Bass WoodshedScales, modes and arpeggios for bass

Progression · 4-string · Arpeggios

Canon Progression in D

DABmF♯mG
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Tab & notation

Arpeggios · 8 bars, one chord each · 8th notes
Chord
Note
Deg
G
D
A
E
Fing
D
D
1
5
2
F♯
3
4
1
A
5
7
4
D
1
7
4
A
5
7
4
F♯
3
4
1
D
1
5
2
F♯
3
4
1
A
A
1
5
2
C♯
3
4
1
E
5
7
4
A
1
7
4
E
5
7
4
C♯
3
4
1
A
1
5
2
C♯
3
4
1
Bm
B
1
7
1
D
♭3
10
4
F♯
5
9
3
B
1
9
3
F♯
5
9
3
D
♭3
10
4
B
1
7
1
D
♭3
10
4
F♯m
F♯
1
9
1
A
♭3
12
4
C♯
5
11
3
F♯
1
11
3
C♯
5
11
3
A
♭3
12
4
F♯
1
9
1
A
♭3
12
4
G
G
1
10
2
B
3
9
1
D
5
12
4
G
1
12
4
D
5
12
4
B
3
9
1
G
1
10
2
B
3
9
1
D
D
1
10
2
F♯
3
9
1
A
5
12
4
D
1
12
4
A
5
12
4
F♯
3
9
1
D
1
10
2
F♯
3
9
1
G
G
1
10
2
B
3
9
1
D
5
12
4
G
1
12
4
D
5
12
4
B
3
9
1
G
1
10
2
B
3
9
1
A
A
1
5
2
C♯
3
4
1
E
5
7
4
A
1
7
4
E
5
7
4
C♯
3
4
1
A
1
5
2
C♯
3
4
1

How it's built

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

Pachelbel’s eight-chord progression. The bass line steps down while the harmony circles.

Key
D · 2 sharps: F♯ C♯
Chords
D (I), A (V), Bm (vi), F♯m (iii), G (IV)
Bass line
Up and down the chord tones in the rhythm you choose.
Practice tip
Find the shortest path between roots. Most of these chords sit within one hand position.
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.

Canon Progression bass line in D

Pachelbel’s eight-chord progression. The bass line steps down while the harmony circles. In D the chords are D, A, Bm, F♯m and G.

The chords, bar by bar

BarChordNumeralChord tones
1DID F♯ A
2AVA C♯ E
3BmviB D F♯
4F♯miiiF♯ A C♯
5GIVG B D
6DID F♯ A
7GIVG B D
8AVA C♯ E

Arpeggios tab

Up and down the chord tones in the rhythm you choose.

  D                 A                 Bm                   F♯m
G|-------7---------|-----------------|--------------------|---------11------------|
D|---4-7---7-4---4-|-------7---------|--------9-----------|------11----11---------|
A|-5-----------5---|---4-7---7-4---4-|------9---9---------|-9-12----------12-9-12-|
E|-----------------|-5-----------5---|-7-10-------10-7-10-|-----------------------|

  G                      D                      G                      A
G|---------12-----------|----------------------|---------12-----------|-----------------|
D|----9-12----12-9----9-|---------12-----------|----9-12----12-9----9-|-------7---------|
A|-10--------------10---|----9-12----12-9----9-|-10--------------10---|---4-7---7-4---4-|
E|----------------------|-10--------------10---|----------------------|-5-----------5---|

Walking bass tab

Root, 3rd, 5th, then a half step into the next chord. Quarter notes.

  D         A         Bm         F♯m
G|---------|---------|----------|------------|
D|---4-7---|---------|----------|------11----|
A|-5-------|---4-7---|------9-8-|-9-12----11-|
E|-------6-|-5-----8-|-7-10-----|------------|

  G            D            G           A
G|------------|------------|-----------|---------|
D|----9-12----|------------|----9-12---|---------|
A|-10---------|----9-12-11-|-10--------|---4-7-6-|
E|---------11-|-10---------|---------6-|-5-------|

Root and fifth tab

Root, 5th, octave, 5th. The backbone of country, rock and pop lines.

  D         A         Bm        F♯m
G|-----7---|---------|---------|------11----|
D|---7---7-|-----7---|-----9---|---11----11-|
A|-5-------|---7---7-|---9---9-|-9----------|
E|---------|-5-------|-7-------|------------|

  G             D             G             A
G|-------12----|-------------|-------12----|---------|
D|----12----12-|-------12----|----12----12-|-----7---|
A|-10----------|----12----12-|-10----------|---7---7-|
E|-------------|-10----------|-------------|-5-------|

On a 5-string bass

The low B string lets you keep the line in one area of the neck.

  D                 A                 Bm                   F♯m
G|-----------------|-----------------|--------------------|--------------------|
D|-----------------|-------7---------|--------9-----------|--------------------|
A|-------5---------|---4-7---7-4---4-|------9---9---------|--------9-----------|
E|---2-5---5-2---2-|-5-----------5---|-7-10-------10-7-10-|------9---9---------|
B|-3-----------3---|-----------------|--------------------|-7-10-------10-7-10-|

  G                    D                      G                      A
G|--------------------|----------------------|---------12-----------|----------------------|
D|--------------------|---------12-----------|----9-12----12-9----9-|----------------------|
A|--------10----------|----9-12----12-9----9-|-10--------------10---|---------12-----------|
E|---7-10----10-7---7-|-10--------------10---|----------------------|----9-12----12-9----9-|
B|-8--------------8---|----------------------|----------------------|-10--------------10---|

How to practise it

Find the shortest path between roots. Most of these chords sit within one hand position. Start at 70 BPM with the drums and chords on, and say each chord name as you reach beat one. Once it flows, switch on memory mode, then raise the tempo with the speed builder. Earn bronze for playing it through, silver at 120 BPM in quarter notes (2 notes a second), and gold at that pace from memory.

The Canon Progression in every key

More in D

Bass lines over chord progressions

Scales

Modes

Arpeggios

Your progress