The Jazz Guitar Chord Dictionary
Reply to Thread Bookmark Thread
Page 2 of 2 FirstFirst 12
Posts 26 to 28 of 28
  1. #26

    User Info Menu

    Quote Originally Posted by ll00l0l
    Do altered bass notes normally appear in all parts or only the bassist's? E.g. for a Cm7/A chord, would the piano part simply show Cm7, to keep it uncluttered?
    Good question

    In practice most charts include the bass notes in the comping chord symbols even when the bass is expressly notated.

    Several examples of fusion and contemporary charts in the New Real book are good for study of slash chords and notation - for example, Ode to the Doo Dah Day I was looking at the other day.

    (in that tune the bass isn’t always playing the bass notes of the chords either; sometimes it’s up to the comper to include them when the bass is tacet.)

  2.  

    The Jazz Guitar Chord Dictionary
     
  3. #27

    User Info Menu

    If the bass line is written out, note by note, in the bass chart, the bass is going to be playing multiple notes for each chord (usually).

    There isn't going to be a separate chord symbol in the piano or guitar charts for each of them.

    But, in cases where the arranger wants to hear a particular bass line, and especially if it might conflict with what the guitar or piano would be likely to play at the bottom of the chord, you may see the slash/bassnote.

    Say, a chord is written for the guitar as Cm7 and the bassist has a Bb.

    The guitarist might play that C an octave below middle C. As in the low E string in 8x888x.

    On a four string electric bass his Bb would be either G string, 3rd fret or an octave lower (A string 1st fret or E String 6th fret). If he plays his low Bb that won't clash much with the guitarist's low C, but if he plays his higher Bb, he's only a whole step away from the guitar, which might not sound good.

    The guitarist could certainly leave out the low C, and that would probably reflect a good habit. And, you can see why -- it's pretty much in the range of the bass, and with the bass walking around, conflict is possible. That said, I think Freddie Greene would be the first to say that it's not an insurmountable problem. If you have his tone and feel and Walter Page.

    The arranger can assuage his anxiety by giving the guitarist Cm7/Bb -- and you do see that in big band charts, among others.

    Or so I think.
    Last edited by rpjazzguitar; 01-29-2023 at 04:48 PM.

  4. #28

    User Info Menu

    Quote Originally Posted by rpjazzguitar

    The arranger can assuage his anxiety by giving the guitarist Cm7/Bb -- and you do see that in big band charts, among others.

    Or so I think.
    Cm7/Bb, Eb6, Eb, Gm or Bbsus4 ?
    Cm7/Bb is the 3rd inversion of Cm7 that also happens to be the 2nd inversion of Eb = Eb(6)/Bb
    This chord could possibly also pass as Bbsus4 or the 1st inversion of Gm+...

    In order to find out what chord we got we like to know the key and the cadence (the subsequent changes).
    Assume this is indeed a Cm7. Then it's perfectly valid to write Cm7/Bb to highlight that this chord is supposed to be voiced in it's 3rd inversion.
    But if this chord precedes Bb7 it's most likely Eb/Bb or Bbsus4


    (Cm7/A on the other hand as requested above doesn't make sense)