b b Ó D b 7 A b6 G 7 b b j j C 7 j j j j C 7 F 7 j Ó b b F 7 B b 7 Ó b b A b 7 F 7 B b 7 Ó B b 7 A b7 b b Ó D b 7 A b 7 ( B b 7 ) 96
Play-Along Pentatonic Melodies PENTATONIC EXERCISES Play these exercises in all keys. Play them retrograde (backwards). Try starting every next note in the sequence. Try different rhythms such as triplets, groupings or syncopations.?.?.?.? # # a.. b? b b b b b b b.? b b b b b b b b b b b b.? #. 112
PENTA-RHYTHM All the A sections are Bb7 Funk/Hip Hop (half-time feel). Disc2 bass The B section is swing with chord changes. Bruce Gertz Track 1 or Disc 1 Track 15 Play-Along Pentatonic Melodies Funk C b b b b b b b b b b b b b b b swing c F 7 b b n n. C 7 b b b b b F 7 Ó Funk C b b b b b b b b b 114
Play-Along Diminished Melodies Triads from the Half step/whole step Diminished Scale Example 1 Major triads A b b C n # b F # /G b E b Example 2 Minor triads A b C b n # b E b F # Sixth and Seventh Chords Example 1 Minor seventh chords A 7 b C 7 b n # b E b 7 F # 7 Example 2 Sixth and seventh chords (major, minor, half-diminished and diminished) C 6 C 6 E b6 E b 6 F #6 F # 6 A 6 A 6 b b b b b b # # # # n # # # # # n b b b C ø E bø A ø F #ø b b b n # n C o 7 C #o 7 D #o 7 E o 7 F #o 7 G o 7 B bo 7 b b b n n # n # # b # n # # b n b b n 11
Play-Along Upper Structure Triads Arpeggio Study with Tensions After inverting each chord go to the nearest available tension. Inversions may start an octave lower. Example 8 Inversion Formulas C? # 7 # 11 9 #11 1 # 1 st inversion 9 #11 1 2 nd inversion # #11 1 9? rd inversion # 1 9 #11 C 7? b b b b 1 st inversion b b 2 nd inversion 9 11 1 9 11 1 11 1 9 rd? b inversion b 1 9 11 D 7 # 11? # # 9 #11 1? # # rd inversion 1 st inversion? # # 9 #11 1 2 nd inversion # # #11 1 9 1 9 #11 Adding approach notes to the chord tones can produce interesting melodies. Example 9 Approach notes C 7 # 11? # # # # C 7 b 9 # 9 b 1 # b n b b b b b Ó 9 #11 1 b9 #9 b1 18
Track 21 (slow) Track 22 (fast) or Disc 1 Track (slow) Track 4 (fast) Play-Along Diminished Melodies THE LIZARD OF ODDS Drums and bass play 8 bars intro on track 21 (slow). Disc2 bass Bruce Gertz c n b Bb pedal n Bb pedal n # b % Bb pedal b n fine n b b b b n b n b b b b n b b b b n b n b Bb pedal D 7 G 7 (walk) C 7 F 7 Bb pedal n Bb pedal n b n # b n n b b b b n b n b b b b n b b b b n (last x:) % b n b 142
Play-Along Intervalic Melodies INTERVALIC LINES Example 1 Major triads moving up in whole steps A B F G? # # # # # n D b b b E b b b F n? It is a good exercise to change the sequence of notes in an arpeggio: 157, 175, 175, 175, and so on. Including the inversions there are 24 permutations for a seventh chord. The next example combines two sequences (175 and 157) over major seventh chords to form an intervalic line in ascending major thirds. The notes come from the hexatonic (sixnote) symmetric augmented scale. Example 2 Major seventh chord sequence # # b b n C 7 E 7 A b 7 C 7 symmetric augmented scale (hexatonic) # b ip4 Example sm? # # b b n n ip4 Example 4 sm2? # # n b b Example 5? sm ip4 sm sp4 smip4 # # b n # # b b n n # n # # b n? b Example 6 Whole step/half step symmetric diminished scale b # b ip4 sm sp4 sm b # Example 7? b sm ip4 sm ip4 sm n ip4 sm sp4 # # b n n n # b b n b n n # # 160
Play-Along Intervalic Melodies Track 1 RED NOTE SPECIAL Disc2 bass Bruce Gertz c F sus4 b F pedal (16 bars) b n b b n n n # #. # n n n b b n n # b b b n # n # # n b b b n b b n n n # #. # n n n b b n n # b b b n # n # # n b E 7. # # #... play changes n D 7. b b n D b7 n. b.. F sus4 b b n b b n n n # #. # n F pedal (8 bars) n n b b n n # b b b n # n # # n b 164