In a band setting, every musician has a distinctive place. Within a song this place can change: backup to solo, full chords, riffs, etc. Leaving space is important, especially when playing accompaniment. Hammering away bar chords on every beat is a no-no. But you do want to make the harmony clear!
Chord Riffs Ex 1 - CD 24 (mp3 click here)
In this example, you're playing the top three notes of a ninth
chord, sliding them up two frets and sliding back.
All the notes you're playing come from the mixolydian scale and by playing these
broken up chords, you're defining the whole harmony. The rhythm leaves enough
space for a vocalist or soloist. When you're moving to the IV and the V chord,
just move the whole thing up to the D and E positions (5 or 7 frets).
You can play the same notes/chords a lot closer together by using
the chord forms in example 2.
Play the D7 and E7 forms by barring your index finger across the top three strings.
Example 3 combines a short bass line with a chord pattern that's a bit thicker. At high speeds it can be a challenge!
Notice how you continue the pattern on the V-IV-I-V (bars 9-12) progression while changing the chords. You can experiment by adding different bass lines or changing the rhythm. Make sure it keeps swinging and that your backup stays away from the soloist (turn down the volume; I know, I know, it's a cruel world).As with intervals and single line solo playing, you can use
the inner logic of the mixolydian scales when you're using chord riffs. Chords
are made from scales and when you move from chord to chord, the notes you can
use in solos and accompaniment move with the chords.
Chord Riffs Ex 4 - CD 27 (mp3 click here)
The next example deals with this inner logic. The pattern you find
in bars 1-4 can easily be moved up to the 7th and 9th fret when you move to
the IV chord C and to the V chord D. But why walk a marathon, when you could
stroll around the corner?
By changing just 1 note, the same riff can be applied to the IV chord. Move
this IV chord pattern up 2 frets and you've got your V chord riff.
If you use this riff in a medium tempo song, play only downstrokes, except when playing triplets. Use up and down strokes when the tempo is too fast or when you're playing those triplets. When you play this way, the groove sounds fresh and upbeat.
Example 5 looks a lot like Ex 4 above, but uses different strings. This way of playing backup was refined by R.J. Lockwood who used it on the I chord, moved it up to the IV and the V chord and then played exactly the same riff.
The same trick used in example 4 can be used here. Move the major third of the I chord (B on the 3rd string, 4th fret) down one step to get the 7th of the IV chord.
Play those three notes of the C9 chord with your index finger and use your ring finger for the alternating chord at the 5th fret. You can wrap your thumb around the neck to get some extra support. Move the whole pattern up 2 frets to get the V chord version.
Something similar was used in "Boy from N.Y. City" by the Manhattan Transfer and "Learn to Treat Me Right" by The Fabulous Thunderbirds. A fun groove which you can move with the chords. Just use the D form as a starting point; your tonic is on the 2nd string. Play the Am triad with your pinkie and try to hear the whole groove as a D chord groove.
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