An Introduction To Bass Chords
This lesson covers some easy chord voicings for getting started with chords on bass guitar. There are loads of different shapes for every different chord type but this lesson covers just two patterns for the Major, Minor, Major 7, Minor 7 and Dominant 7 chords.
Triads
There are many different ways to play and voice chords on the bass. In this lesson we’ll be making use of the following triad shapes:
The chords on a root note of C are our ‘A String’ voicing’s and the chords on a root note of G are our ‘E String’ voicing’s. Notice how these chords make use of only the root note and the third (the root is doubled at the octave). We are removing the fifth to create an easier fingering and to facilitate better voice leading in our progressions.
Triad Chord Progressions
Seventh Chords
We can also create seventh chords with a root note on the A or E string. Below we see voicings for the three most popular seventh chords. Again, we are removing the fifth from the voicing in order to facilitate better voice leading:
Seventh Chord Progressions
The following progressions make use of our three common seventh chords:
Really nice sound. No muddy tones. It is a good idea, as you have shown, not the use A-root form on the E string (as I was sure to have done if left to my own devices). And working on the progressions is a big bonus.Thanks for a great lesson! Everybody has their own level of skill or ignorance, but or me this was one of your best lessons, and all the rest are good.
Mark—a big thank you from Texas. This was a very well put together lesson. You have a very good way of communicating. Thanks again and time to get to work now!!
Such a great lesson ! Thank you so much for your effort ! Keep up the great work !
Mark you are best!
Awesome.
Thank you from Moscow (Russia)
Awsome lesson MARK
I can’t feel my fingers anymore ,,,
I’ll come back tomorrow.
Thanks talkingbass…my fingers are now getting rocksolid
Great lesson mark…as always….by the way …..can you make us a bass chord encyclopedia i think that is very important for all of us here ….my regards from greece
Thank you Mark for you lesson. This is my first time to access your lessons and i have found your teaching very easy to understand.
Thank you once again.
Hi Mark,
Excellent lesson for beginners like myself. If I am presented with a music sheet with only chords/lyrics, would I be able to play the song playing the bass? My group only have a guitar & vocalist and music sheets that only contain the lyrics & chords.
Could anybody explain it better than this ?
I don’t think so.
Excellent explanation one more time !
Mark,
Can you explain why the same pattern on A string can’t be used on the E string?
Excellent lesson. My finger tips are throbbing but I’ve made some real progress. Thanks Mark.
A very rivetting lesson. Extremely grateful for introducing me to a new genre.
Hi Mark
Have been memorizing scales for months. Decided it was time to look into chords and how they work. This entry level course is the dogs bollocks. Just what I needed & so glad you mentioned that finger placement was up to the individual.
This will keep me going for a time, along with the 5 Rock Riffs (tabs) you put out there.
Thanks so very much, you’re a ledge
TJ (Boston)
Wonderful lesson. Thank you!!!
This is exactly what I have been looking for. Mark takes time to explain and illustrate each chord. This will help my playing tremendously. I’m looking forward to practicing and utilizing everything. Thank you. You made a friend for life.
Mark it’s truly an honor to gain the knowledge you pass on. I’ve been outta work for quite some time now and it’s a real blessing that you have made material attainable while I pass the hours waiting to get back to work. Yer really top notch dude!
Awesome Mark, thanks you so much. This helps my understanding of bass move up a notch, now to practice these new findings. Your teaching style is fantastic as well. Again, sincerely Thank you.
thank you, i am still trying to buy the beginner package.
As always, another great lesson.
Very nice. But you forgot how to describe how to use the right hand to play these chords. Do I strum like a rhythm guitar, do I pluck the top string first and quickly strum the next ones in sequence. PLEASE advise for right hand technique.
Very nice. But you forgot how to describe how to use the right hand to play these chords. Do I strum like a rhythm guitar, do I pluck the top string first and quickly strum the next ones in sequence. PLEASE advise for right hand technique.
I am sorry to ask a stupid question but I still do not see my question answered.
I am a beginner and I guess you will have to explain it to me like I am in grade one.
If you want to play the chord then you can either strum the string together like a guitar
If you have a string skipped in the middle, you can pluck the strings simultaneously (for the G-Major for example)
If you want to play a broken chord, play from low to high in sequence, suggested method is the one you mentioned, thumb -> index
->middle
I thought the shapes would be the same like CM and FM GM… Little confused by that
Hey Mark, i see you changed the finger pattern when doing the C/C/F/G MAJOR CHORDS the F/ G wasn’t the same as the C major shape… the other shape u did for the F/G MAJ I do see it still comes out with the correct notes for F/G BUT A LIL LIGHTER SOUND TO IT which is nice. it threw me of a lil but i see it any reason why u did that?
The tabs from the page have disappeared.
If someone from the team could fix this
But you didn’t say how to strum the chord or which string to pluck or the order to pluck them in. From a beginner you need the details. Sorry I am not too bright.
What Ejaz said. I tried Firefox and Edge, neither displays the chord images.
Thanks for the heads up. Fixed it.