All About Music

Understanding Bass Guitar Chords, the Key Element to Mastering the Bass Guitar

Close your eyes and listen. Is there a sound that evokes more emotion than a well-played guitar? When you teach yourself guitar especially the bass guitar it should be a wonderful experience that fills you with the joy of achievement. When you first start to learn the bass guitar chords, one of the most difficult tasks to master is to get your fingers to do what you want them to do.

• So what Exactly is a Chord?

A chord is the underlying principle in every piece of music there is. A chord is 3 different notes from 1 scale played together at the same time. For instance, G major is G-B-D, a root, a third, and a fifth.G minor is G-Bb-D, a root, a lowered third (of course), and a fifth. When you play these 3 notes one the strings of a guitar, it will create a nice sounding harmony that is pleasing to the ear.

• Understanding Bass guitar chord symbols

Guitar chords often include symbols in the chord diagram layout. The vertical lines are the guitar strings, the horizontal lines are the frets. An x above the vertical line indicates that a string is free or is not played, while an O designates an open string or a string that is not played on the fret. A filled circle means the string has to be fretted.

In order to learn guitar chords you must first know the sound that each vibration on each guitar string makes. At this point you must also understand how finger placement will change the vibration on each guitar string. To learn guitar chords in this manner, practice and repetition are key to success. You will soon understand how different guitar chords come together to form a song. If you know the chords, you’ll know the song – it’s that simple.

Once guitar players get a few licks and tricks under their belt they become lazy. When you consider the combinations that are available from just one chord in one position on the neck, it is absolutely mind blowing, let alone the hundreds of other positions and variations available. Just by experimenting with one chord shape at a different starting place on the fretboard can take your mind and fingers to uncharted areas you could not have conceived of before.

* Why Would a Bassist Need Chord Symbols?

Even though bassists don’t typically play a lot of chords by themselves on bass, bassists are still very involved in forming the sound of the chord along with the whole band or ensemble. As a bassist, when you play with a group of musicians you are playing one of those “3 or more different notes” that forms the chord being played by the whole band.

In many situations bassists are not told what specific notes to play, but only what the chords of a song are. In this common situation the bassist is expected to play notes that support and complement the sound of each chord as it passes by.

So, bassists often read chord symbols in written music and make up or improvise a bassline that matches the chords of the song instead of playing a specific, written out bassline.

Don’t get discouraged if you’re trying to teach yourself guitar. Follow the steps below and soon you’ll be playing your favorite songs by learning basic guitar chords.

1. Get a chart of guitar chords and look at where the fingering is for each chord

2. Start by simply choosing at least two of the basic chords and work on the transition between the two.

3. Make sure that it sounds good. The fact is that if it sounds good you are probably doing it right. (HINT: If it doesn’t sound good to you, press down on the strings firmer with your fingers.)

4. Now learn to enjoy playing guitar chords by choosing a few of your favorite songs that have these basic guitar chords and play them until you can sing along. (FYI: Beatles have a great selection of well known songs that use basic guitar chords as the foundation.)

5. Play daily! You must remember that although its hard at first, you are going to make progress and it will become easier to play the guitar by consistently playing it.

6. Practice! Remember guitar practice makes perfect guitar music!

By Stephen Bass

It is very important to get the fundamentals and guitar playing basics in order to begin your quest into becoming the guitar player that you crave to be. Such as the tools that you use to play, the knowledge into playing, the practice that you take into learning to improve day after day.

Guitar Playing Basics 1 – Purchase a Suitable Guitar

This is the first important step, it’s an obvious one but important consideration needs to be taken here. If possible and depending on your budget, try to purchase a not so cheap guitar. I personally prefer Fender stratocasters as these guitars provide the right sound for beginners. They have single coil pickups so the sound of the notes are cleaner and rounder than compared to say a Gibson Les Paul. These use humbucker picks which gives a fatter sound which are not suited for beginners. If considering a Stratocaster guitar, I recommend the Fender Mexican Stratocaster as these are not the very basics, in fact they are quality guitars and you can pick one up for about $500 (£350).

Guitar Playing Basics 2 – Get hold of a Pick or Plectrum

Purchase a pick or plectrum. This is used to pluck or strum your strings with your right hand when playing your music on guitar. These are relatively cheap and cost around a dollar (£0.80)

Guitar Playing Basics 3 – Get hold of a Guitar Tuner

Purchasing a guitar tuner is extremely important as a beginner player as you need to play in tune. The tuning of the strings should be EADGBE. These are the six strings notes starting from the top of the guitar fretboard when holding it as you play.

Guitar Playing Basics 4 – Get hold of a Metronome

A metronome is a device that allows you to play against a beat to obtain the correct and tempo and timing in your playing and it is hugely important. Music is usually played 4 beats a bar as in 1 and 2 and 3 and 4. Metronomes are on the low side cost. You will hear clicks at the correct beat and you can tell straight away if you are playing too slow or too fast.

Guitar Playing Basics 5 – Hold the Guitar Properly

Put the guitar on your right leg and hold the back of the neck with your left hand. This is the long slim piece of wood behind the fretboard. Hold the pick with your right hand and vice versa if you are left-handed.

Guitar Playing Basics 6 – Strumming your Guitar

Start playing the guitar by strumming and picking. This may appear easier said than done at the start however, you need to start playing at some point. Start of by playing a few basic chords. Strum the open chords such as D, E and C. This is done by placing the fingers on your left hand on the strings whilst your right hand strums the guitar. As soon as your able to do this, practice moving from one chord to the next, This is the hard part.

Guitar Playing Basics 7 – Play Notes/Picking

Attempt to play single notes which are used in licks, riffs and soloing. The way to do this is to place your index finger on any single note depending on whether you are a left or right-handed player. Press down on the string at the fretboard and then play that note with your pick or plectrum on the same string. Make sure you watch your picking hand as a beginner.

Guitar Playing Basics 8 – Alternate Picking/Strumming

Make sure that you use alternate strumming or picking patterns when playing. Ok, so if you were strumming a chord you would alternate by firstly strumming down and then back up. When picking you would do the same pick down and then pick up on the second note. This is done to increase the speed of your playing.

Guitar Playing Basics 9 – Practice Regularly

Make sure you practice regularly, it is important! When you start, do about 15-20 minutes per day and then increase this with time and as you improve. It is important to start slow at first as it is hard work plus you will appear to have uncomfortable feelings in your fingers for the first few weeks. You will start to develop calluses on your fingers where the skin on your fingers shall harden. So in the end it is not so bad.

By Ameen Jabbar