Bass WoodshedScales, modes and arpeggios for bass

Arpeggio · 4-string · Root on E string, 5th fret

A Dominant 7th Arpeggio

AC♯EG

Whole neck Left-handed

RootChord toneDefining note (♭7): what sets this arpeggio apartThe same notes elsewhere on the neckNumbers are scale degrees (1 is the root)

Tab & notation

Up and back down · 8 notes in 8th notes · 1 bar of 4/4 Bass clef

Note

Deg

Fing

C♯

♭7

C♯

How it's built

Intervals between chord tones

A1Root

C♯3Major 3rd

E5Perfect 5th

G♭7Minor 7th

A8Octave

A major triad plus a ♭7. Restless and bluesy; it wants to resolve to the chord a 4th above.

Also called: 1 · 3 · 5 · ♭7
Use it over: V7 chords, blues and funk.
Practice tip: Set the key cycle to 4ths. Each new root is where the last dominant chord wanted to go.
Your best: Complete a loop to log a tempo for this pattern.

Practice routine

One-bar count-in

Speed builder

Add BPM every loops, up to BPM

Move through keys

every loops

Cycling 4ths is how jazz players drill a shape in all twelve keys.

Memory mode: hide the tab and fingering after the first loop Small speakers: play the bass an octave higher

Bass Click Drone Chords Drums

How to play the A dominant 7th arpeggio on bass

The A dominant 7th arpeggio has 4 notes: A, C♯, E and G. A major triad plus a ♭7. Restless and bluesy; it wants to resolve to the chord a 4th above.

Interval steps: M3 m3 m3 M2. Formula: 1 3 5 ♭7.

The root, A, is on the 5th fret of the E string and the open string of the A string. On a five-string bass it is also on the 10th fret of the low B string.

A Dominant 7th Arpeggio tab: root on the E string

Start on the 5th fret of the E string with your second finger. The shape covers frets 4 to 7 without moving your hand.

G|-----------|
D|-------5-7-|
A|---4-7-----|
E|-5---------|

Notes: A C♯ E G A
Fingers: 2 1 4 2 4

A Dominant 7th Arpeggio tab: root on the A string

Start on the open string of the A string. The shape covers frets 2 to 4 without moving your hand.

G|-------0-2-|
D|-----2-----|
A|-0-4-------|
E|-----------|

Notes: A C♯ E G A
Fingers: open 4 2 open 2

Two octaves from the E string

Start on the 5th fret of the E string with your second finger. The shape covers frets 4 to 14 with 1 position shift.

G|-----------------12-14-|
D|-------5-7-11-14-------|
A|---4-7-----------------|
E|-5---------------------|

Notes: A C♯ E G A C♯ E G A
Fingers: 2 1 4 2 4 1 4 2 4

On a 5-string bass: root on the B string

Start on the 10th fret of the B string with your second finger. The shape covers frets 9 to 12 without moving your hand.

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

Notes: A C♯ E G A
Fingers: 2 1 4 2 4

Notes and intervals

Degree	Note	Interval	Frets above the root
1	A	Root	0
3	C♯	Major 3rd	4
5	E	Perfect 5th	7
♭7	G	Minor 7th	10

When to use it

V7 chords, blues and funk. Set the key cycle to 4ths. Each new root is where the last dominant chord wanted to go.

How to practise it

Start with the metronome at 60 BPM in 8th notes, ascending and descending, until you can play it without looking. Raise the tempo 5 BPM at a time with the speed builder, then switch on memory mode so the tab hides after the first loop. Earn bronze for playing it through, silver at 4 notes a second, and gold at that speed from memory.

The dominant 7th arpeggio in every key

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