Supplemental Guide
“BASS GUITAR SECRETS!” – SUPPLEMENTAL GUIDE
Insiders’ Guide to Chord Mastery
Insiders’ Guide to Chord Mastery
BASS GUITAR SECRETS! – HOM E STUDY COURSE
Supplemental Chord Mastery Guide
2005 Alex Sampson / Bass Guitar Tips 14781 Memorial Drive, Suite #1067, Houston. TX. 77079 http://www.BassGuitarTips.com Phone 217.636.4248
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Section
1 Alex’s 5 Simple Rules To Demystifying Literally Any Chord Structure! If You Can Remember These 5 Simple Rules You Can Expertly Handle Most Any Chord, Even The Hottest Guitarist Or Keyboardist Throws At You!
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F any one tells you (or for some reason you believe) that you can’t play chords on the electric bass and sound good doing it, that’s one opinion they really should have kept to themselves.
But whether or not you actually do choose to play chords as part of your bass line, knowing the structure of as many chords as possible is a vital skill for being able to play over them with more maturity. Below we’ll cover a huge amount of chord voicings that are all very useable on the bass guitar if you’re looking to add some chording techniques to your playing. Most are 100% feasible for 4-stringed instruments, some of them however require a bit more range as afforded by either a 5 or 6-stringed instrument. But before I do that, (give you diagrams showing these ‘chord voicings’) we want to spend a short while understanding their make up, so at the very least we have more options for playing over them, if not playing them. So first we’ll go through a very straight forward method that consists of five easy to remember and easy to apply rules you can use to form most any chord you are faced with. This way not only do you know the chords shown below, (although it’s a pretty exhaustive list) but in the event you need to, you know how to deconstruct and represent sonically most any chord you’re likely to meet from now till chickens grow teeth. Page 2
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Let’s jump right in! … Everything we’re about to cover here is based two foundational concepts… 1) My ‘five simple rules’ and 2) A fundamental understanding of five ‘starter chord’ types that you learnt in the main “Bass Guitar Secrets!” manuals. Let’s do a quick recap of those five (5) ‘starter chords’ first. Chord Type Major Minor Dominant Augmented Diminished
Degrees 1, 3, 5 1, 3, 5 1, 3, 7 1, 3, #5 1, 3, 5
I’m not spend any time going over why these chords are formed the way they are, since we spent ample time doing so in the main manuals. But if at this stage you still didn’t know exactly what degrees make up these common chords it’s probably a good time to play catch up by at LEAST ‘rote-memorize’ the ones above. Stemming from these 5 I like to throw in a few others that I think are obvious enough to not require us losing any sleep over. Chord Type Major 6th Major 7th Minor 6th Minor 7th
Degrees 1, 3, 5, 6 1, 3, 5, 7 1, 3, 5, 6 1, 3, 5, 7
Again, from what we covered in the main manuals these should be a cinch. Here goes the first of the 5 simple rules now…
Rule #1: When forming chord types that have extensions beyond the 7th degree (e.g. Maj 9ths, Minor 13ths etc – for reference sake we’ll also refer to these as ‘upper extensions’), you need to include in that chord all the ‘upper extensions’ from the 7th degree all the way up to that specified extension.
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So a Major9 chord is not just a Major chord with an added 9th degree (like we did with the Major6 chord above)… Because the chord is extended past the 7th degree, a Major 9th chord needs to include both the 7th and 9th degrees in its formation. To further illustrate… Major9 = Major + 7th + 9th = [1, 3, 5] + 7 + 9 Major11 = Major + 7th + 9th + 11th = [1, 3, 5] + 7 + 9 + 11 Major13 = Major + 7th + 9th + 11th + 13th = [1, 3, 5] + 7 + 9 + 11 + 13 (Another way to think of it is that… Major13 = Major11th + 13th… Either way of seeing the chord is fine and produces the same result.) The same holds true for minor chords. The only ‘trick’ to remember is that with minor chords both the 3rd and 7th degrees appear in their flatted forms! This is very important and means that in a minor chord you’ll always find that the 3 and 7 degrees replace the natural 3rd and 7th degrees. So forming a minor9 chord involves using all the extensions 7 and over. Minor9 = Minor 7th + 9th degree = [1,
3, 5] +
7+9
Minor11 = Minor 9th + 11th degree = [1,
3, 5] + 7 + 9 + 11
Minor 13 = Minor11 + 13th degree = [1,
3, 5] + 7 + 9 + 11 + 13
And to cement this rule, we’ll further examine the Dominant family of chords and throw in the second rule of thumb while we’re at it…
Rule #2: When you see a chord with no specification as to being either major or minor, (i.e. you are simply given a number like G7, D9 or F13) and that number is 7 or greater, conventionally it is referring to a dominant chord.
