Bass WoodshedScales, modes and arpeggios for bass

Progression · 4-string · Walking bass

Minor ii–V–i in E minor

F♯m7♭5B7Em7
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Tab & notation

Walking bass · 4 bars, one chord each · quarter notes
Chord
Note
Deg
G
D
A
E
Fing
F♯m7♭5
F♯
1
2
2
A
♭3
0
o
C
♭5
3
3
C
→
3
3
B7
B
1
2
2
D♯
3
1
1
F♯
5
4
4
F
→
1
1
Em7
E
1
0
o
G
♭3
3
3
B
5
2
2
F
→
1
1
Em7
E
1
0
o
G
♭3
3
3
B
5
2
2
G
→
3
3

How it's built

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

The minor-key cadence: a half-diminished ii, a dominant V and a minor i.

Key
E minor · 1 sharp: F♯
Chords
F♯m7♭5 (iiø7), B7 (V7), Em7 (i7)
Bass line
Root, 3rd, 5th, then a half step into the next chord. Quarter notes.
Practice tip
The ♭5 of the ii chord is the ♭6 of the key. Lean on it as you walk into the V.
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 ii–V–i bass line in E minor

The minor-key cadence: a half-diminished ii, a dominant V and a minor i. In E minor the chords are F♯m7♭5, B7 and Em7.

The chords, bar by bar

BarChordNumeralChord tones
1F♯m7♭5iiø7F♯ A C E
2B7V7B D♯ F♯ A
3Em7i7E G B D
4Em7i7E G B D

Walking bass tab

Root, 3rd, 5th, then a half step into the next chord. Quarter notes.

  F♯m7♭5    B7        Em7       Em7
G|---------|---------|---------|---------|
D|---------|---1-4---|---------|---------|
A|---0-3-3-|-2-------|-----2---|-----2---|
E|-2-------|-------1-|-0-3---1-|-0-3---3-|

Arpeggios tab

Up and down the chord tones in the rhythm you choose.

  F♯m7♭5            B7                Em7               Em7
G|-----------------|-------2-4-2-----|-----------------|-----------------|
D|-------2-4-2-----|---1-4-------4-1-|-------0-2-0-----|-------0-2-0-----|
A|---0-3-------3-0-|-2---------------|-----2-------2---|-----2-------2---|
E|-2---------------|-----------------|-0-3-----------3-|-0-3-----------3-|

Root and fifth tab

Root, 5th, octave, 5th. The backbone of country, rock and pop lines.

  F♯m7♭5    B7        Em7       Em7
G|---------|-----4---|---------|---------|
D|-----4---|---4---4-|-----2---|-----2---|
A|---3---3-|-2-------|---2---2-|---2---2-|
E|-2-------|---------|-0-------|-0-------|

On a 5-string bass

The low B string lets you keep the line in one area of the neck.

  F♯m7♭5    B7        Em7       Em7
G|---------|---------|---------|---------|
D|---------|---1-4---|---------|---------|
A|---0-3-3-|-2-------|-----2---|-----2---|
E|-2-------|-------1-|-0-3---1-|-0-3---3-|
B|---------|---------|---------|---------|

How to practise it

The ♭5 of the ii chord is the ♭6 of the key. Lean on it as you walk into the V. Start at 70 BPM with the drums and chords on, and say each chord name as you reach beat one. Once it flows, switch on memory mode, then raise the tempo with the speed builder. Earn bronze for playing it through, silver at 120 BPM in quarter notes (2 notes a second), and gold at that pace from memory.

The Minor ii–V–i in every key

More in E minor

Bass lines over chord progressions

Scales

Modes

Arpeggios

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