Alternating bass - when root-fifth & root-third?

[Sarah]

Are there any rules (depending on the melody) or any strategies, when to alternate root of the chord with fifth vs with third?

 

[jozz]

depends on the genre I guess

latin and mexican uses a lot of thirds, so does early rock and some blues & soul

in reggae the first downbeat is absent

 

[debra]

Are there any rules (depending on the melody) or any strategies, when to alternate root of the chord with fifth vs with third?

The rule that I use is that normally I will use the fifth but when the next different root+chord is going to be the fifth I use the third.
So instead of C cmaj G cmaj G gmaj D gmaj... I would do C cmaj E cmaj G gmaj D dgmaj...: always use the third to avoid using the same base note twice in a row.

 

[donn]

You could often look at it as a bass "line", a sort of fundamental counter melody that makes the tune move. Listen to bass lines from great music. What rather insistently comes to mind is the Beatles, seriously not because I'm devoted to their music or anything but just because the bass lines in their pop music are clear and carefully done. Any musical style will have its own characteristic tendencies in bass lines, of course.

 

[Deleted member 48]

You could often look at it as a bass line, a sort of fundamental counter melody that makes the tune move.  Listen to bass lines from great music.  What rather insistently comes to mind is the Beatles, seriously not because Im devoted to their music or anything but just because the bass lines in their pop music are clear and carefully done.  Any musical style will have its own characteristic tendencies in bass lines, of course.

I once read a good book on the harmony and structure of the Beatles songs.
Here is a summary in English of The Sound of the Beatles by Dutch author Ger Tillekens
http://www.icce.rug.nl/~soundscapes/VOLUME01/The_sound_of_the_Beatles.shtml  

I read it in Dutch, dont know if this book has been translated into English.

 

[Dingo40]

A most interesting link, Stephen,
Thanks!

 

[Deleted member 48]

A most interesting link, Stephen,
Thanks!

He did write a few articles on the harmonic structure of pop music in English

http://www.icce.rug.nl/~soundscapes/VOLUME22/Magnificent_flat-seventh.shtml  

http://www.icce.rug.nl/oger-bin/contents/dossiers.cgi?04

I found his Beatles book very good, he even uses the Tonnetz by Euler to analyze the Beatles songs.

Maybe some of his articles can be useful for pop and jazz accordion players looking for creative bass lines or harmonic tricks?

When it comes to creative bass lines, I use the classical triangles:
root , major third, fifth
root, minor third, fifth

For 7th chords, I can use 4 alternative bass notes, etc etc

I dont use a particular system, all depends on the melody, the genre, the music style, the way the melody is going, ...
Have no particular set of rules, my ears will correct me and guide me.

 

[george garside]

I agree with Dingo40  that ones ear should be the best guide particulary when playing folk/trad music (by ear)  .  If playing from written music  with full bass indicated then ,at least for starters, follow that  but don't exclude a bit of experimentation  if you ae so inclined.

george

 

[Sarah]

Are there any rules (depending on the melody) or any strategies, when to alternate root of the chord with fifth vs with third?

The rule that I use is that normally I will use the fifth but when the next different root+chord is going to be the fifth I use the third.
So instead of C cmaj G cmaj G gmaj D gmaj... I would do C cmaj E cmaj G gmaj D dgmaj...: always use the third to avoid using the same base note twice in a row.

That's a nice tip. Thank you