Bass WoodshedScales, modes and arpeggios for bass

Progression · 4-string · Walking bass

Minor Blues in G minor

Gm7Cm7E♭7D7
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Tab & notation

Walking bass · 12 bars, one chord each · quarter notes
Chord
Note
Deg
G
D
A
E
Fing
Gm7
G
1
3
1
B♭
♭3
6
4
D
5
5
3
D♭
→
4
2
Cm7
C
1
3
1
E♭
♭3
6
4
G
5
5
3
A♭
→
4
2
Gm7
G
1
3
1
B♭
♭3
6
4
D
5
5
3
A♭
→
4
2
Gm7
G
1
3
1
B♭
♭3
6
4
D
5
5
3
D♭
→
4
2
Cm7
C
1
3
1
E♭
♭3
6
4
G
5
5
3
D♭
→
4
2
Cm7
C
1
3
1
E♭
♭3
6
4
G
5
5
3
A♭
→
4
2
Gm7
G
1
3
1
B♭
♭3
6
4
D
5
5
3
A♭
→
4
2
Gm7
G
1
3
1
B♭
♭3
6
4
D
5
5
3
D
→
5
3
E♭7
E♭
1
6
2
G
3
5
1
B♭
5
8
4
E♭
→
6
2
D7
D
1
5
2
F♯
3
4
1
A
5
7
4
A♭
→
4
1
Gm7
G
1
3
1
B♭
♭3
6
4
D
5
5
3
C♯
→
4
2
D7
D
1
5
2
F♯
3
4
1
A
5
7
4
A♭
→
4
1

How it's built

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

The 12-bar form in a minor key, with a ♭VI7 to V7 turnaround that slides down a half step.

Key
G minor · 2 flats: B♭ E♭
Chords
Gm7 (i7), Cm7 (iv7), E♭7 (♭VI7), D7 (V7)
Bass line
Root, 3rd, 5th, then a half step into the next chord. Quarter notes.
Practice tip
In bars 9 and 10 the roots move down one fret. Make that half step the strongest move in your line.
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.

Minor Blues bass lines in all 12 keys

The 12-bar form in a minor key, with a ♭VI7 to V7 turnaround that slides down a half step.

Numerals: i7 · iv7 · i7 · i7 · iv7 · iv7 · i7 · i7 · ♭VI7 · V7 · i7 · V7. In bars 9 and 10 the roots move down one fret. Make that half step the strongest move in your line.

Chords in every key

Every progression and pattern

Bass lines over chord progressions

Scales

Modes

Arpeggios

Your progress