Bass WoodshedScales, modes and arpeggios for bass

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

G Harmonic Minor

GAB♭CDE♭F♯
EADG0123456789101112131415161718192021222324745♭6712♭345♭62♭3712♭345♭67125♭62♭345♭6712♭34512♭345♭6712♭345♭67112♭345♭671

Tab & notation

Up and back down · 14 notes in 8th notes · 2 bars of 4/4
Note
Deg
G
D
A
E
Fing
G
1
3
1
A
2
5
3
B♭
♭3
6
4
C
4
3
1
D
5
5
3
E♭
♭6
6
4
F♯
7
4
2
G
1
5
3
F♯
7
4
2
E♭
♭6
6
4
D
5
5
3
C
4
3
1
B♭
♭3
6
4
A
2
5
3
·

How it's built

W = whole step (2 frets) · H = half step (1 fret)
G1Root
W
A2Major 2nd
H
B♭♭3Minor 3rd
W
C4Perfect 4th
W
D5Perfect 5th
H
E♭♭6Minor 6th
W+H
F♯7Major 7th
H
G8Octave

Natural minor with the 7th raised a half step. The 7th pulls hard back to the root, and the three-fret gap from ♭6 to 7 gives it an exotic edge.

Also called
Natural minor with a raised 7th
Vs. major
♭3, ♭6
Relative major
B♭
Use it over
Minor keys where the V chord is major or dominant 7 (E7 in A minor).
Practice tip
Slow down on ♭6 to 7. That gap is a minor 3rd, the stretch your hand has to learn for this scale.
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 harmonic minor on bass, in all 12 keys

Natural minor with the 7th raised a half step. The 7th pulls hard back to the root, and the three-fret gap from ♭6 to 7 gives it an exotic edge. Also called: Natural minor with a raised 7th.

Formula: 1 2 ♭3 4 5 ♭6 7. Step pattern: W H W W H W+H H. Use it over: Minor keys where the V chord is major or dominant 7 (E7 in A minor).

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

Slow down on ♭6 to 7. That gap is a minor 3rd, the stretch your hand has to learn for this scale.

Every pattern

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