Bass WoodshedScales, modes and arpeggios for bass

Arpeggio · 4-string · Root on E string, 10th fret

D Minor 7th Arpeggio

DFAC
EADG0123456789101112131415161718192021222324♭35♭75♭715♭71♭3♭71♭351♭35♭35♭715♭71♭35♭71♭31♭35♭71

Tab & notation

Up and back down · 8 notes in 8th notes · 1 bar of 4/4
Note
Deg
G
D
A
E
Fing
D
1
10
1
F
♭3
13
4
A
5
12
3
C
♭7
10
1
D
1
12
3
C
♭7
10
1
A
5
12
3
F
♭3
13
4

How it's built

Intervals between chord tones
D1Root
m3
F♭3Minor 3rd
M3
A5Perfect 5th
m3
C♭7Minor 7th
M2
D8Octave

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 D minor 7th arpeggio on bass

The D minor 7th arpeggio has 4 notes: D, F, A and C. 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, D, is on the 10th fret of the E string and the 5th fret of the A string. On a five-string bass it is also on the 3rd fret of the low B string.

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

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

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

Notes: D F A C D
Fingers: 1 4 3 1 3

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

Start on the 5th fret of the A string with your first finger. The shape covers frets 5 to 8 without moving your hand.

G|-------5-7-|
D|-----7-----|
A|-5-8-------|
E|-----------|

Notes: D F A C D
Fingers: 1 4 3 1 3

Two octaves from the E string

Start on the 10th fret of the E string with your first finger. The shape covers frets 10 to 20 with 1 position shift.

G|----------------------17-19-|
D|-------------------19-------|
A|-------------17-20----------|
E|-10-13-17-20----------------|

Notes: D F A C D F A C D
Fingers: 1 4 1 4 1 4 3 1 3

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

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

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

Notes: D F A C D
Fingers: 1 4 3 1 3

Notes and intervals

DegreeNoteIntervalFrets above the root
1DRoot0
♭3FMinor 3rd3
5APerfect 5th7
♭7CMinor 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 D

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