WRITING DOPE BASS LINES
SIMPLE MELODIC PRINCIPLES pt. 1:
“Penultimate Precursors”
Using root motion resolution principles, we want to work backwards from the note we’re resolving to, to find the note before that pulls our ear toward it. While you’re obviously free to play whatever notes you want, most tones have either a tonic, predominant, or dominant function that either feels “home”, “adventurous”, or “homesick” respectively.
Generally the I and vi are considered tonic function chords, and feel stable / “home”.
The ii and the IV are pre-dominant function chords, and feel progressed or “adventuruous”
The iii, vii, and especially the V7 chord are considered dominant, and feel a strong pull toward the tonic / root ('“homesick”).
5-1 resolution is the strongest resolution to any chord:
V7 —> I
4 F → E
2 D → C
7 B → C
5 G → C
Once you understand this, you can develop an exercise to practice root motion toward the upcoming chord. For now, we’ll just add one extra note on beat 4 that will feel like it “wants” to resolve to the next chord. We’ll use a 5-1 skip up a 4th (or down a 5th), a 7-1 ascending diatonic resolution, and a 2-1 descending diatonic resolution:
VOICE LEADING EXERCISE (on beat 4)
Using the 5th of the upcoming chord for strong root motion
Take any chord progression, play the root, but on beat 4 play the 5th of the upcoming chord to resolve more strongly to it.
(1) 5-1 (ASC / DESC) ROOT MOVEMENT OF A 5th
EX:
| F | Bb | Dm | Bb |
5 of Bb = F 5 of D = A 5 of F = C
—> | F f | Bb a | D f | Bb c |
Eventually we’ll add more notes between downbeats, but this is the exercise for now - simply adding one note on beat 4.
(2) 7-1 Try ASCENDING DIATONIC / STEPWISE RESOLUTION
| F | Bb | Dm | Bb |
7 of Bb = A 7 of D = C 7 of F = E
—> | F a | Bb c | D a | Bb e |
(3) 2-1 DESCENDING DIATONIC / STEPWISE RESOLUTION
| F | Bb | Dm | Bb |
2 of Bb = C 2 of D = E 2 of F = G
—> | F c | Bb e | D c | Bb g |
EX: KEY OF C
| I | IV | iii | V | —> | C | Em | F | G
5-1 (ASC / DESC ROOT MVMNT OF A 5TH RESOLUTION
7-1 ASC DIATONIC STEPWISE RESOLUTION
2-1 DESC DIATONIC STEPWISE RESOLUTION
When all else fails: Root 5th 8va is always dope!