I am going to attempt to help clarify what is a necessarily murky
issue - the naming of chords in shorthand symbols.
First - I am in agreement with Christopher's comments and operate
with that understanding when I construct bass lines from chord
symbols. i.e. BbMajor7/C is a C7 chord to me - and it hardly matters
to the bassist that there's a suspended 4th indicated. The Bass
player can ignore this in any situation lasting less that 2 full
beats. If the tempo is slow, and there is a long suspension that
would create an unattractive and unwelcome dissonance with the
suspended 4th (if the bassist plays the 3rd), please write out the
bass part and tell the poor bass player that he should simply play a
pedal C. Or leave the C out until the suspension resolves and give
the bassist a Gm7 in preparation for the C.
When Ellington was asked what he wrote for the bass player, he said,
"as little as possible."
The bassist does not need to know if there's a 13th in the chord, or
a #11th. Altered 5ths and 9ths are sometimes helpful, if the bass
line is going to contain those notes, but it is perhaps surprising
how a D natural in a rising bass line in a C7 can exist comfortably
with a Db in a descending melodic or inner voice. (Melodic Minor
scales anyone?)
So - what to write? C7 is usually enough.
By the way - in reference to the bassist who wrote the first post on
this subject, in all my years of playing this kind of music, I have
never encountered a #13th!
What I do find useful - as a bassist interpreting chord symbols - is
a written out part showing the direction of the bass line with chord
symbols added to guide embellishment. That way, the bassist does not
have to guess the direction that will create attractive (contrary
mostly, we hope) motion against the melody and can play with confidence.
Hope this helps.
Chuck
Chuck Israels
230 North Garden Terrace
Bellingham, WA 98225-5836
phone (360) 671-3402
fax (360) 676-6055
www.chuckisraels.com
_______________________________________________
Finale mailing list
[email protected]
http://lists.shsu.edu/mailman/listinfo/finale