So G7, D9, F13 etc, all belong to the Dominant family of chords. (Just to refresh our memories Dom7 or 7 chords are formed with the 1st, 3rd, 5, 7th degrees.)
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Dom9 or 9 = [1, 3, 5,
7] + 9
Dom11 or 11 = [1, 3, 5,
7] + 9 + 11
Dom13 or 13 = [1, 3, 5,
7] + 9 + 11 + 13
Ok, so far you should have a pretty good grasp of the first two rules. Let’s press forward. The next rule deals with Suspended (Sus) chord types.
Rule #3: To create a suspended chord, first form the base chord type then replace the 3rd degree with the note it is to be suspended by.
For example… Sus2 = 1, 2, 5(i.e. A common Major chord with the 3rd degree replaced by a 2nd degree) Sus4 = 1, 4, 5(i.e. A common Major chord with the 3rd degree replaced by a 4th degree) Now on to ‘ADD’ type chords. It is important to note that ‘ADD’ chords and ‘+’ chords are not referring the same type of chord. When you see ‘+’ it usually denotes an Augmented chord…
Rule #4: When the word ADD shows up in a chord it means that you form the base chord and add ONLY that degree specified.
So… Add9 = A Major chord with an added 9th degree = 1, 3, 5, 9 (As opposed to a Major9 chord which would have included both the 7th and 9th degrees.) Don’t move on until you fully understand the difference between Rule # 1 and Rule #4. To help clarify, let’s examine some more… minAdd9 = [1,
3, 5] + 9 (as opposed to 1, 3, 5,
7, 9)
6Add9 = [1, 3, 5, 6] + 9 min6Add9 = [1, 3, 5, 6] + 9 Dom7Add11 = [1, 3, 5,
7] + 11 (as opposed to 1, 3, 5,
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Major7Add11 = [1, 3, 5, 7] + 11 minor7Add11 = [1,
3, 5,
7] + 11 (as opposed to 1,
3, 5,
7, 9, 11)
Major7Add13 = [1, 3, 5, 7] + 13 (as opposed to 1, 3, 5, 7, 9, 11, 13) minor7Add13 = [1,
3, 5,
Dom7Add13 = [1, 3, 5,
7] + 13 (as opposed to 1,
3, 5,
7] + 13 (as opposed to 1, 3, 5,
7, 9, 11, 13)
7, 9, 11, 13)
Again notice that this time we are NOT stacking all the degrees up from the previous chord like before.
Rule #5: With “minor Major” chords (minMaj) you simply form the Major equivalent of the chord first then substitute a 3rd for the natural 3rd.
minMaj7 = A Major 7th chord with a minor 3rd degree instead = 1,
3, 5, 7
Some more… minMaj9 = 1, minMaj13 = 1,
3, 5, 7, 9 3, 5, 7, 9, 11, 13
And to close off let’s see if we can combine all these rules to make some even more complex chords… Alls you have to do is break down the chord name and bit-by-bit investigate its structure. minMaj7add11 = minMaj7 chord with an added 11th = [1, minMaj7add13 = [1,
3, 5, 7] + 11
3, 5, 7] + 13
9sus4 = A dom9 with a 4th degree replacing the 3rd degree = [1, 4, 5, 7sus4 = Dom7 with a 4th degree replacing the 3rd = 1, 4, 5,
7, 9]
7
6sus4 = 1, 4, 5, 6 (A major 6th with a 4th degree replacing the 3rd) Remember it is only convention to think of chords that don’t specify either minor or major as dominant chords when the number is 7 or greater! So if you see a C6, it is referring to a major based chord rather than a dominant type chord.
