Bass WoodshedScales, modes and arpeggios for bass

Progression · 4-string · Arpeggios

I–vi–IV–V in B

BG♯mEF♯
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Tab & notation

Arpeggios · 4 bars, one chord each · 8th notes
Chord
Note
Deg
G
D
A
E
Fing
B
B
1
2
2
D♯
3
1
1
F♯
5
4
4
B
1
4
4
F♯
5
4
4
D♯
3
1
1
B
1
2
2
D♯
3
1
1
G♯m
G♯
1
4
1
B
♭3
7
4
D♯
5
6
3
G♯
1
6
3
D♯
5
6
3
B
♭3
7
4
G♯
1
4
1
B
♭3
7
4
E
E
1
7
2
G♯
3
6
1
B
5
9
4
E
1
9
4
B
5
9
4
G♯
3
6
1
E
1
7
2
G♯
3
6
1
F♯
F♯
1
9
2
A♯
3
8
1
C♯
5
11
4
F♯
1
11
4
C♯
5
11
4
A♯
3
8
1
F♯
1
9
2
A♯
3
8
1

How it's built

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

The 1950s doo-wop progression, still everywhere in pop and soul.

Key
B · 5 sharps: C♯ D♯ F♯ G♯ A♯
Chords
B (I), G♯m (vi), E (IV), F♯ (V)
Bass line
Up and down the chord tones in the rhythm you choose.
Practice tip
Play the arpeggios in triplets for a 50s ballad feel.
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–IV–V bass line in B

The 1950s doo-wop progression, still everywhere in pop and soul. In B the chords are B, G♯m, E and F♯.

The chords, bar by bar

BarChordNumeralChord tones
1BIB D♯ F♯
2G♯mviG♯ B D♯
3EIVE G♯ B
4F♯VF♯ A♯ C♯

Arpeggios tab

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

  B                 G♯m               E                 F♯
G|-------4---------|-----------------|-------9---------|--------11----------|
D|---1-4---4-1---1-|-------6---------|---6-9---9-6---6-|---8-11----11-8---8-|
A|-2-----------2---|-----6---6-------|-7-----------7---|-9--------------9---|
E|-----------------|-4-7-------7-4-7-|-----------------|--------------------|

Walking bass tab

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

  B         G♯m       E         F♯
G|---------|---------|-------0-|----------|
D|---1-4---|---------|---6-9---|---8-11---|
A|-2-----0-|-----6-6-|-7-------|-9--------|
E|---------|-4-7-----|---------|--------8-|

Root and fifth tab

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

  B         G♯m       E         F♯
G|-----4---|---------|-----9---|------11----|
D|---4---4-|-----6---|---9---9-|---11----11-|
A|-2-------|---6---6-|-7-------|-9----------|
E|---------|-4-------|---------|------------|

On a 5-string bass

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

  B                 G♯m               E                 F♯
G|-----------------|-----------------|-----------------|-----------------|
D|-----------------|-------6---------|-----------------|-----------------|
A|-------2---------|-----6---6-------|-------7---------|-------9---------|
E|-----2---2-------|-4-7-------7-4-7-|---4-7---7-4---4-|---6-9---9-6---6-|
B|-0-4-------4-0-4-|-----------------|-5-----------5---|-7-----------7---|

How to practise it

Play the arpeggios in triplets for a 50s ballad feel. 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 I–vi–IV–V in every key

More in B

Bass lines over chord progressions

Scales

Modes

Arpeggios

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