Bass WoodshedScales, modes and arpeggios for bass

Progression · 4-string · Walking bass

12-Bar Blues in G

G7C7D7
EADG0123456789101112131415161718192021222324♭735♭7135♭7135♭715♭7135♭7135135♭7135♭71135→

Tab & notation

Walking bass · 12 bars, one chord each · quarter notes
Chord
Note
Deg
G
D
A
E
Fing
G7
G
1
3
2
B
3
2
1
D
5
5
4
D♭
→
4
3
C7
C
1
3
2
E
3
2
1
G
5
5
4
A♭
→
4
3
G7
G
1
3
2
B
3
2
1
D
5
5
4
A♭
→
4
3
G7
G
1
3
2
B
3
2
1
D
5
5
4
D♭
→
4
3
C7
C
1
3
2
E
3
2
1
G
5
5
4
D♭
→
4
3
C7
C
1
3
2
E
3
2
1
G
5
5
4
A♭
→
4
3
G7
G
1
3
2
B
3
2
1
D
5
5
4
A♭
→
4
3
G7
G
1
3
2
B
3
2
1
D
5
5
4
C♯
→
4
3
D7
D
1
5
2
F♯
3
4
1
A
5
7
4
D♭
→
4
1
C7
C
1
3
2
E
3
2
1
G
5
5
4
A♭
→
4
3
G7
G
1
3
2
B
3
2
1
D
5
5
4
C♯
→
4
3
D7
D
1
5
2
F♯
3
4
1
A
5
7
4
A♭
→
4
1

How it's built

One chord per bar · pick a bar to see it on the neck

Twelve bars on three dominant 7th chords, I, IV and V. The most played form in blues, rock and roll and jazz.

Key
G · 1 sharp: F♯
Chords
G7 (I7), C7 (IV7), D7 (V7)
Bass line
Root, 3rd, 5th, then a half step into the next chord. Quarter notes.
Practice tip
Bar 2 jumps to the IV chord (a quick change). Hear it coming, then let bars 9 to 12 turn the form around back to the top.
Your best
Complete a loop to log a tempo for this progression.

Practice routine

Add BPM every loops, up to BPM
every loops
Cycling 4ths is how jazz players drill a shape in all twelve keys.

12-Bar Blues bass lines in all 12 keys

Twelve bars on three dominant 7th chords, I, IV and V. The most played form in blues, rock and roll and jazz.

Numerals: I7 · IV7 · I7 · I7 · IV7 · IV7 · I7 · I7 · V7 · IV7 · I7 · V7. Bar 2 jumps to the IV chord (a quick change). Hear it coming, then let bars 9 to 12 turn the form around back to the top.

Chords in every key

Every progression and pattern

Bass lines over chord progressions

Scales

Modes

Arpeggios

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