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Some more complex chords where the name pretty much gives it away; 9 13 = Dom9 with a 13 = [1, 3, 5, 7 5 = Dom7 with a 5 = 1, 3,
7, 9] +
13
5, 7
7 9 = Dom7 with a 9 = 1, 3, 5,
7,
9
min7 5 = minor 7 with a 5 = 1,
3,
5,
min7 9 = minor 7 with a 9 = 1,
3, 5,
7 7,
Dom7#9 = Dom7 with a #9 = 1, 3, 5,
7, #9
min7#5 = min7 with a #5 = 1,
7, #5
3, 5,
7#5 = Dom7 with a #5 = 1, 3, #5, 9#11 = Dom9 with a #11 = 1, 3, 5,
9
7 7, 9, #11
7#5 9 = Dom7 with a #5 and 9 = 1, 3, #5,
7,
9
… In Summary
Chord Type 5th or Power Chord Major Minor Dominant Augmented Diminished Major 6th Major 7th Minor 6th Minor 7th Major9 Major11 Major13 Minor9 Minor11 Minor13 Dom9 or 9 Dom11 or 11
Chord Structure 1, 5 1, 3, 5 1, 3, 5 1, 3, 7 1, 3, #5 1, 3, 5 1, 3, 5, 6 1, 3, 5, 7 1, 3, 5, 6 1, 3, 5, 7 [1, 3, 5, 7] + 9 [1, 3, 5, 7, 9] + 11 [1, 3, 5, 7, 9, 11] + 13 [1, 3, 5, 7] + 9 [1, 3, 5, 7, 9] + 11 [1, 3, 5, 7, 9, 11] + 13 [1, 3, 5, 7] + 9 [1, 3, 5, 7, 9] + 11
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Dom13 or 13 Sus2 Sus4 Add9 minAdd9 6Add9 min6Add9 Dom7Add11 Major7Add11 Minor7Add11 Major7Add13 minor7Add13 Dom7Add13 minMaj7 minMaj9 minMaj11 minMaj13 minMaj7add11 minMaj7add13 Maj7sus4 Maj9sus4 9sus4 7sus4 6sus4 9 13 7 5 7 9 min7 5 min7 9 Dom7#9 min7#5 7#5 7#9 9#11 7#5 9
M A S T E R Y !
[1, 3, 5, 7, 9, 11] + 13 1, 2, 5 1, 4, 5 1, 3, 5, 9 [1, 3, 5] + 9 [1, 3, 5, 6] + 9 [1, 3, 5, 6] + 9 [1, 3, 5, 7] + 11 [1, 3, 5, 7] + 11 [1, 3, 5, 7] + 11 [1, 3, 5, 7] + 13 [1, 3, 5, 7] + 13 [1, 3, 5, 7] + 13 1, 3, 5, 7 1, 3, 5, 7, 9 1, 3, 5, 7, 9, 11 1, 3, 5, 7, 9, 11, 13 [1, 3, 5, 7] + 11 [1, 3, 5, 7] + 13 1, 4, 5, 7 1, 4, 5, 7, 9 1, 4, 5, 7, 9 1, 4, 5, 7 1, 4, 5, 6 [1, 3, 5, 7, 9] + 13 1, 3, 5, 7 1, 3, 5, 7, 9 1, 3, 5, 7 1, 3, 5, 7, 9 1, 3, 5, 7, #9 1, 3, 5, 7, #5 1, 3, #5, 7 1, 3, 5, 7, #9 1, 3, 5, 7, 9, #11 1, 3, #5, 7, 9
Well that’s it. I told you it would be easy! No matter how complex a chord someone throws at you if you just remember these 5 simple rules and chances are you’ll be able to navigate it like a pro!
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Why? Because when all else fails you can’t go wrong using the chord tones of a chord to play over it, and I just showed you how to figure out those chord tones. We’ll now go over one chord voicing for each of the chords we covered above. …
A couple important tips…
1) When all the degrees can’t practically be held to voice the chord and we need to ‘sacrifice’ some degrees, we start by first leaving out the 5th then the 3rd then root as necessary. It is important in sounding the chord to get those notes that really contribute to giving the chord its uniqueness and almost always that includes the upper extensions. So while there are really no hard and fast rules that say this is the only way to form a chord, you need to use your judgment when putting them together so that you give uniqueness to each. For example, a Dominant 7 and minor 7th chord would sound the same if I didn’t play the 3rd degree to differentiate between them. 2) The diagrams are drawn with the 1st string (G) at the top and the top or 4th string at the bottom (E) 3) Some chords are increasing difficult to voice on a four string bass, as the limited number of strings sometimes cut into necessary degrees – In that case I gave the 5 string equivalent. 4) Remember for any extension over 7 (e.g. 9th, 13th etc) the extended degrees are the same note as the extension minus 7. So a 9th is the same as a 2nd and a 13th is the same as a 6th etc. Likewise a 4th is the same as an 11th – So where it is super difficult to hold an upper extension, try substituting the lower sounding equivalent or vice versa. It changes the voice of the chord but theoretically it will at least be correct. 5) Your woodshed exercise is to print this chord chart out and using you bass guitar write in the degree names next to each note… And then of course to learn the chord voicing! ☺
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Section
2 The Chord Voicings Apply the theory above and you’ll instantly add the following chord voicings to your arsenal.
A
ll the examples below are done either in the key of C, (root note is on the 3rd string) G (root note is on the 4th string) or D (root note is on the 5th string). Also if you see a black dot placed on the red line that represents the ‘nut’ it means that you are to play the string open.
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