Beginning Bass 16: Autumn Leaves, Part 2 - More Sophisticated Choices
By Roy Vogt
Bass Instructor, Belmont University 		Print This Lesson
Roy Vogt. In this month's column, we're going to take the R-3-5-7 chord tones and vary them in ways that will allow us to connect the bass lines in a smooth manner. The goal here is to try to have no more than a 3rd interval between the end of one measure and the beginning of the next one.

When a line is written in this way, often the line will alternate ascending and descending motion in the manner of a sine wave (for all of you out there who are scientifically inclined). I've also started some measures with the 3rd of the chord instead of the root. When that occurs, I try to play the root as the next note choice if possible. If there is more than one measure of the same chord (in this case Em in measures 7-8) the root does not need to be repeated in the next measure since the tonality hasn't changed.

I've taken the track and progression from the previous column and added this new line. Give it a try and notice how a few revisions to the same four chord tones of R-3-5-7 yield a very different sound.

Peace and Low Notes,
Roy C. Vogt
Nashville Bassist
Bass Instructor, Belmont University, Nashville, TN

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