Putting it all together
Analyse a song step by step and plan a bass line from the analysis.
Everything in this course comes together when you pick up a chart you have never seen. This lesson gives you a method to read it before you play it.
The seven steps
A method to analyse a song before playing it. Each step links back to the lesson where it was taught:
- Form: sections, bar counts, repeats (lessons 15.1, 15.2).
- Key: key signature, first and last chord, which chord feels like home (5.4, 6.2).
- Numerals: write each chord as a Roman numeral or Nashville number (8.2, 15.3).
- Functions: mark tonic, subdominant and dominant chords (8.4).
- Outside chords: name secondary dominants, borrowed chords and key changes (14.3–14.5).
- Rhythm and feel: meter, straight or swing, where the drums accent (Modules 2 and 11).
- Plan the bass line: roots on the chord changes; then chord tones; approach notes into important changes; fills at section ends (Module 9).
Analysis is a tool, not a goal. Its purpose is to make your choices on the bass deliberate.
An example, in layers
Here is an original 16-bar progression with one secondary dominant and one borrowed chord. Use the checkboxes to show or hide each layer of the analysis.
| Bar | Chord | Form | Numerals | Functions | Outside chords | Roots | Chord tones | Approach notes |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | C | Verse | I | T | C | C E G E | G♯ | |
| 2 | Am | Verse | vi | T | A | A C E C | E | |
| 3 | F | Verse | IV | S | F | F A C A | F♯ | |
| 4 | G | Verse | V | D | G | G B D B | B | |
| 5 | C | Verse | I | T | C | C E G E | G♯ | |
| 6 | A7 | Verse | V7/ii | D | secondary dominant V7/ii: C♯ is outside the key | A | A C♯ E C♯ | C♯ |
| 7 | Dm | Verse | ii | S | D | D F A F | F♯ | |
| 8 | G | Verse | V | D | G | G B D B | F♯ | |
| 9 | F | Chorus | IV | S | F | F A C A | F♯ | |
| 10 | G | Chorus | V | D | G | G B D B | B | |
| 11 | C | Chorus | I | T | C | C E G E | G♯ | |
| 12 | Am | Chorus | vi | T | A | A C E C | E | |
| 13 | F | Chorus | IV | S | F | F A C A | — | |
| 14 | Fm | Chorus | iv | S | borrowed iv from Cm: A♭ is outside the key | F | F A♭ C A♭ | E |
| 15 | C | Chorus | I | T | C | C E G E | F♯ | |
| 16 | G | Chorus | V | D | half cadence: the song loops back to the verse | G | G B D B | B |
The approach notes are all a half step below the next root, a chromatic approach (lesson 9.4). In bar 6 the approach C♯ is also the 3rd of A7 (lesson 14.3).
Apply the seven steps to a song you like. Write the chart, the numerals and a simple bass plan, then play it.