Bass WoodshedScales, modes and arpeggios for bass

Scale · 4-string · Root on E string, 3rd fret

G Minor Pentatonic

GB♭CDF
EADG0123456789101112131415161718192021222324♭745♭71♭345♭3♭71♭345♭715♭345♭71♭3451♭345♭71♭345♭711♭345♭71

Tab & notation

Up and back down · 10 notes in 8th notes · 2 bars of 4/4
Note
Deg
G
D
A
E
Fing
G
1
3
1
B♭
♭3
6
4
C
4
3
1
D
5
5
3
F
♭7
3
1
G
1
5
3
F
♭7
3
1
D
5
5
3
C
4
3
1
B♭
♭3
6
4
·
·
·

How it's built

W = whole step (2 frets) · H = half step (1 fret)
G1Root
W+H
B♭♭3Minor 3rd
W
C4Perfect 4th
W
D5Perfect 5th
W+H
F♭7Minor 7th
W
G8Octave

Five notes that sit on a minor chord without a wrong note. The workhorse of rock and blues riffs.

Also called
Minor scale without 2 and ♭6
Key signature
2 flats: B♭ E♭
Relative major
B♭
Use it over
Minor 7 chords, blues and rock progressions.
Practice tip
Root on E, it is two notes per string. Learn the box once, then slide it to any root.
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.

The minor pentatonic on bass, in all 12 keys

Five notes that sit on a minor chord without a wrong note. The workhorse of rock and blues riffs. Also called: Minor scale without 2 and ♭6.

Formula: 1 ♭3 4 5 ♭7. Step pattern: W+H W W W+H W. Use it over: Minor 7 chords, blues and rock progressions.

Notes in every key

Printable chart of all 12 keys: PDF · print page · every pattern in one PDF

Where the root sits on the neck

KeyE stringA stringB string (5-string)
C831
G3108
D1053
A5010
E075
B720
F♯297
C♯942
G♯4119
E♭1164
B♭6111
F186

Practice tip

Root on E, it is two notes per string. Learn the box once, then slide it to any root.

Every pattern

Scales

Modes

Arpeggios

Your progress