Metal Bass Chords Are Not Just Power Chords

Often times aspiring metal bass players want to get down to the business of playing their bass with the chords, scales, speed and skills that their favorite metal band and artists are currently doing.  The rhythm chords part of metal music is of course just as important as the rest of the aspects of bass playing for this style.

Speed metal bass rhythm and metal chords like those used by various metal bands such a Metallica and Iron Maiden, are not just power chords, they can be suspended chords, power 4 or inverted fifth 5th chords), altered power chords b5 (diminished) and many other different bass chord types as well.  Although these types of power chords do play a big role in the metal chord. A complete Dominant 13 chord for example is not a classic metal chord.

Metal chords can actually be very flexible in their use and therefore used as the metal rhythm for advanced metal soloing because many times their actual chord makeup is a bass power chord, or like that in concept. So aside from for example speed soloing that you may hear over metal chords, there is often a lot more theory being used in regards to the actual soloing and chord changes.

While lowered bass tunings may be sometimes used on the instrument and various effects for the metal sound, remember that does not have anything to do with metal chords.  The tuning and effects will give the chord a different sound, heavier sound, also depending on the amplifier used there may appear to be more to metal chords than there actually is to the chord structure.  But when it gets down to the chords themselves, they are generally configured with fewer chord tones often just two.

The various metal bands that have inspired and influenced the world of metal all have some things in common.  The types of chords they often play are going to be similar while their unique implementation of them, the rhythms, the song style, the effects, the personality of the bass players and the songs themselves are all vary different.  Also you may or many not be surprised to know that many of the great bass metal players know a lot more about music theory, advanced chord structures and other styles than you ever realized.  Most times they are players who have studied the bass in depth and then have focused on the metal style for personal interest.  Get the most our of your learning with a bass metal method of learning that is really a bass course in playing that will give you the metal playing skills and knowledge as much as any other style.

Article Tags: Metal Bass, Just Power, Power Chords

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