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Chords Archives - Page 3

Jazz Box: A Look at the Chord and Scale Reference App for iOS
Apps

Jazz Box: A Look at the Chord and Scale Reference App for iOS

Jazz Box, in my humble opinion, has just helped to fulfill a need for a thorough, high quality harmonic study app. While not perfect and not 100% inclusive of every harmonic consideration, it goes way beyond any of the other apps I have seen in explaining scale considerations in the jazz idiom, spelling out various chords and explaining what certain...

Chord Substitutions, Tritones and Bass
Ask Damian Erskine

Chord Substitutions, Tritones and Bass

Q: When is it ok to use chord substitutions on standards? Also, can you explain tritone substitutions? A: The use of chord substitutions is fun to practice but must be used with caution on the gig. Our role as a bass player is to support the harmonic foundation for the rest of the band, as well as lock the rhythms...

Playing Chords: A Guide for Bassists
Ask Damian Erskine

Playing Chords: A Guide for Bassists

Q: I recently bought a 6-string bass and started working on playing chords. How should I voice more complex chords (e.g. Gm13) using few (3 to 4) notes, while maintaining the quality of the chord? A: It is important to note a few things when doing this. Much of this is learned by doing it wrong and having someone correct...

Bass Lesson: Expand Your Fretboard with Major Triads
Bass Lessons

Bass Lesson: Expand Your Fretboard with Major Triads

In this new lesson, we’ll break down the concepts of utilizing triads in expanding your fretboard knowledge and control. We’ll explore triad inversions, different fingerings and using triads as target notes to achieve this goal. The video starts with a demonstration of a solo over a G Major chord. I’m playing a G Major triad. A triad is of course...

Harmonizing the Major Scale: Using a Number System on Bass
Bass Lessons

Harmonizing the Major Scale: Using a Number System on Bass

This week, I’m kicking off a new lesson focusing on the foundation of music – the major scale. Read over this lesson and then be sure to check out the video for a demonstration. Western music harmony is mostly based on the 7 steps of the major scale, and the chords built on the major scale are very common to...

Playing Through Chords – Continued
Ask Damian Erskine

Playing Through Chords – Continued

Q: I’ve spent a lot of time developing exercises for myself to practice connecting chords so that I’m not treating each chord as a separate entity. My goal is to voice-lead my way through the chords as if each is a slight variation on the last. I’ve been trying to solo during chord progressions, but I find myself stuck on...

ChordBot: A Look at the Songwriting and Accompaniment Tool for iOS and Android
Apps

ChordBot: A Look at the Songwriting and Accompaniment Tool for iOS and Android

ChordBot is a wonderful, easy to use app which is equally powerful for songwriting as it is for accompaniment. The app allows you to develop and play chord progressions in a number of styles. ChordBot features 60 different chord types (including slash chords), 50+ comping styles, a song generator, as well as the ability to export your files as midi,...

On Improvising: Modal vs. Chordal Approaches
Ask Damian Erskine

On Improvising: Modal vs. Chordal Approaches

Q: I’ve been playing for a little bit now and would consider myself a solid player, but I’m looking to really up my level of expression. There seems to be a dichotomy on modal vs. chordal approaches to theory, I figured I’d ask you where the break is. Both seem necessary, but some seem to think the modal stuff is...

Practical Scalar Practice
Ask Damian Erskine

Practical Scalar Practice

Q: I’ve been reading a lot of posts online and doing searches about which scales work over what chords. I’ve found a lot of good information, but I’m not really sure how to actually practice and internalize the information once I have it. Any advice? A: This is something that I’ve been working on with my students at PSU (Portland...

Bass Aerobics
Sheet Music & Instruction

Bass Aerobics

Hal Leonard has released Bass Aerobics, a new book in their Bass Builders series, offering a 52-week, one excercise per week workout program for bassists. Authored by bassist Jon Liebman, Bass Aerobics focuses on developing, improving and maintaining technique on the bass guitar, for beginner through advanced players. The 112 page book is designed to increase speed and improve dexterity,...

Bruno Tauzin Releases Fretboard Mastery Series
Sheet Music & Instruction

Bruno Tauzin Releases Fretboard Mastery Series

Bruno Tauzin has authored three new bass method ebooks, Fretboard Mastery. Each book is designed for common bass configurations, from 4- to 6-string instruments. Fretboard Mastery: 4 String Arpeggios Fretboard Mastery: 4 String Arpeggios starts out with a section on theory, and includes chord and scale construction, different triads and seventh chords, all designed for 4-string players. The 46 page...

Major and Minor Blues: What Are These Chords?
Blues Bass

Major and Minor Blues: What Are These Chords?

When it comes to playing bass, it’s easy to stick to specific patterns, rely on our ability to provide the musical foundation with the root and the fifth, and leave the chord knowledge up to the guitar players. Although there are musical situations where playing the root and the fifth is appropriate, it is essential for bass players to understand...