Bass WoodshedScales, modes and arpeggios for bass

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

A♭ Major 7th Arpeggio

A♭CE♭G
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Tab & notation

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

How it's built

Intervals between chord tones
A♭1Root
M3
C3Major 3rd
m3
E♭5Perfect 5th
M3
G7Major 7th
m2
A♭8Octave

A major triad plus the major 7th, one fret below the octave. Smooth and jazzy.

Also called
1 · 3 · 5 · 7
Use it over
Imaj7 and IVmaj7 chords.
Practice tip
Hear how close the 7 is to the octave. That half step is what gives the chord its shimmer.
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.

How to play the A♭ major 7th arpeggio on bass

The A♭ major 7th arpeggio has 4 notes: A♭, C, E♭ and G. A major triad plus the major 7th, one fret below the octave. Smooth and jazzy.

Interval steps: M3 m3 M3 m2. Formula: 1 3 5 7.

The root, A♭, is on the 4th fret of the E string and the 11th fret of the A string. On a five-string bass it is also on the 9th fret of the low B string.

A♭ Major 7th Arpeggio tab: root on the E string

Start on the 4th fret of the E string with your second finger. The shape covers frets 3 to 6 without moving your hand.

G|-----------|
D|-------5-6-|
A|---3-6-----|
E|-4---------|

Notes: A♭ C E♭ G A♭
Fingers: 2 1 4 3 4

A♭ Major 7th Arpeggio tab: root on the A string

Start on the 11th fret of the A string with your second finger. The shape covers frets 10 to 13 without moving your hand.

G|----------12-13-|
D|----10-13-------|
A|-11-------------|
E|----------------|

Notes: A♭ C E♭ G A♭
Fingers: 2 1 4 3 4

Two octaves from the E string

Start on the 4th fret of the E string with your second finger. The shape covers frets 3 to 13 with 1 position shift.

G|-------------------12-13-|
D|-------------10-13-------|
A|---3-6-10-11-------------|
E|-4-----------------------|

Notes: A♭ C E♭ G A♭ C E♭ G A♭
Fingers: 2 1 4 1 2 1 4 3 4

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

Start on the 9th fret of the B string with your second finger. The shape covers frets 8 to 11 without moving your hand.

G|--------------|
D|--------------|
A|--------10-11-|
E|---8-11-------|
B|-9------------|

Notes: A♭ C E♭ G A♭
Fingers: 2 1 4 3 4

Notes and intervals

DegreeNoteIntervalFrets above the root
1A♭Root0
3CMajor 3rd4
5E♭Perfect 5th7
7GMajor 7th11

When to use it

Imaj7 and IVmaj7 chords. Hear how close the 7 is to the octave. That half step is what gives the chord its shimmer.

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 major 7th arpeggio in every key

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

More patterns from A♭

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