Two Important Functions of Bass
Friday, September 14, 2007
In almost all musical forms, the bass has two important functions to fulfill.
First, the bass defines the chords being played and guides the movement of the music from one chord to another. This role is usually shared with a guitar or a piano.
Second, the bass provides the rhythm of the music being played. This role is usually shared with the drums. Because it links the two functions of rhythm and harmony, the bass is often the instrument around which the rest of the music is organized.
All music is organized into chords. A chord is a set of three or more different notes being played simultaneously, with one of the notes being the root note of the chord and the other notes defining the type of chord being played. The job of the bass is to indicate which chord is being played at a given moment, and this is most easily achieved by playing the root note of the chord.
From:
www.electricbluesclub.co.uk
First, the bass defines the chords being played and guides the movement of the music from one chord to another. This role is usually shared with a guitar or a piano.
Second, the bass provides the rhythm of the music being played. This role is usually shared with the drums. Because it links the two functions of rhythm and harmony, the bass is often the instrument around which the rest of the music is organized.
All music is organized into chords. A chord is a set of three or more different notes being played simultaneously, with one of the notes being the root note of the chord and the other notes defining the type of chord being played. The job of the bass is to indicate which chord is being played at a given moment, and this is most easily achieved by playing the root note of the chord.
From:
www.electricbluesclub.co.uk
Labels: bass
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