Online Bass Instruction with Rusty Springfield
Glossary

Altered: The description of a chord, usually dominant, which has it's 5th, 9th, 11th, or 13th raised or lowered a half step. Also- The description of a person whose nose has been lowered a half step by Guido. For definition of "Guido," see "Dominant."

Anticipate: In music, the attack of a note or chord ahead of the downbeat.

Arpeggio: See "Chord."

Attack: The striking of a note. Attacks can be loud or soft.

Changes: The term that jazz musicians use for chords, as in chord changes.

Chord: Two or more notes played simultaneously. Three or more chord tones played individually in succession is called an "arpeggio." Lots and lots of notes played rapidly in succession is called "Yngwie Malmsteen."

Chromatic: Notes or chords not found in a current key signature. Notes which move in half steps, up or down, are said to be moving chromatically.

Diatonic: Pertaining to a particular key. eg: F# is not diatonic to the key of C because there are no sharps or flats in the key of C.

Dissonance: Two or more notes that, when played together, sound clashing or unresolved.

Dominant: The family of chords containing a major third and a flatted seventh. Also -- the family in Brooklyn with the cousin named "Guido."

Enharmonic: The same note with a different name is defined as "enharmonic." For example, Db is enharmonic to C#.

Form: The structure of a tune, from beginning to end. The verses in a 32 bar tune are usually referred to as the "A" sections. The chorus is referred to as the "B" section. One very standard jazz form is structured "A-A-B-A" with each section being 8 bars long.

Hammer on/pull off: A left hand technique which involves holding down the first note of a passage with the first finger and then forcefully slamming down one of the other fingers (usually of the same hand) onto a higher note. That finger then "pulls off" of that latter note in a down and sideways motion which makes the note "sound" again.

Harmonic: A bell-like tone produced by "stopping" the string at a node point, as described in Harmonics.

Harmony: Notes and/or chords which accompany a melody, form what is known as harmony. The study of harmony includes the relationships between key centers and their respective family of chords.

Inversion: The alternate ordering of chord tones. eg: 5-1-3-7 instead of 1-3-5-7.

Interval: The distance between notes in a scale or passage, named by their scalar position. eg: The distance between "C" and "G" is a "fifth."

Major: A chord containing the interval of a "major" third, which is two whole steps above the root of the chord.

Minor: A chord containing the interval of a "minor" third, which is a step and half above the root of the chord.

Minor "Cliche" Pattern: In "Berklee-ese", a minor chord pattern with a chromatically descending root note. eg: A-, A-/G#, A-/G, A-/F#. Think "Stairway To Heaven."

Octave: A note eight scale tones above it's starting note is said to be an "octave" above the original note. In mathematical terms, it's sound wave frequency would be exactly double that of the original tone. eg: The "A" above "A 440" would be "A 880." An octave down would be "A 220." Get the idea?

Semitone: The interval of a half step (one fret).

Tension: An "upper structure" chord tone: 9th, 11th, 13th. See Tensions.

Trill: To "hammer on" and "pull off" a higher note from a lower note in rapid succession. The higher note is usually a half or whole step above the first.

II-V's: (pronounced two fives) A common chord progression in which the root motion moves from the second interval to the fifth interval, in a given key. Also -- in poker, known as a "pair."

Voicing: In a chord, the order in which the notes are placed.

Walking: A style of bass playing in which the bass plays four quarter notes per bar, usually in a "swing" style. Also- what the bass player will be doing after the gig when he comes out of the bar and finds his car stolen.

Whole tone: The interval of two half steps, which for those of you doing the math, would be a whole step.

James Brown: The godfather of "soul." If you have to ask, you probably should be playing a different instrument...
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