How to Play Major Triads Over Pedal Bass Note

How to play major triads over a bass note, or maybe a better title might be playing major triads over a static bass note.

I will use each note of the chromatic scale to base 12 major triads over the same bass note and analyze note degrees and a possible scale choice. These major triads are all played over a single bass note.

Analysis Notes

This analysis/lesson is not a major scale diatonic lesson, meaning most triads will not come from one scale. So to solo over you would use a different scale per triad over a bass note if it did not come from the same scale.

The major scale only has 3 major chords in it. These are located on the major scale’s Root, 4th, and 5th.

Some of these major triads over our E bass note may be diatonic or inversions to the major scale, relative minor, diminished, harmonic, or melodic minor scale among possibly several other scale choices as well.

Song Notes and Ideas

These major triads over bass notes may be parts of songs you could use for making up a verse or chorus for example. Try different rhythm ideas such as chord jabs, an arpeggiation, or a combo of both for chorus or verse ideas.

My song examples are Van Halen’s “Jump,” Dokken’s “Breaking the Chains,” Bob Seger’s “Hollywood Nights,” Kiss’s “Lick it Up,” and Sammy Hagar’s “Red.” Look up one or each of these on YouTube to see if you can hear their use and ideas of a pedal bass note over triads, power chords, etc.

Power Chords and Octaves

Some of these song suggestions may leave out the third in the chord producing a power chord, playing just the 1 and 5. Other times it may leave out the third and the fifth and play just octaves. So this gives you another choice to experiment with when playing over a pedal bass note if you do not want the harmony to be fuller.

Open Low E String

I will use an open E bass note on the sixth string for our triad over bass note examples.

Starting with the obvious, we will begin with the E major triad. This is most definitely a strong and secure sound. Category-major

Using Only One Triad Voicing

Next, I will move this triad by using the same voicing up and down the fretboard. Of course, you could play these triads on different string groups and with the other two inversions of the same major triad. Check out my other lesson on “How to Play Triads on Strings 2, 3, and 4.“ So experiment and see what sounds good to you.

For the second triad over the E bass note, I will use F# major triad. This will give you an uplifting sound coming from the Lydian scale. Category-major

Next, I will move this triad back two frets to D major triad for D/E. This will give you a Mixolydian sound. Category-major

Continuing on with a G/E. This will give an E minor 7th sound. Category-minor

Going onto C/E. This is the first inversion C major chord. Instead of the C in the bass, it is the next possible note in the chord. The third is E, followed by G, and then C still spells a C major triad. Category-major

Putting an A major chord over E gives us a 2nd inversion A major chord. Category-major

Next B/E gives us a major 9th sound from the E or a Sus sound from the B. Category-major

F/E= 3rd inversion major seventh chord. Third inversion because the F major 7th chord here has E in the bass. Category-major

This leaves us to fill in the other four triad combinations we skipped.

Tense Sounding Triads Over E

Eb/E= This could be analyzed from the E bass note as E (1), F (b9), G (b3), Bb (b5), or from the Eb major triad as major add b9. But looking at the spelling from the E as 1, b2, b3, and b5, makes me think of this coming from the 7th mode of the major scale known as the Locrian mode. A G diminished scale starting with a whole step would also be a good fit. Category- diminished

Db/E= To help with this major triad over the bass note I think of the Db, F, Ab as the 1, 3, 5, b9, or as C# major, E#, G#, C#, over E. The F diminished scale starting with a whole step contains these four notes and therefore is one scale choice for this Db major triad over the E bass note. Category-diminished

Bb/E= E Locrian- Once again, the Locrian mode has all of these notes in the chord. If the E in the bass sounds muddy, try raising it up. Putting it up 2 octaves on the first string open E is a clearer sound. Category-Major

Conclusion

This is just the major triad over the same E bass note possibilities. We could do the same with minor or sus triads over the same E bass note combinations.

Scale choices can vary on each of these combinations so experiment. I included major/minor, melodic, harmonic, and diminished scales. You can also look into using other scale choices like the major and minor pentatonic scales to start as other possibilities.

How To Practice

• Pick one triad/bass combination and solo over a vamp
• Pick 3 to 4 of these and make a
  • Intro
  • Chorus
  • Verse
• Figure out arpeggios and other scale choices

Until Next Time Have Fun Practicing!