Chord Tone Essentials

Unlock The Door To A World Of Musical Possibilities

Chord Tones Are Your Key To Better Bass Practice!

“The study and application of chord tones will change your bass playing FOREVER!

Do you ever wonder how some players can create interesting bass lines through any
chord progression? How they can weave a melodic line through chords while
effortlessly moving around the fretboard? You might even have noticed some players
adding lots of interesting chromatic notes into bass lines, fills and solos while still
outlining the chord changes. How do they do this?

Well, the answer lies in the study and practical application of CHORD TONES!

By learning the principles of chord construction, applying the chord tones to the bass
fretboard (in the form of arpeggios) and then employing those notes in our practice
we can gain a deeper understanding of bass lines and music in general.

Chord tones are the single most useful area of study a bass player can practice.

Chord Tone Essentials will show you how to create bass lines, melodies or solos
through ANY chord or progression while providing a system for unlocking the ENTIRE
fretboard”

Mark J Smith (Creator of Talkingbass)

 Chord Tone Essentials
Course Breakdown

Module 1: Principles Of Chord Construction

Lesson 1-0 – Course Introduction
An introduction to the concepts we’ll be covering in the course

Lesson 1-1 – Interval Basics

Intervals are the building blocks of music and essential in understanding all aspects of
harmony and chord creation. Here we cover the basic major and perfect intervals.

Lesson 1-2 – Minor Intervals

Minor intervals are the next step in our interval journey

Lesson 1-3 – Augmented & Diminished Intervals

Major, minor and perfect intervals are the most common intervals but augmented and
diminished intervals are also essential study and more common that you might think!

Lesson 1-4 – Alternative Fingerings

We’ve covered the most popular fingerings for intervals but there are two common
ways of fretting any interval and these will play a huge part in future lessons.

Lesson 1-5 – Triads

Triads are 3 note chords and the foundation of all chords that follow

Lesson 1-6 – Triad Isolation Practice

Triad arpeggios can be practiced in isolation over the supplied backing tracks

Lesson 1-7 – Triad Progressions

Playing Triad arpeggios through a progression is great practice for learning how they
work in context

Lesson 1-8 – Seventh Chords

Seventh chords are our next port of call as we sail deeper into tertian harmony

Lesson 1-9 – Seventh Chord Isolated Practice

Again, we can practice the seventh arpeggios in isolation for more focused practice

Lesson 1-10 – The Essentials

We now have a large number of arpeggios to practice but we can break these down
to four essential chord types as our main focus
Lesson 1-11 – Seventh Chord Progressions
Let’s practice our essential seventh arpeggios through some common chord changes

Lesson 1-12 – Extensions

Extensions are added to seventh chords in a very systemized way. In this lesson we
work through all extensions from the 9th to the 13th

Lesson 1-13 – Altered Extensions

Extensions may be altered in a variety of ways. In this lesson we exhaust all of the
possibilities.

Lesson 1-14 – Added Note Chords

Added note chords are very popular extensions to the basic triad. Let’s look at the
various additions to the major and minor triads.

Lesson 1-15 – Suspended Chords

Suspended chords are variations on both the triads and seventh chords. In this lesson
we’ll look at how we can apply suspensions to any arpeggio.

Lesson 1-16 – Inversions

Chords aren’t always voiced from the root note upwards. Inversions provide more
variations to the set of chords we’ve covered.

Lesson 1-17 – Slash Chords

Slash chords are all about variation in the bass note of a chord. Important information
for us as ‘bass’ players!

Lesson 1-18 – Alternative Notation

Chords may be written in a variety of different ways on the page. In this lesson we
look at the many different symbols you’re likely to encounter in chord symbol
notation.
Module 2: Mapping The Fingerboard
Lesson 2-1 – Cycle Of 4ths
The Cycle Of 4ths is an essential aspect of studying harmony but also a great
foundation for practicing music in general

Lesson 2-2 – Running The Cycle

In this lesson we learn how to run our arpeggios through the cycle for better practice

Lesson 2-3 – The Three Patterns

In this lesson we look at three core patterns that form the foundation of our fretboard
mapping

Lesson 2-4 – Cycling In One Position

By cycling in a single position we can make use of our three core patterns in
application more effectively

Lesson 2-5 – Second Position

Let’s expand our look at the fingerboard by moving into the second position

Lesson 2-6 – Tonic Positions

Tonic positions are a great way of moving into different areas of the fretboard

Lesson 2-7 – Extended Patterns

Extending our core three patterns allows us to see every note of a chord in any area
on the fretboard

Lesson 2-8 – D String Tonic Position

We’ve previously looked at tonic positions on the E and A string. We can also use the
D string as a transitional position.

Lesson 2-9 – Position Shifts

Now we have a mapping of the fretboard let’s look at shifting between the various
positions for added fluidity.

