The Steel Guitar Forum

Jesse....Your comments are greatly appreciated as well.

I did not intentionally avoid the term "bottom end", because to me the word "bass" implies "bottom end".

A very large percentage of the bass players with which I am fortunate enough to play, have aquired what I will describe as discretionary skills while using their slash chords with excellent musical taste, which has a dramatic and positive musical impact.

I further suggest that having the ability to play a Maj.7 (which as we know must have 4 notes to complete the chord) is not possible to play in all keys on the 6 string steel using a 6th tuning. If one wishes to create a true Maj.7 in every key it is not mathmatically possible.

The best option then would be to play a 3- chord which is comprised of 3 notes of the four necessary to play a maj.7 while "hoping" the bass player does not destroy your musical intentions by playing the root to that which you are playing.(3)

Were he to hear exactly what you are playing he could easily intrepret your 3- as your intention, when in reality it was not.

One place where the 12 string advantage comes to the forefront is having the ability to play a true 4 note maj.7 which totally reveals the intended chord, and were the bass player to have played a Root OR a 3, the musical intent would have been achieved.

Your reference of the book "Lost Art Of Country Bass" with which I am not familiar, quite possibly does not present the musical approach to bass about which I am speaking. The fact it singles out "Country Bass" may elude to other concepts not being considered.

In response to your comment....In my opinion, personal discretion and the term "bottom end" bear no resemblance except to identify that which we are discussing (bass) and the discretionary power it possess.

Concerning your last comment, I know few musicans who ever acquire the discretionary ability to select every bass player they play with on every engagement. If this be the case one has few options. Accept a bass players discretion, write the chords for every song while hoping all the bass players can read, or grin and bear it while hoping the next engagement will be better.

Reece, I like to study and play music alot and would love it if someone could point me in a direction that you’re acquitted with concerning your way of looking at the bass, just for my own edification.

One thing that did occur to me is why chord partials work so well. If the chordal instruments are always playing full voicings all the time, the mix gets kinda thick? The truth is you don't want to be playing full voicings all the time because you end up without much breathing space? On a solo instrument, full voicings are great. But chord partials are a big part of piano, guitar and steel arranging within a group, even on the fly if the bass is covering the root on the first beat of the measure. All I seem to be doing is making a case against more than 6 strings but obviously; we have a very different experience with the bass. Thanks for your consideration on the subject.

Reece - You said:

<SMALL>Your reference of the book "Lost Art Of Country Bass" with which I am not familiar, quite possibly does not present the musical approach to bass about which I am speaking.</SMALL>

I am sure that must be true. It wasn't until I started playing guitar in a Praise and Worship band, playing very contemporary Christian music, that I started hearing the bass play (on the downbeat of the measure, mind you) thirds, sixths, dom. sevenths, maj. sevenths, etc. When our bass player is absent, I am very careful to play those notes as the lowest note in my chord forms, in order to convey the proper sound, or feel of the passage of music.

Perhaps this discussion is getting way off topic, though.

Sounds like a job for my EZ-Bender...

Well, I went through the "lost art of country bass" again and played all the examples. I found 5 places in 4/4 time where a note other than the root is being played on the first down beat of a chord.

1/3, 5/5, 5/5, 5/maj7, 6/5

So I guess if you play 6 strings and don't like the bass player doing this over your voicing, point it out for the next time (if you haven't stopped talking to him yet) ha.

Jesse....I admire and applaud your open mind and willingness to explore new ideas and concepts on both steel guitar and bass.

If you would like to hear an awesome example of the possibilities of what can be done with a bass in the hands of a genius, get the "instrumental" CD of Victor Wooten. The entire recording is done with bass ONLY. For me it's 40 minutes of the most incedibly complicated, complex and astounding playing anyone could ever imagine.

Your comment about full voicings is well founded. The abscence of notes required to complete a chord can be very effective at times while providing what I refer to my students as, "suggested or implied chords".

When utilizing every musical advantage of an instrument, the imagination of the player, and the music itself, the probability of creating a personal and recognizable playing style becomes far greater.

One of my greatest inspirations was/is Jerry Byrd. I'm sure there were many players who were surprised, and some traditionalists who opposed his expanding the number of strings normally found on steel guitars at the time.

Jerry followed his dream, achieved musical immortality, and left each of us an example of the importance of having an open mind toward change.

I believe we as steel players share a responsibility to follow Jerry's example of moving forward while being sure the styles and traditions of the past are preserved for the future.

I further believe his achievements, open mind, and willingness to change should be an inspiration to us all to continue moving the instrument forward just as he did.

Lee B....Your are absolutely right. Music is everchanging as well as the approach to the playing of musical instruments.

Thanks Reece, it's great getting frustrated over a musical subject that makes me look for more answers. I noted this morning that the "lost art of country bass" (which has steel in most of the examples) is all major triads for the chords. Hawaiian and other genres of music are where this chord partial/bass line thing can be even more critical. I can see how having more strings can make things much easier especially for chord partials that imply extended altered voicings. I searched the web for discussions on this particular subject and as of yet have not found any. Great subject to ponder… <font size="1" color="#8e236b"><p align="center">[This message was edited by Jesse Pearson on 21 May 2006 at 09:07 AM.]</p></FONT>

Wow...I came back to the post to review a suggestion and found that my question has sparked some serious steel discourse.
Gotta love the forum.