Bass WoodshedScales, modes and arpeggios for bass

Progression · 4-string · Walking bass

I–vi–ii–V Turnaround in G

Gmaj7Em7Am7D7
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Tab & notation

Walking bass · 4 bars, one chord each · quarter notes
Chord
Note
Deg
G
D
A
E
Fing
Gmaj7
G
1
3
2
B
3
2
1
D
5
5
4
F
→
1
1
Em7
E
1
0
o
G
♭3
3
3
B
5
2
2
B♭
→
1
1
Am7
A
1
0
o
C
♭3
3
3
E
5
2
2
E♭
→
1
1
D7
D
1
5
2
F♯
3
4
1
A
5
7
4
A♭
→
4
1

How it's built

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

The turnaround behind countless standards and the A section of rhythm changes. Every root falls a 5th to the next.

Key
G · 1 sharp: F♯
Chords
Gmaj7 (Imaj7), Em7 (vi7), Am7 (ii7), D7 (V7)
Bass line
Root, 3rd, 5th, then a half step into the next chord. Quarter notes.
Practice tip
Walk it slowly with the drone off and listen for each new root landing on beat one.
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.

I–vi–ii–V Turnaround bass lines in all 12 keys

The turnaround behind countless standards and the A section of rhythm changes. Every root falls a 5th to the next.

Numerals: Imaj7 · vi7 · ii7 · V7. Walk it slowly with the drone off and listen for each new root landing on beat one.

Chords in every key

Every progression and pattern

Bass lines over chord progressions

Scales

Modes

Arpeggios

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