making chords from a bassline

[milkybarkid]

i know the bassline to a song but i want to play it on guitar. if i know the starting note is there a way to figure out the chord? cheers

[saxy_jag]

... and I take it you don't have the chord symbols written in.

Think of each chord as being made up of notes from a scale. Basically, assuming the bass note is the first (or tonic) note, you can make a basic triad chord using the third and fifth note of the scale, as well as the first. For instance, if your bass note is a C, then your third and fifth will be E and G.

This is for a major triad (ie on a major scale). For a minor triad, you would have to flatten the third by a semitone.

You also have to consider all sorts of 7ths, 9ths, augmented and diminished chords, half of which I don't understand myself, let alone be able to explain to you.

Finally, the bass line for a song doesn't necessarily use the tonic note of the chord. Unless you're experienced enough to be able to 'hear' the right chord, then it's going to be a lot of trial and error, mostly error, I'm afraid.

Is the song well-known? What about telling us what it is and seeing if anyone can point you to a website with the chord chart on it?

[milkybarkid]

thanks.
na my friend made it up a while ago i just wanted to play it

[NH]

Taking each note as a root note:

Major 0,3,5
Minor 0,2,5
7th 0,3,5,7
Diminished 0,2,4
Augmented 0,4,8

Unless you want to deviate into something seriously weird, or utilise borrowed chords, that's most formations.