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 Guest Bass Guitar Instructor
Bob Daisley
Chords are derived from intervals that are
taken from the major diatonic scale. The key of
C for example has eight intervals (notes).
The names of the notes are shown top. The intervals
are shown below.
C D E F G A B C
G :-------------------------------------------------|
D :-----------------------7---9---10----------------|
A :----------7---8---10-----------------------------|
E :-8---10------------------------------------------|
1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8
The roote note is the starting note of the major
scale that is used to derive a chord formula. For
example, when playing in C major, the roote note
for a major chord is C.
Chord Roote Note = C
G :-------------------------------------------------|
D :-------------------------------------------------|
A :-------------------------------------------------|
E :-8-----------------------------------------------|
1
Although it takes 3 intervals (notes) to make a chord
determined as a major or minor chord, (often referred
to as a major or minor triad, a chord consisting of
only 3 notes), it is the 3rd interval that is flatted
and makes the chord change from C major to C minor.
Add the 3rd interval = C major chord
chord shape :notes (shown top) intervals below
in bass tab
C E
G :-------------------------------------------------|
D :-------------------------------------------------|
A :-7-------------------------7---------------------|
E :-8--------------8--------------------------------|
1 3
add the flatted 3rd = C minor chord
C Eb
G :-------------------------------------------------|
D :-------------------------------------------------|
A :-6-------------------------6---------------------|
E :-8-------------8---------------------------------|
1 b3
"I don't often use chords bass-wise but there are a few
I've dabbled with in the past. Firstly, as an example,
the ones I used in "Revelation (Mother Earth)" are just
two note chords but are effective in lots of situations.
The "C" is played on the "E" string on the eighth fret,
and the major third ("E") is played an octave higher on
the "G" string on the nineth fret."
C major chord as played in "Revelation (Mother Earth)"
C E
G :-9-----------------------9-----------------------|
D :-------------------------------------------------|
A :-------------------------------------------------|
E :-8--------------8--------------------------------|
1 3
You can do this in any position for other keys, on the
low "E" string. In the key of "D", you can also play the
"D" string open and the higher octave major third ("F# ")
on the "G" string on the eleventh fret and down a string
to the "A" string and so on, to get that "open string"
sound.
For example: D major chord
D F#
G :-11----------------------11----------------------|
D :-0--------------0--------------------------------|
A :-------------------------------------------------|
E :-------------------------------------------------|
1 3
A major chord
A C#
G :-------------------------------------------------|
D :-11----------------------11----------------------|
A :-0--------------0--------------------------------|
E :-------------------------------------------------|
1 3
Key of A example continued...
If you want to make either a "major" statement or
"minor", just add the major third or minor third played
together with the root note. As an example, if you play
the root note of "E" in the key of "E", the major third
will be "A flat" and the minor third will be "G".
Chord Roote Note = A
G :-------------------------------------------------|
D :-------------------------------------------------|
A :-------------------------------------------------|
E :-5-----------------------------------------------|
1
add the 3rd interval = A major chord
G :-------------------------------------------------|
D :-------------------------------------------------|
A :-4-----------------------4-----------------------|
E :-5-------------5---------------------------------|
1 3
add the flatted 3rd = A minor chord
G :-------------------------------------------------|
D :-------------------------------------------------|
A :-3----------------------3------------------------|
E :-5------------5----------------------------------|
1 b3
Part 2
Every once in a while I might use a flattened fifth
(diminished) two note chord which is just a straight
forward root note and flat five played together.
The diminished scale (also referred to as a "symmetric
scale") contains nine notes and divides the octave into
eight intervals. The formula for a C diminished chord
is the 1,3,5, and 7th intervals of C diminished scale.
The notes played in C diminished scale are:
C,D,Eb,F,Gb,A,B and C.
C diminished chord
c f# a eb
G :-8----------------------------------8------------|
D :-7-----------------------------7-----------------|
A :-9-----------------------9-----------------------|
E :-8--------------8--------------------------------|
1 3 5 7
as a flatted 5th chord octave chord
C F#
G :------------------------------------11-----------|
D :------------------------------------10-----------|
A :-9-------------------------9---------------------|
E :-8---------------8-------------------------------|
1 3
Alternatively, the same thing can be done with a normal
fifth and root note played together if you don't want the
result to sound major OR minor, sort of unbiased.
C 5th chord
C G
G :-------------------------------------------------|
D :-------------------------------------------------|
A :-10------------------------10--------------------|
E :-8---------------8-------------------------------|
1 5
As I mentioned before, I haven't used chords a lot but
these may come in handy.
Yours Truely,
Bob Daisley
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