Bass WoodshedScales, modes and arpeggios for bass

Arpeggio · 4-string · Root on E string, 8th fret

C Minor 7th Arpeggio

CE♭GB♭
EADG01234567891011121314151617181920212223245♭75♭71♭3♭71♭3♭71♭35♭35♭35♭715♭71♭35♭71♭351♭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
C
1
8
1
E♭
♭3
11
4
G
5
10
3
B♭
♭7
8
1
C
1
10
3
B♭
♭7
8
1
G
5
10
3
E♭
♭3
11
4

How it's built

Intervals between chord tones
C1Root
m3
E♭♭3Minor 3rd
M3
G5Perfect 5th
m3
B♭♭7Minor 7th
M2
C8Octave

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 C minor 7th arpeggio on bass

The C minor 7th arpeggio has 4 notes: C, E♭, G and B♭. 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, C, is on the 8th fret of the E string and the 3rd fret of the A string. On a five-string bass it is also on the 1st fret of the low B string.

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

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

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

Notes: C E♭ G B♭ C
Fingers: 1 4 3 1 3

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

Start on the 3rd fret of the A string with your first finger. The shape covers frets 3 to 6 without moving your hand.

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

Notes: C E♭ G B♭ C
Fingers: 1 4 3 1 3

Two octaves from the E string

Start on the 8th fret of the E string with your first finger. The shape covers frets 8 to 18 with 1 position shift.

G|---------------------15-17-|
D|------------------17-------|
A|------------15-18----------|
E|-8-11-15-18----------------|

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

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

Start on the 1st fret of the B string with your first finger. The shape covers frets 1 to 4 without moving your hand.

G|-----------|
D|-----------|
A|-------1-3-|
E|-----3-----|
B|-1-4-------|

Notes: C E♭ G B♭ C
Fingers: 1 4 3 1 3

Notes and intervals

DegreeNoteIntervalFrets above the root
1CRoot0
♭3E♭Minor 3rd3
5GPerfect 5th7
♭7B♭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 C

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