a Q about bass play with only treble note sheet

[barkis]

I'm trying to play a song and I have only the treble clef notes. The cords and stuff are given above with letters, you know, "C" for c-bass and major cord, "G7" for g-bass and seventh cord. There are pauses in the song and the pauses are a pulse-beat long (most of the time).

Now the question: Should I play with the bass when there is a pause in the treble since that pause is a beat? or should I let the bass be quiet on the pause as well and skip that bass?

 

[Glenn]

Do whatever sounds best. It is music after all, not a computer program.

 

[JIM D.]

In most cases you can find a recording of your tune on YouTube and then listen for pauses in the accompanying backround music. You will find in most cases the backround chords continue when the lead pauses. JIM D.

 

[barkis]

Thanks, it cleared it up.

 

[Oliner]

I'm sure this has been asked before, but I cannot find the answer to this question.

Does anyone mind explaining how you go about playing these bass notes, written above the treble? Like, do you hold the bass note for the duration of the bar? I can't figure out how to read music with this notation.

Thank you to everyone in advance. Have been playing about a year now, and sticking with the beginner music that has the entire bass written out.

Oliner

 

[lasvegascolonel]

I guess it would be better if people who write music just wrote the proper format; i.e. a bass clef instead of trying to cut corners with just a letter, but I've seen that before. Someone else said that's just another example of people trying to do the bare minimum necessary that we see elsewhere in society, but I guess with the bass letters it can be figured out. Good Luck!

 

[Glenn]

Sheet music is a shorthand. There is no way to render it exactly as intended without the musician having prior knowledge of music and styles etc.. it is a cultural thing which the sheet music helps you to recreate. We really shouldn't get too hung up on it. If it is too short and cryptic we cannot decipher the cultural intention of the scribe/composer. Thus for some, chord names give enough to render the music whilst for others they need a bit more.

 

[barkis]

Does anyone mind explaining how you go about playing these bass notes, written above the treble? Like, do you hold the bass note for the duration of the bar? I cant figure out how to read music with this notation.

Im much of a beginner myself and thus not knowing everything, but the basic idea is that a big letter (example; C) refers to C-bass and major c-cord, a small letter (c) refers to C-bass and minor c-cord. G7 means G-bass and g-seveth cord.

Then depending on the rythm, if it is 3/4 or 4/4 or whatever, you play like you usualy do in other melodies.
If it is 3/4 = Bass - cord - cord
If 4/4 = Bass - cord - Bass - cord

One can also play with what in Swedish is called kvint-bass and ters-bass. (Dont know the English words). When playing kvint-bass based on C, you play C-bass - c-cord - G-bass - c-cord. That gives more change to it all; not just C all the way.

Maybe someone else can explain the ters-bass. I think it works the same way as kvint-bass but with the thirds instead of the fifths. The thirds being the row closest to the bellows.

There are more to this though but this is a starter.

 

[Glenn]

Ters bass is a major 3rd or often called the counter bass on the accordion. It is frequently used as a passing note from say the C to the F (ie. going down the bass)


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[Anyanka]

The chords should only ever be guidelines! There is no real need to have them written out in bass clef unless the rhythm is particular to the piece, as in Eastern European music.

For a beginner, the standard procedure is to play a brief note - chord, note - chord to match the rhythm of the piece. Alternating bass is the term most used for Anders' kvint-bass (kvint = fifth), but it's also known as oompah bass.

As soon as you get more confident, start experimenting with the bass: play note & chord together (block chord), hold the note while alternating the chord, leave out the note and just play chords, hold down one note (a drone) while changing the chords...

Ideally, watch good accordion players and try to figure out what they do with the bass, or go to workshops/take lessons.

 

[george garside]

the bass note eg C written in plain English above the dots does not indicate anything other than that the note C or major chord of C will harmonise with the dots from where the letter is to the next letter. So if its C play any combination of C bass and Cmaj chord until you reach a different letter, say F then play that until another change is indicated to eg G etc etc.

The 'playing can be whatever rhythm or lack of rhythm suits that part of the tune eg um pa um pa as Anyanka has suggested ( bass note = um and chord = pa) or just hold the chord on its own , or even play bass note and chord together for a short while. You can stop the bass before the next letter and this gives a nie crisp sound as there is a little gap before the next bass note or chord is played.

You can also ignore the bass indication and just play the treble for a few bars in order to vary things a bit.

The most important thing is to LISTEN to what you are playing ( maybe even record it) and ask yourself do I like that or could it be improved - and the answer should usually be the latter!

george