What is the root note?
The root note is the most important note in a chord. Imagine a root of a tree, each chord starts with this note and it’s the most important note for all bass players. As a blues bass player, you’ll be spending most of your time playing root notes.
How to quickly find a root note for each chord?
Look at the name of the chord, it starts with a root note followed by chord quality (for example major or minor). So for example if you have a B major chord, the root note is the note B. In case of C7, the root note is the note C. In the case of G minor 7, the root note is the note G.
Check out some of the examples:
B7 – root notes is the note B.
Gsus4 – root note is the note G.
Am – root note is the note A.
F#11 – root note is the note F.
In order to follow chords with root notes, you just need to look at the chord progression and play the root note on the bass for each chord, jamming along with the backing track or a band.
The Tree Line Song
To help you get started up to speed, I have composed a song for you to learn that uses root notes exclusively to outline the chord progression.
Learn this line and then experiment jamming over the provided backing track on your own.
The Tree Line - Full Band
The Tree Line - Backing Track
Recording task: once you have learned the lesson, record a video of your performance and share it in our Facebook group.
