Bass WoodshedScales, modes and arpeggios for bass

Arpeggio · 4-string · Root on E string, 7th fret

B Half-Diminished Arpeggio

BDFA

Whole neck Left-handed

RootChord toneDefining note (♭5): 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

♭3

♭5

♭7

♭5

♭3

How it's built

Intervals between chord tones

B1Root

D♭3Minor 3rd

F♭5Diminished 5th

A♭7Minor 7th

B8Octave

A diminished triad plus a ♭7. The ii chord of a minor key.

Also called: m7♭5 · 1 · ♭3 · ♭5 · ♭7
Use it over: m7♭5 chords in minor ii–V–i progressions.
Practice tip: Compare it with the minor 7th: only the 5th drops one fret.
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 B half-diminished arpeggio on bass

The B half-diminished arpeggio has 4 notes: B, D, F and A. A diminished triad plus a ♭7. The ii chord of a minor key.

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

The root, B, is on the 7th fret of the E string and the 2nd fret of the A string. On a five-string bass it is also on the open string of the low B string.

B Half-Diminished Arpeggio tab: root on the E string

Start on the 7th fret of the E string with your first finger. The shape covers frets 7 to 10 without moving your hand.

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

Notes: B D F A B
Fingers: 1 4 2 1 3

B Half-Diminished Arpeggio tab: root on the A string

Start on the 2nd fret of the A string with your second finger. The shape covers frets 2 to 4 without moving your hand.

G|-------2-4-|
D|---0-3-----|
A|-2---------|
E|-----------|

Notes: B D F A B
Fingers: 2 open 3 2 4

Two octaves from the E string

Start on the 7th fret of the E string with your first finger. The shape covers frets 7 to 16 with 1 position shift.

G|------------7-10-14-16-|
D|--------7-9------------|
A|------8----------------|
E|-7-10------------------|

Notes: B D F A B D F A B
Fingers: 1 4 2 1 3 1 4 2 4

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

Start on the open string of the B string. The shape covers frets 1 to 3 without moving your hand.

G|-----------|
D|-----------|
A|-------0-2-|
E|-----1-----|
B|-0-3-------|

Notes: B D F A B
Fingers: open 3 1 open 2

Notes and intervals

Degree	Note	Interval	Frets above the root
1	B	Root	0
♭3	D	Minor 3rd	3
♭5	F	Diminished 5th	6
♭7	A	Minor 7th	10

When to use it

m7♭5 chords in minor ii–V–i progressions. Compare it with the minor 7th: only the 5th drops one fret.

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 half-diminished arpeggio in every key

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