Don't Have A Clue What To Do With Chord Charts On Bass? Watch This Video

►► FREE: Get the Chord Cheat Sheets Pack so you’ll always know what’s going to work with every chord you come across in any chord chart → becomeabassist...
Do you use chord charts?
If you have no idea what I’m talking about or avoid them because they’re crazy confusing, you’re not alone.
Not too long ago, I got an email from Trevor, one of my subscribers. It turns out we had actually met in real life many years ago and he’d stumbled across some of my videos. He had played all of his life by ear, but had come up against a new challenge:
A band he had auditioned for used chord charts - something he had never needed to use - and understandably, he had a lot of questions.
“Do I use a ‘concert’ part or the ‘Bb’ chart? Do the 5 lines in the chart mean I have to use a 5-string bass? Do I focus on the notes or the chord symbols above the notes?”
Using chord charts is a whole new way of playing music and requires a slightly different set of skills, so in today’s lesson, we’re doing a deep dive into chord charts and how to read them.
You’ll get my personal secrets for taking the confusion out of reading charts so if you ever get a chart put in front of you, you’ll know exactly what to do.
Once you CAN read and understand chord charts, you’ll find a new world of possibilities opens up for you and your bass. And this is exactly what I want for you; being able to show up and nail any song that uses a chart instead of fumbling around, getting lost and searching for the ‘good’ notes.
Like I said in the video, some chord charts are very prescriptive in what they want from you. Others just provide the landscape and let you run wild with it.
You need different skills for each kind of chart, but once you’re up and running things can get really fun really fast.
For example, a jazz chart might require you to play a ‘walking’ bass line over a set of chords. If you don’t know how to do that, check out this video:
• Walking Bass Line Less...
Other kinds of charts, you may not need to play a walking line, but you’ll need to know how chords are constructed and the formulas for each of them. If you don’t know how to do that, check out these videos:
• How To Read Chord Symb...
• How To Read Chord Symb...
• 4-Note Chords: SIMPLIF...
If you already know how to figure out the root notes for your chords, then you can skip to the 2nd video and be just fine.
To get the Chord Cheat Sheets Pack I talk about in these 3 lessons, just go here:
becomeabassist...
And fill out the form on that page. You’ll get a super handy PDF guide to all the most common chord types in music. Once you know everything in the PDF, you’ll have no trouble when you come across any chord chart.
As always, if you have any questions about anything in the lesson, just let me know. I’d be more than happy to help out however I can.
Good luck with the lesson and happy playing!
Cheers,
Luke
P.S. Here’s that link to get the Chord Cheat Sheets Pack again:
becomeabassist...

[@trevordavison7887]

I will accept a commission 😀

[@BecomeABassist]

Haha!!! Deal @Trevor Davison!

[@Kydoz3663]

Can’t tell you how much I enjoyed this. My soul thirsts for more on how to really create and improv based on these charts, especially iReal.

[@BecomeABassist]

Awesome to hear @Kyle Dozier! And is there anything in particular you'd LOVE to know about creating and improvising using charts like the iReal ones?

[@Kydoz3663]

Luke from Become A Bassist I seem to have a problem with transitioning from chord to chord. Knowing how to create fluidity from one chord to another is what I need to better learn. I think about all the possibilities of what I can play DURING the chord’s duration, by the time the next chord comes up, I have to pause to figure out what I can do with the next chord. That’s how I’m missing the opportunity for fluid transition.

[@rodjames5771]

Great video Luke. Thanks so much for posting. Just started with the bass as a adult student - but loving it and your videos.

[@BecomeABassist]

Thanks so much @Rod James - and so happy to hear you're enjoying learning! It's never too late to start, and nobody's ever too old to learn something new!

[@kazerdira4704]

I recently discover your channel it may be a little for you , but for guys like me it is a whole world ...dont want ask anything just want to say thank you for your help ,All respect ! Kazer

[@AlanSpenceAlanGCCMSpence]

This is a very spot on video lesson guys..watch over n over..he explains it right on an easy..good luck

[@ficklepickle777]

Excellent clarification of 3 types of chord arrangements - thx Luke!

[@BecomeABassist]

Thanks for checking this one out @Joe Defries

[@johnmascs3209]

Best lesson hands down!

[@BecomeABassist]

Thanks @Johnson Mascarenhas - glad you liked it!

[@Tony21TT]

Great lesson Luke, Thank you..

[@BecomeABassist]

No worries at all @Tony v!

[@grizelda4526]

Thank you!

[@Nivenization]

Thank you.

[@ianwheeler3620]

Hi Luke great lesson some Q on the 3rd chart after the E7b9 the double lines do they mean repeat and A and B are a little different when are they Played . Love your work easy to follow and look forward to the next one

[@BecomeABassist]

Good question @Ian Wheeler. The double lines usually just mean the end of one section and the beginning of another. A repeat sign would have 2 little dots in front of the 2 lines like in this picture: www.pngfind.com/pngs/m/619-6195623_file-repeatsign-svg-repeat-sign-music-png-download.png

[@planetpeckham1]

Thanks for this Luke. I'm extremely new to this stuff, I have a very basic thing I don't understand. On the last chart , first chord A-7 the minus sign indicates minor A minor 7 right? What do the symbols CΔ7, or Bϴ7 mean? Keep up the great vids!

[@BecomeABassist]

Thanks so much for checking it out @planetpeckham1. The triangle symbol indicates a major 7 chord and the circle with the line through it is a minor 7 flat 5 chord - also called a 'half-diminished' chord. I go into detail about all these things in this video: kzbin.info/www/bejne/o4LSiqlmh69kpJY

[@planetpeckham1]

@@BecomeABassist Cheers!

[@giarusai83ss]

Thanks very useful and interesting!!!! ✌🏼✌🏼✌🏼✌🏼✌🏼

[@BecomeABassist]

No worries @giarusai83ss - glad you're into it.

[@Nikosi9]

Wasn't "Watermelon Man" written by Mongo Santamaria?

[@BecomeABassist]

It was definitely written by Herbie Hancock, but the Mongo Santamaria version was super popular back in the day.

[@purplebass6834]

Great lesson as always-Thank you Luke. One question I have though is in the first example (Watermelon Man) did you say your playing an ‘E’ over an F7 chord. I’m probably wrong here but doesn’t the 7 after a letter indicate a minor 7 which in this case would be ‘Eb’ or do I need to go back to chord school ha ha ha.

[@BecomeABassist]

Good question @Purple Bass. You're totally right - an E is not at all part of the F7 chord, so it 'breaks the rules'. The reason it works is because the E is on beat 4 of the bar which is the weakest beat when it comes to harmony. Plus any tension that using the E creates is resolved very quickly when you play the F on beat one of the next bar. Every bar is like a little mini tension and resolution story.

[@purplebass6834]

Thank you Luke. I have never heard the status, of beat four explained before but makes perfect sense and I suppose it explains how out of chord notes work when moving from one chord to another. Once heard someone say, “most of us have to stick to the rules except The Beatles who seem to be able to play anything and make it sound good”. I suppose the bottom line is if it sounds good it is good!

[@BecomeABassist]

Absolutely @@purplebass6834 - nailed it!

[@imgonnabuss]

weird seeing you without the white background

[@BecomeABassist]

Good weird or bad weird?

[@imgonnabuss]

@@BecomeABassist definitely the good kind of weird