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Musical terminology


NancyJohnson
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Is there a musical term that covers an instance where a guitarist just holds down the main riff while the bass does something else in another key?

Question in point - go here [url="http://www.lastthreestanding.co.uk/video.htm"]Video[/url] after you've read this (2nd video down).

We were jamming on Tuesday, just before we were due to leave, guitarist starts a riff which alludes to have a root of G - I start playing a descending loop of EDC and it sounds nice. We put it down on video so we can remember it.

I'm struggling to find a musical term that covers this expression.

Anyone?

Cheers
P

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I think [i]zandingo[/i] is a great term to use for it. However, it seems to be a variant on the idea of a [url="http://www.answers.com/topic/pedal-point?cat=technology"]pedal point[/url]. Typically that would see the bass keeping to a single note while other instruments change the harmony above it. Here things are a bit different because (a) rather than a fixed note, it is a riff and (:) the bass gets to add the colour rather than the foundation.

You could just call it a descending bassline... but [i]zandingo[/i] still sounds cooler!

Wulf

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Well, you could just flip it on it's head and say that the bass is playing/outlining/implying a chord sequence of Em -> D -> C -> D and the guitar is playing a melody, in key, over the top of it.

It's a similar effect as is on the intro to Where the Streets Have No Name, the guitar repeats a simple riff over an keys/bass pedals chord sequence of D - G - D - G - Bm - A - D

Might not be quite as exciting in musical theory terms as you'd perhaps hoped, but console yourself with the fact that your new creation sounds ace.

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