Bass WoodshedScales, modes and arpeggios for bass

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

G Mixolydian Mode

GABCDEF
EADG01234567891011121314151617181920212223246♭73456♭712345626♭7123456♭712523456♭712345123456♭7123456♭71123456♭71

Tab & notation

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

How it's built

W = whole step (2 frets) · H = half step (1 fret)
G1Root
W
A2Major 2nd
W
B3Major 3rd
H
C4Perfect 4th
W
D5Perfect 5th
W
E6Major 6th
H
F♭7Minor 7th
W
G8Octave

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

Also called
Mode 5
Vs. major
♭7
Key signature
No sharps or flats
Parent major
C
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 G Mixolydian mode on bass

The G Mixolydian mode has 7 notes: G, A, B, C, D, E and F. 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: No sharps or flats. Parent major: C major scale.

The root, G, is on the 3rd fret of the E string and the 10th fret of the A string. On a five-string bass it is also on the 8th fret of the low B string.

G Mixolydian Mode tab: root on the E string

Start on the 3rd fret of the E string with your second finger. The shape covers frets 2 to 5 without moving your hand.

G|-----------------|
D|-----------2-3-5-|
A|-----2-3-5-------|
E|-3-5-------------|

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

G Mixolydian Mode tab: root on the A string

Start on the 10th fret of the A string with your second finger. The shape covers frets 9 to 12 without moving your hand.

G|---------------9-10-12-|
D|-------9-10-12---------|
A|-10-12-----------------|
E|-----------------------|

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

Two octaves from the E string

Start on the 3rd fret of the E string with your first finger. The shape covers frets 3 to 12 with 2 position shifts.

G|--------------------------7-9-10-12-|
D|-------------------7-9-10-----------|
A|------------7-8-10------------------|
E|-3-5-7-8-10-------------------------|

Notes: G A B C D E F G A B C D E F G
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 8th fret of the B string with your second finger. The shape covers frets 7 to 10 without moving your hand.

G|--------------------|
D|--------------------|
A|-------------7-8-10-|
E|------7-8-10--------|
B|-8-10---------------|

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

Notes and intervals

DegreeNoteIntervalFrets above the root
1GRoot0
2AMajor 2nd2
3BMajor 3rd4
4CPerfect 4th5
5DPerfect 5th7
6EMajor 6th9
♭7FMinor 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 G

Scales

Modes

Arpeggios

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