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Here is the main riff from "Californication" by the Red
Hot Chili Peppers. This bass line is really a counter melody to
the main guitar riff.
Click to
play MIDI file
In this riff, bassist Flea chooses most of his notes
from the Am and F arpeggios to match the chord being played by
the guitarist.
|
Full
Am arpeggio
|---|---|-3-|---|-1st
string
|-1-|---|---|-4-|
|-1-|---|---|---|
|---|-2-|---|---|-4th string
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7th fret
numbers
= suggested fingering
number in red = root
note (A)
|
Arpeggio
notes used in the riff
|---|---|-3-|---|-1st
string
|-1-|---|---|-4-|
|---|---|---|---|
|---|---|---|---|-4th string
|
7th fret
|
|
Full
F arpeggio
|---|---|---|-4-|-1st
string
|-1-|---|---|-4-|
|---|-2-|---|---|
|---|-2-|---|---|-4th string
|
7th fret
numbers
= suggested fingering
number in red = root
note (F)
|
Arpeggio
notes used in the riff
|---|---|---|-4-|-1st
string
|---|---|---|-4-|
|---|-2-|---|---|
|---|---|---|---|-4th string
|
7th fret
|
The other notes that make up the riff come from
an A minor scale. This song is in the key of A minor.
|
A
minor scale at the 7th fret
|-1-|---|-3-|-4-|-1st
string
|-1-|---|-3-|-4-|
|-1-|-2-|---|-4-|
|-1-|-2-|---|-4-|-4th string
|
7th fret
numbers
= suggested fingering
number in red = root
note (A)
|
All
scale notes used in the riff
|-1-|---|-3-|-4-|-1st
string
|-1-|---|---|-4-|
|---|-2-|---|---|
|---|---|---|---|-4th string
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7th fret
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In measure 1 and 3 there is a hammer-on and pull
off between the 7th and 9th frets on the 1st string. The 7th fret
is really heard as a scale approach from above to the following
note on the 10th fret of the 2nd string. The 9th fret on the 1st
string that is used as part of the hammer-on and pull-off is really
just heard as a decoration of that scale step.......even though
that 9th fret is a chord tone. Try leaving out that hammer/pull
combination and just play the 7th fret on the 1st string. You
will find the structure of the bass line remains intact.
In measure 2, the 7th fret on the 1st string is
heard as a scale step approach from above to the chord on the
10th fret 2nd string.
The very last note in the 4th measure of the riff
is not a chord tone, but is almost an implied chord tone. The
chord at the moment is an F chord which has the notes F, A and
C. An F6 Chord has the notes F, A, C, and D. That last note is
a D note, and therefore implies an overall F6 feel for the last
beat.
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