Arpeggios for the 4-string Bass The white circle with R represents the root of the chord. The numbers correspond to the scale degrees that make up the chords. Underneath the patterns are commonly used symbols to denote the chord, with the author's preference placed at the beginning.
Basic Triads Major
Minor
Diminished
R 3 5
R ♭3 5
R ♭3 ♭5
♭3
3
3
5
R
R
5
5
R
♭5 R ♭5
♭3
R
♭3
♭3
R
R, RM, Rmaj, R∆
Rm, Rmin, R-
R°, Rdim
Augmented
Suspended 2nd
Suspended 4th
R 3 ♯5
R 2 5
R 4 5
3 R
R ♯5
R
3 Raug, R+
R
5
4
2
R
5
4
2
R
Rsus2
5
5
Rsus4
© Joe Wells, 2013
Arpeggios for the 4-string Bass The white circle with R represents the root of the chord. The numbers correspond to the scale degrees that make up the chords. Underneath the patterns are commonly used symbols to denote the chord, with the author's preference placed at the beginning.
Seventh Chords Major 7
Minor 7
Dominant 7
R 3 5 7
R ♭3 5 ♭7
R 3 5 ♭7
3
5
♭3
7
R
3
♭7
♭7
R
5
5 R
♭3
R
R
3
5
R
3
RM7, Rmaj7, R∆7
Rm7, Rmin7, R-7,
R7, Rdom7
Diminished 7
Half-Diminished 7
Minor Major 7
R ♭3 ♭5 ♭♭7
R ♭3 ♭5 ♭7
R ♭3 5 7
♭3 ♭♭7
R
♭3
♭5
♭3 ♭7
♭5
7
R ♭5
R
R
R°7, Rdim7
5
♭3 R 5
♭3 Rm7(♭5), Rø, Rø7
R
♭3
Rm(M7), Rm(maj7), Rmin/maj7
Augmented Major 7 R 3 ♯5 7
3 7
R
3
♯5 R RM7(♯5), Raug7, R+7
© Joe Wells, 2013
Arpeggios for the 4-string Bass The white circle with R represents the root of the chord. The numbers correspond to the scale degrees that make up the chords. Underneath the patterns are commonly used symbols to denote the chord, with the author's preference placed at the beginning. Notes marked red denote the use of improper notation. Although an octave of the 2nd, the 9th is actually ABOVE the root's octave. However, it can often be more useful in bass line construction when used as a 2nd.
Ninth Chords Major 9
Minor 9
Dominant 9
R 3 5 7 9
R ♭3 5 ♭7 9
R 3 5 ♭7 9
9
7 3
♭7
R
9
R
3 ♭7
R
3
5
9
9
9
R
5 R
♭3
5 9
R
RM9, R∆9, Rmaj9
Rm9, R-9, Rmin9
R9, Rdom9
Minor Major 9
Diminished 9
Half-Diminished 9
R ♭3 5 7 9
R ♭3 ♭5 ♭♭7 9
R ♭3 ♭5 ♭7 9
♭3 7
R
5
9
9
♭♭7
9
♭3
Rm(M9), R-M9, Rmin/maj9
♭5
♭3
♭3 R
♭3
5 R
5
♭3
3
♭7 ♭5
♭5 R R°9, Rdim9
9
R
9
R
9
♭3
Rm9(♭5), Rø9
© Joe Wells, 2013
Arpeggios for the 4-string Bass The white circle with R represents the root of the chord. The numbers correspond to the scale degrees that make up the chords. Underneath the patterns are commonly used symbols to denote the chord, with the author's preference placed at the beginning. Notes marked red denote the use of improper notation. Although an octave of the 2nd, the 9th is actually ABOVE the root's octave. However, it can often be more useful in bass line construction when used as a 2nd. Similarly for the 4th and 11th. More often than not, you will encounter the 9(♯11) chords because they are more harmonically pleasing. Do not assume, though, that any major or dominant 11th chord you come across is going to have an augmented 11th.
Eleventh Chords Major 11
Minor 11
Dominant 11
R 3 5 7 9 11
R ♭3 5 ♭7 9 11
R 3 5 ♭7 9 11
3
11
♭3
11
5
7
R
♭7
R
9
11
5
11
5
R
9
R
9
9
3
RM11, Rmaj11
9
3 ♭3
3
R
♯11
5
R
9 RM9(♯11)
R
11
5
R
9
R 3 5 ♭7 9 ♯11
♯11
7
♭7
Dominant 9(♯11)
Major 9(#11) 3
11
R11, Rdom11
Rm11, Rmin11
R 3 5 7 9 ♯11
9
3
9
♯11
3 ♭7
R ♯11
3 R
5 9
R9(♯11)
© Joe Wells, 2013
