Bass WoodshedScales, modes and arpeggios for bass

Mode · 4-string · Root on E string, 11th fret

E♭ Mixolydian Mode

E♭FGA♭B♭CD♭
EADG012345678910111213141516171819202122232423456♭73456♭7156♭7126♭712341234523456♭73456♭7123456♭7123123456♭71
RootScale noteDefining note (♭7): what sets this mode apartThe same notes elsewhere on the neckNumbers are scale degrees (1 is the root)

Tab & notation

Up and back down · 14 notes in 8th notes · 2 bars of 4/4
Note
Deg
G
D
A
E
Fing
E♭
1
11
2
F
2
13
4
G
3
10
1
A♭
4
11
2
B♭
5
13
4
C
6
10
1
D♭
♭7
11
2
E♭
1
13
4
D♭
♭7
11
2
C
6
10
1
B♭
5
13
4
A♭
4
11
2
G
3
10
1
F
2
13
4
·

How it's built

W = whole step (2 frets) · H = half step (1 fret)
E♭1Root
W
F2Major 2nd
W
G3Major 3rd
H
A♭4Perfect 4th
W
B♭5Perfect 5th
W
C6Major 6th
H
D♭♭7Minor 7th
W
E♭8Octave

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

Also called
Mode 5
Vs. major
♭7
Key signature
4 flats: E♭ A♭ B♭ D♭
Parent major
A♭
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 E♭ Mixolydian mode on bass

The E♭ Mixolydian mode has 7 notes: E♭, F, G, A♭, B♭, C and D♭. 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: 4 flats: E♭ A♭ B♭ D♭. Parent major: A♭ major scale.

The root, E♭, is on the 11th fret of the E string and the 6th fret of the A string. On a five-string bass it is also on the 4th fret of the low B string.

E♭ Mixolydian Mode tab: root on the E string

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

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

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

E♭ Mixolydian Mode tab: root on the A string

Start on the 6th fret of the A string with your second finger. The shape covers frets 5 to 8 without moving your hand.

G|-----------5-6-8-|
D|-----5-6-8-------|
A|-6-8-------------|
E|-----------------|

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

Two octaves from the E string

Start on the 11th fret of the E string with your first finger. The shape covers frets 11 to 20 with 2 position shifts.

G|----------------------------------15-17-18-20-|
D|-------------------------15-17-18-------------|
A|----------------15-16-18----------------------|
E|-11-13-15-16-18-------------------------------|

Notes: E♭ F G A♭ B♭ C D♭ E♭ F G A♭ B♭ C D♭ E♭
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 4th fret of the B string with your second finger. The shape covers frets 3 to 6 without moving your hand.

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

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

Notes and intervals

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

Scales

Modes

Arpeggios

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