The most overused bass line that still sounds great
Hi Visitor
Is there anything better than chromatic bass lines (aka "the Lament bass")? If you've not heard one yet, watch the first 18 seconds of the video below. Or think "My Funny Valentine". Or think "Paranoid Android". Or...
You may be surprised to learn that there actually is something better, which is properly harmonized chromatic bass lines.
Any simpleton can play a descending chromatic bass line (*), but choosing the right chords to put on top of that bass line? That’s a whole other ball game.
As with most things, there’s no one better to learn how to do this from than 18th-century Italians. In this case, the 18th-century Italian we want to learn from is Fedele Fenaroli, Maestro di Cappella at the Conservatorio di Santa Maria di Loreto in Naples.
Fenaroli shows us three different harmonizations for a descending chromatic bass line, and they are one more beautiful than the other.
... and, despite being two centuries old, these harmonizations still sound "fresh".
... and they are damn easy to play on guitar too!
... and you can take them as they are (no copyright) and make your own song with them!
Now, this is the point where you watch the video below, take out your guitar, and have fun with music:
Watch the video here:
https://musictheoryforguitar.com/original-lament-bass.html
(*) Just start from the root note and go down one fret at a time ;-)
Enjoy!
Tommaso Zillio
Music Theory Education Expert
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