Bass WoodshedScales, modes and arpeggios for bass

Scale · 4-string · Root on E string, 3rd fret

G Blues Scale

GB♭CD♭DF
EADG0123456789101112131415161718192021222324♭74♭55♭71♭34♭55♭3♭71♭34♭55♭715♭34♭55♭71♭34♭551♭34♭55♭71♭34♭55♭711♭34♭55♭71

Tab & notation

Up and back down · 12 notes in 8th notes · 2 bars of 4/4
Note
Deg
G
D
A
E
Fing
G
1
3
1
B♭
♭3
6
4
C
4
3
1
D♭
♭5
4
2
D
5
5
3
F
♭7
3
1
G
1
5
3
F
♭7
3
1
D
5
5
3
D♭
♭5
4
2
C
4
3
1
B♭
♭3
6
4
·
·

How it's built

W = whole step (2 frets) · H = half step (1 fret)
G1Root
W+H
B♭♭3Minor 3rd
W
C4Perfect 4th
H
D♭♭5Diminished 5th
H
D5Perfect 5th
W+H
F♭7Minor 7th
W
G8Octave

Minor pentatonic with the ♭5 blue note added. Treat the ♭5 as a passing note: slide through it to the 5th rather than resting on it.

Also called
Minor pentatonic plus ♭5
Key signature
2 flats: B♭ E♭
Relative major
B♭
Use it over
12-bar blues, shuffles, rock and funk riffs.
Practice tip
Play 4, ♭5, 5 as one chromatic slide. That three-note move is the sound of the blues.
Your best
Complete a loop to log a tempo for this pattern.

Practice routine

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

The blues scale on bass, in all 12 keys

Minor pentatonic with the ♭5 blue note added. Treat the ♭5 as a passing note: slide through it to the 5th rather than resting on it. Also called: Minor pentatonic plus ♭5.

Formula: 1 ♭3 4 ♭5 5 ♭7. Step pattern: W+H W H H W+H W. Use it over: 12-bar blues, shuffles, rock and funk riffs.

Notes in every key

Printable chart of all 12 keys: PDF · print page · every pattern in one PDF

Where the root sits on the neck

KeyE stringA stringB string (5-string)
C831
G3108
D1053
A5010
E075
B720
F♯297
C♯942
G♯4119
E♭1164
B♭6111
F186

Practice tip

Play 4, ♭5, 5 as one chromatic slide. That three-note move is the sound of the blues.

Every pattern

Scales

Modes

Arpeggios

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