Lesson 2-10 – Arpeggio Sequences

Sequencing arpeggios can be an effective method for creating practice drills in any
position.

Lesson 2-11 – Two Octave Triads

Triads over two octaves can be problematic from a shifting perspective. Let’s look at
developing more fluidity in our movement.

Lesson 2-12 – Two String 7th Chords

Arpeggios over two strings can provide a foundation for moving over multiple
octaves.
Lesson 2-13 – Two Octave 7th Chords
Two octave seventh arpeggios may be played in many different ways. Let’s look at
some of the most efficient and effective shifts.

Lesson 2-14 – Spelling Drills

Fretboard patterns are OK but nothing beats learning chords by note name. Spelling
drills can be an effective method for practice both on and away from the bass.

Lesson 2-15 – Spelling Minor Triads & More

More spelling drills for your practice routine

Lesson 2-16 – One String Arpeggios

Practicing arpeggios on a single string can be tough but also provide dividends in
terms of shifting and fretboard knowledge.
Module 3: Chord Tone Application
Lesson 3-1 – Chord Tone Application
In this module we’ll look to apply everything we’ve worked on in the course up to
this point. In this lesson we’re going to set the scene by looking at a set of
progressions in a variety of styles.

Lesson 3-2 – Applying The 5th

In lesson 1 we used a simple root note as the basis for our lines. Now let’s add the
next most common and useable note: The Fifth.

Lesson 3-3 – Applying The 3rd

The third carries a lot of the emotive drive of a chord so let’s look to apply that
effectively in our lines.

Lesson 3-4 – Applying The 7th

The seventh is another emotive chord tone that can be applied very effectively in
even the most simple of bass lines.

Lesson 3-5 – Non Chord Tones

Chord tones are the foundation of everything we play in tonal music but non chord
tones are equally important and we need to look at how to apply them around that
chord tone framework.

Lesson 3-6 – Neighbour Notes

The Neighbour Note is our first melodic device. Let’s look at applying it within a
bassline.

Lesson 3-7 – Passing Notes

Passing Notes are a great device for developing melodic bass lines and developing
more scalar ideas.

Lesson 3-8 – Mixing Devices

So far we’ve looked at melodic devices in isolation, now let’s look to combine them
in application.

Lesson 3-9 – Approach Notes

Approach Notes are another melodic device we can use to effectively connect
chords.

Lesson 3-10 – Enclosures

Enclosures are a great device for targeting any chord tone.

Lesson 3-11 – Chromatic Notes

So far we’ve only covered diatonic melodic devices but chromatic notes are equally
important and can add some extra spice and interest to our riffs and bass lines.
Lesson 3-12 – Deconstructing Bass Riffs
In this lesson we look at bass line analysis and how to understand the underlying
components of a riff. This is key to developing our own musical vocabulary.

Lesson 3-13 – Walking Bass Lines

When it comes to applying the concepts we’ve covered in this course, nothing beats
the practice of walking bass lines.

Lesson 3-14 – Fills

Bass fills are another great application of our chord tone framework. In this lesson we
look to add some fills into our chord progression over each chord in turn.

Lesson 3-15 – Soloing #1 Chord Changes

Chord Tones are an essential part of learning how to solo through chord changes.

Lesson 3-16 – Soloing #2 Melodic Devices

Chord tones are fine as a launching point in our solo practice but the addition of scalar
melodic devices makes for a much smoother melody.

Lesson 3-17 – Soloing #3 Guide Tones

Guide tones are a fantastic tool for developing solo ideas through a chord
progression. In this lesson we develop a solo using various guide tones as our chord
tone targets.

Lesson 3-18 – Conclusion

 Chord Tone Essentials
Frequently Asked Questions
What is the Chord Tone Essentials Course?
Chord Tone Essentials is a complete, step by step guide to understanding chord
construction principles and how chord tones can be applied to every area of music
from bass lines to melodies and solos.
Note: This is not a ‘bass chords’ course. The chord tones are presented in arpeggio
form.

How Long Are The Lessons?

The lesson vary in length but the complete course is over 8 hours in length.

What level of player is the course aimed at?

The course is aimed at any player from beginner to advanced level.

What Will I Learn?

After completing all 3 Modules you will understand the construction principles behind
EVERY chord you’re ever likely to see, you’ll know the notes of EVERY chord, you’ll
have the ability to see chord tones and arpeggios over the entire fretboard and you’ll
be able to apply all of this knowledge to every area of your bass playing.

How is the course presented? Do I Download Anything?

The course is hosted on the Talkingbass website so there are no video files to
download.
There is a Dropbox folder for each module containing a Course Workbook and any
relevant practice tracks.

Is There A Time Limit On Taking The Course?

No. You can take as long as want. There are no time limits

Do I Have Lifetime Access To The Course?

If you purchase the course then yes, you have lifetime access to the course and its
material. If you are an All Access Pass member, then you obviously only have access
for the duration of your subscription.