Bass Riffs for chord progressions

Mike_Harman · Posted: Tue Aug 13, 2002 8:21 pm Post subject: Bass Riffs for chord progressions

Can anyone help out a beginner, Actually I have been playing since the late 70s, but never really applied myself that much, and I taught myself everything currently know. I mainly play only the G note when the rest of the group is playing a G chord. When I hear music being played and lets say the guitars are playing that G chord, I often hear the bass player go up an octive then walk back down or something like that. This weekend I heard a Vietnamese Bassist go up an octive then slid up two more frets and walked back down to the low note again. It really sounded great and he did it many times during this one song. I have not been able to duplicate that riff on my own. Can anyone help?

What I need is all these little bass runs saved up so I can learn them and use them to sort of fill in during any given chord. Especially the longer chords, this that do not progress to the next chord too quickly. Is it possible for someone to send me an email and include a few of these short lines using the following format?

[G Chord Riff]

G ---------------------------------------
D ---------5-----------------------------
A ---------------------------------------
E ----3----------------------------------

Fill in the rest or create a short riff I can learn for several different chords.

Thanks

Mike Harman
Arlington Texas
Mike_Harman@rocketmail.com
mcharman@prodigy.net (still a good email address)

P. Aaron · Posted: Wed Aug 28, 2002 6:07 pm Post subject: Bass Riffs for chord progressions

M.Harmon.
Sounds like you just have to learn basic major and minor scales.Ex: G7 major;
G-A-B-C-D-E-F-G
G-------
D-2-3--5
A-2-3--5
E---3--5

E-minor
G-------
D 0-2---
A 0-2-3-
E 0-2-3-

Move these shapes around the fingerboard. you can always e-mail me with questions. My TAB is not that good. The ability to play bass scales over chord shapes gives the music its movement. The bass player kicks these tunes along.As well as supplying backbone and warmth.

Better yet, just get some old Rolling Stones and Chuck Berry recordings and play along. That's how I learned. I took lessons later.