sbinf,
Thanks again... I see F-Ab-C-Eb as an Fm7, and an F-Ab-C-E as discordant and whatever you want to call it.
But anyway, this is a very important concept we are discussing here, at least in my opinion, because if what you say is true, I can't really pick out let's say a 6-2-5-1 by just listening to the bass line of a song.... which I thought was the case.
So, if I'm listening to something, and I start mimicking the bass line from "Were Blessed" by Fred Hammond, what do I do next?
The HearandPlay.com coursed teach you to figure out the melody first, then the harmony, then the bass line.
But I've been advised to work from the bass line by others on this forum.
So can someone tell me how to work it backwards when the bass note may not be the tonic of the chord? Does this then become trial and error?
Hope I'm making sense.
TIA.