What the heck is a minor?

Theory
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Ok so I started practicing with my worship team at church. It was such a huge step for me because I have started and stopped too many times to count. So my worship leader gives me some music with a C#m and F#m in them. I am so lost. I know I haven’t gotten to that part of the lessons yet that discuss minors but I was curious to know before I know, if you know what I mean? lol. Please enlighten me! Thank you so much.

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Cecilia
Praise God for worship bands. I took up the bass late in life (age 63) mainly so I could play with my worship band. My worship leader showed me music and I asked the same question about the m for minor or major. He told me the bass does not play the major or minor, but just play the C# and F#. I think the major or minor is for chords on the guitar but not for the bass. Hope this helps. Keep playing and worshiping with your bass. It will be great.
Don

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Cecilia,
Good question. It depends on how you want the bass line to sound. If you are just playing root notes, then there is nothing to worry about. Even still you can play Roots, 5ths and Octaves, and still fit major or minor while adding some variation to your playing. However, if you want to add your own flavor and create fills, you will need to learn the minor scales and minor pentatonic scales. One pattern fits all which is nice. Josh does cover this in the course. I know it goes into great depth. Good luck and keep the rhythm. John D

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When you see a minor designation you will, as a bass player, outline the chord with a flat 3rd. If it’s a minor 7th chord, you will outline the chord with a flat 3rd and flat 7th. Subsequently, the natural minor scale is major scale but you will flatten the 3rd, 6th, and 7th. When you target these pitches along with the Root, you will be in key and/or be in correct pitch with the designated chord.

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Hey Cecilia, happy to hear you’re playing music with people! As others said, I’ll cover all that stuff starting in Module 9, but the advice above is all good! Particularly -

Which I talk about in Modules 11 and 12.

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