Playing chords on the bass guitar can create a double edge sword because the time that you would spend applying this to a performance scenario is extremely limiting, unless you are planning on becoming a solo bass performer. So, what possible advantages could we be gaining from spending our precious practice time on learning creative chordal connections?
Learning how to play chords on the bass guitar is most beneficial from the standpoint of training our ears to hear chords being played simultaneously, while developing the skills to identify different chord qualities with greater clarity and speed.
In my latest video lesson for No Treble, I breakdown some interesting combinations borrowed from basic 4-way close voicing rules that will give you a launching pad to explore some different chordal combinations using the 3rd and 7th of the chord combined with tensions 9, 11 and 13.
All the Bass!
Joe
P.S. It’s a fairly long lesson, but stick with it and near the end you’ll hear me play a chord melody arrangement of Somewhere Over the Rainbow inspired by Keith Jarrett.
Really inspiring! Great arrangement, i’ll trascribe it for sure!!!
Niiiice! It’s always handy to have goods grasp of the chords on bass!
I remember the late Dave Carpenter got me into that… I stumbled across a duo performance, on TV, of him and Andy Summers and his chordal work really enriched Summers’ soloing. So it’s always useful to have that in your bag! 😉