Bass WoodshedScales, modes and arpeggios for bass

Mode · 4-string · Root on E string, 4th fret

A♭ Mixolydian Mode

A♭B♭CD♭E♭FG♭
EADG01234567891011121314151617181920212223246♭73456♭71234526♭7123456♭71523456♭71234123456♭7123456♭7123456♭71

Tab & notation

Up and back down · 14 notes in 8th notes · 2 bars of 4/4
Note
Deg
G
D
A
E
Fing
A♭
1
4
2
B♭
2
6
4
C
3
3
1
D♭
4
4
2
E♭
5
6
4
F
6
3
1
G♭
♭7
4
2
A♭
1
6
4
G♭
♭7
4
2
F
6
3
1
E♭
5
6
4
D♭
4
4
2
C
3
3
1
B♭
2
6
4
·

How it's built

W = whole step (2 frets) · H = half step (1 fret)
A♭1Root
W
B♭2Major 2nd
W
C3Major 3rd
H
D♭4Perfect 4th
W
E♭5Perfect 5th
W
F6Major 6th
H
G♭♭7Minor 7th
W
A♭8Octave

Major with a ♭7. The sound of dominant 7 chords, blues-rock and funk.

Also called
Mode 5
Vs. major
♭7
Key signature
5 flats: A♭ B♭ D♭ E♭ G♭
Parent major
D♭
Use it over
Dominant 7 chords and rock progressions built on ♭VII.
Practice tip
Outline 1, 3, 5, ♭7 first, then fill in the gaps. That is a dominant bass line.
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 A♭ Mixolydian mode on bass

The A♭ Mixolydian mode has 7 notes: A♭, B♭, C, D♭, E♭, F and G♭. Major with a ♭7. The sound of dominant 7 chords, blues-rock and funk.

Step pattern: W W H W W H W (W = whole step, two frets; H = half step, one fret). Formula: 1 2 3 4 5 6 ♭7. Key signature: 5 flats: A♭ B♭ D♭ E♭ G♭. Parent major: D♭ major scale.

The root, A♭, is on the 4th fret of the E string and the 11th fret of the A string. On a five-string bass it is also on the 9th fret of the low B string.

A♭ Mixolydian Mode tab: root on the E string

Start on the 4th fret of the E string with your second finger. The shape covers frets 3 to 6 without moving your hand.

G|-----------------|
D|-----------3-4-6-|
A|-----3-4-6-------|
E|-4-6-------------|

Notes: A♭ B♭ C D♭ E♭ F G♭ A♭
Fingers: 2 4 1 2 4 1 2 4

A♭ Mixolydian Mode tab: root on the A string

Start on the 11th fret of the A string with your second finger. The shape covers frets 10 to 13 without moving your hand.

G|----------------10-11-13-|
D|-------10-11-13----------|
A|-11-13-------------------|
E|-------------------------|

Notes: A♭ B♭ C D♭ E♭ F G♭ A♭
Fingers: 2 4 1 2 4 1 2 4

Two octaves from the E string

Start on the 4th fret of the E string with your first finger. The shape covers frets 4 to 13 with 2 position shifts.

G|---------------------------8-10-11-13-|
D|-------------------8-10-11------------|
A|------------8-9-11--------------------|
E|-4-6-8-9-11---------------------------|

Notes: A♭ B♭ C D♭ E♭ F G♭ A♭ B♭ C D♭ E♭ F G♭ A♭
Fingers: 1 3 1 2 4 1 2 4 1 3 4 1 3 4 4

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

Start on the 9th fret of the B string with your second finger. The shape covers frets 8 to 11 without moving your hand.

G|--------------------|
D|--------------------|
A|-------------8-9-11-|
E|------8-9-11--------|
B|-9-11---------------|

Notes: A♭ B♭ C D♭ E♭ F G♭ A♭
Fingers: 2 4 1 2 4 1 2 4

Notes and intervals

DegreeNoteIntervalFrets above the root
1A♭Root0
2B♭Major 2nd2
3CMajor 3rd4
4D♭Perfect 4th5
5E♭Perfect 5th7
6FMajor 6th9
♭7G♭Minor 7th10

When to use it

Dominant 7 chords and rock progressions built on ♭VII. Outline 1, 3, 5, ♭7 first, then fill in the gaps. That is a dominant bass line.

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 Mixolydian mode in every key

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

More patterns from A♭

Scales

Modes

Arpeggios

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