Bass LInes, progressions question.

[mae_mae1979]

THree questons.

1. What is a bassline for piano, and how do play them?
First let me explain my way of playing. I use chords to play music. But I play the Chord in the left hand, the chord and the melody notes in the right hand. But what can a bass line do to improve this? 
2. Why do you need to know about progressions if you read music using chords? How does progression help? I mean I understand progressions, but I don't see how to apply it to how I play.

[sjonathan02]

THree questons.

1. What is a bassline for piano, and how do play them?
First let me explain my way of playing. I use chords to play music. But I play the Chord in the left hand, the chord and the melody notes in the right hand. But what can a bass line do to improve this? 
2. Why do you need to know about progressions if you read music using chords? How does progression help? I mean I understand progressions, but I don't see how to apply it to how I play.

For a better understanding, so that we can help where possible, can you post an example of how you play?


I'm assuming you read music. If so, then what we mean by a bass line is the bottom note in the chord that you're playing.

For example,

In the key of C:


D/ FAC

G/ GBD

C/ CEG


The notes to the left of the slash are the bass notes which is the bass line.

[mae_mae1979]

I read like this

C              F                G
Song words, song words, words, words,
C             G7               C     
Song words........etc.

So how do bass lines apply to me playing this? oh, and what about progressions, how do they apply. I know what they are, but if I'm reading this, what does progression have to do with this? 

Another question:

C/E              F                G
Song words, song words, words, words,
C             G7               C     
Song words........etc.

See the C/E? what does that mean? And what should I be doing? I usually just play in the left hand the E as an octave thing, then the C chord in the right hand. But is that right?

[lamurud]

I read like this

C              F                G
Song words, song words, words, words,
C             G7               C     
Song words........etc.

So how do bass lines apply to me playing this? oh, and what about progressions, how do they apply. I know what they are, but if I'm reading this, what does progression have to do with this? 

Another question:

C/E              F                G
Song words, song words, words, words,
C             G7               C     
Song words........etc.

See the C/E? what does that mean? And what should I be doing? I usually just play in the left hand the E as an octave thing, then the C chord in the right hand. But is that right?

What you have here is a slash chord where E will be the bass (left) and C is your melody (right). This is the way I read too.

However, note that here on LGM, the order is reversed; it is  LH/RH. So you have to be mindful of this when you see chords posted here.

Progression is more a feature of knowing in the key you are playing in what are the major and minor chords e.g. I,  IV, V, and vi  etc. In the Key of C, the I will be C, the IV is F and V is G chord and back to I. This is a very common chord progression. In essence, this is the way your song progresses. Usually, your bass line has to follow where your melody goes, so it is part of the progression unless you want to be playing the melody alone.

Lamurud

[jenjenwaha]

Anyone please correct me if I'm wrong....I play the same way as you posted and had trouble at when I first looked at the songs on here.   Most of the songs posted on this board start with what you play in you left hand (example F/DbFAb would be Db chord in the right hand over F in the left hand)the the chord is spelled out for the right hard.  Which is really nice because you know which inversion to use. 
I personally think progressions are very important to learn. The more you know the better you'll play.  They teach you not to rely on sheet music so much and help you learn to hear what chord will follow.  Hope this helped 

J

[jkeys06]

For the C/E, what I was taught by my Jazz Piano teacher is that u play C as the bass and the E as the chords

[sjonathan02]

For the C/E, what I was taught by my Jazz Piano teacher is that u play C as the bass and the E as the chords

That is incorrect unless you are playing an inversion of a C chord. For example:


C/ E G B D

[mae_mae1979]

  What you have here is a slash chord where E will be the bass (left) and C is your melody (right). This is the way I read too.

C/E
you mean to play an E chord or just the notes, or octave of E, and the C chord in the right hand?

[SoundofJoy]

 I created this lesson to teach another student how to apply bass notes to a song. I have a midi file if you want to hear how it goes.
 
PASS ME NOT O GENTLE SAVIOR
 
( run) D E F# G A
Pass me not O gentle savior
B.....A...G....A..G...E..D...G
G.....E...D....E..D...C,,B...D
D.....C...B....C..B...A..G...B
G...........C...................G.(bass notes)
 
(transition chord) Db G / B E G B
 
hear my hum-ble  cry
A.....A...G.....B.....B
F#...F#..D...F#.....G
C....C.....B....C.....D
D.......................G (bass notes)
 
why on o-thers thou art cal-ling
B.....A...G...A.....G.....E...D...G
G.....E...D...E.....D.....C.,,B...D
D.....C...B...C.....B.....A...G...B
G........C..................G,B....E......(bass notes)
 
do not pass me by
A...G..B......A....G
E...D..G.....F#...D
C...B..D.....C.....B
A,B,C,D...........G (bass notes)
 
sav-ior.......sav-ior
D....B........A,G,E,G
B....G........E.....E
G....D........C.....C
G....B.........C.....(bass notes)
 
 
hear my hum-ble  cry
D.....G....B.....G....A
B.....D....G.....D....F#
G.....B.....D....B....C
G....G......E..........D(bass notes)
 
 
( run) D E F# G A
 
why on o-thers thou art cal-ling
B.....A...G...A......G....E...D...G
G.....E...D...E......D....C.,,B...D
D.....C...B....C.....B....A...G...B
G.....................................E(bass notes)
 
do not pass me by
A...G..B......A....G
E...D..G.....F#...D
C...B..D.....C.....B
A........D..........G (bass notes)




Sam

[SoundofJoy]

Oh, the notes are played with your right hand. This is playing three part harmony or "choir voicing" with the right hand. The top line is the soprano part, alto and tenor in that order. Use you any combination of your fingers on the right hand to play the parts together as one chord for each syllable of word.

Sam