Bass WoodshedScales, modes and arpeggios for bass

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

A♭ Minor 7th Arpeggio

A♭C♭E♭G♭
EADG0123456789101112131415161718192021222324♭75♭71♭35♭3♭71♭35♭715♭35♭71♭31♭35♭71♭35♭71♭35♭71
RootChord toneDefining note (♭3 ♭7): 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
Note
Deg
G
D
A
E
Fing
A♭
1
4
1
C♭
♭3
7
4
E♭
5
6
3
G♭
♭7
4
1
A♭
1
6
3
G♭
♭7
4
1
E♭
5
6
3
C♭
♭3
7
4

How it's built

Intervals between chord tones
A♭1Root
m3
C♭♭3Minor 3rd
M3
E♭5Perfect 5th
m3
G♭♭7Minor 7th
M2
A♭8Octave

A minor triad plus a ♭7. The most common minor sound in funk, soul and jazz.

Also called
1 · ♭3 · 5 · ♭7
Use it over
ii and vi chords, minor vamps.
Practice tip
Root on E, the ♭7 lands right under your hand on the D string. Learn that landmark.
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♭ minor 7th arpeggio on bass

The A♭ minor 7th arpeggio has 4 notes: A♭, C♭, E♭ and G♭. A minor triad plus a ♭7. The most common minor sound in funk, soul and jazz.

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♭ Minor 7th Arpeggio tab: root on the E string

Start on the 4th fret of the E string with your first finger. The shape covers frets 4 to 7 without moving your hand.

G|-----------|
D|-------4-6-|
A|-----6-----|
E|-4-7-------|

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

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

Start on the 11th fret of the A string with your first finger. The shape covers frets 11 to 14 without moving your hand.

G|----------11-13-|
D|-------13-------|
A|-11-14----------|
E|----------------|

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

Two octaves from the E string

Start on the 4th fret of the E string with your first finger. The shape covers frets 4 to 14 with 1 position shift.

G|--------------------11-13-|
D|-----------------13-------|
A|-----------11-14----------|
E|-4-7-11-14----------------|

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

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

Start on the 9th fret of the B string with your first finger. The shape covers frets 9 to 12 without moving your hand.

G|--------------|
D|--------------|
A|---------9-11-|
E|------11------|
B|-9-12---------|

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

Notes and intervals

DegreeNoteIntervalFrets above the root
1A♭Root0
♭3C♭Minor 3rd3
5E♭Perfect 5th7
♭7G♭Minor 7th10

When to use it

ii and vi chords, minor vamps. Root on E, the ♭7 lands right under your hand on the D string. Learn that landmark.

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 minor 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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