Chords for 3 Arpeggio Patterns That Can Transform Your Bass Playing
Tempo:
74.025 bpm
Chords used:
G
D
Ab
C
Em
Tuning:Standard Tuning (EADGBE)Capo:+0fret
Start Jamming...
[Ab] [C]
Now, for this next lesson, I'm going to run through a simple set of three basic arpeggio
patterns that might possibly change your bass playing forever.
I know that when I stumbled upon this way of looking at the fretboard, it was like a
huge light bulb moment for me, and it allowed me to break out of those one-octave box patterns
that we all fall foul of when we start out.
So I've been known to nickname this way of looking at scales and arpeggios as the tri-shape
system because we're seeing three fretboard patterns for any scale or arpeggio that we learn.
Basically, we learn an arpeggio from one of three fingers, the first finger, the second
finger, or the fourth finger.
We can sometimes use the third finger instead of the second finger, as you'll see.
It's all dependent on the intervals that we're playing, but at its core, we have these three
patterns that we're working on for any one root note.
Now, remember what we looked at with the intervals in module one.
For any interval, we've got a couple of nearby places that we can play them moving both up
and down the fretboard.
So if we just take a major third interval as an example from C, if we take the C there,
third fret of the A string, and we play a major third interval, we've got a common major
third interval here moving up to the E, second fret of the D string.
So that's third fret A string, second fret D string, that little major third pattern.
But that E, we can also find here at the seventh fret of the A string.
So we've also got C to E, the same major third pattern, third fret A string,
and then seventh fret A string.
So we've got this major third interval where we're looking down the neck towards the
headstock, and then we've got this major third interval where we're coming down the
neck towards the body.
This way of looking at intervals is key to our three arpeggio patterns we'll be
looking at because for any arpeggio, we can see those notes in there at different
places on the fingerboard, and you'll see what I mean as we move through them.
So let's have a look at a C major arpeggio, okay, just a basic C major triad.
And we're going to play it starting at the C here, eighth fret of the E string.
Now, I'm going to start it here so that we've got a little room to maneuver because
we're going to branch out in both directions on the neck.
So we've got the C there, eighth fret of the E string, and then we have [G] E and G,
so seventh fret and tenth fret on the A string.
So that's our basic C major triad.
So that would be our second finger pattern, okay, because we're starting on the second
finger, the middle finger.
The C there, the tonic, we're playing it with that second finger.
So now, let's have a look at a first finger pattern.
So to do this, we're going to start that arpeggio, that same arpeggio,
but with the first finger.
So we play that C again, eighth fret of the E string with this first finger.
Now, because of the position that we're now occupying, moving further up the neck,
we need to find a different E because we don't want to be jumping down.
So we look for the E at the 12th fret.
And this is that same major third pattern that I was just talking about where we're
on the same string.
So we have C, eighth fret, E string, and then E, 12th fret, E string.
Then we just take the G again there, that's handy there, you know,
that's within reach, just at the 10th fret of the A string.
So we now have the second finger position and the first finger position,
which means we've now given ourselves a little bit more real estate.
We're not limited to that single pattern.
Then for the fourth finger pattern, we're going to start that arpeggio
with the fourth finger, the pinky.
So eighth fret, E string again with the fourth finger, and this time,
we're moving down the neck.
So we want the E, so the nearest E is going to be there.
We can grab that one, seventh fret of the A string.
And then for the G, well, we don't want to be moving up to this G,
so we can play the G here at the fifth fret of the D string.
Okay, so again, that's a completely different shape.
So that's the fourth finger pattern for the C [Em] major triad.
So we have second finger, first finger, and fourth finger,
three completely separate different patterns for the same three notes,
the same C major triad, okay?
And like I said, we're covering a lot more real estate.
We're not just confined to this one small area here.
We can now move up, so we can move up to the twelfth fret,
and we're also moving down to the fifth fret.
So instead of just a span from seventh to tenth fret there with our second finger
pattern, we're now able to play that C major arpeggio anywhere from this fifth
fret all the way up to the twelfth fret.
So we're covering a lot more of the fingerboard.
Now, the beauty of this system comes from the fact that once we've memorized these
shapes for every arpeggio, we're free then to play arpeggios in one
area without moving.
So as a basic example, if I'm playing a second finger C major arpeggio here at the
eighth fret of the E string, just as in the previous example,
if I then want to play a G major arpeggio, well, I could look for a G and see that
there's a G there at the tenth fret of the A string.
And I could, using this second finger pattern, I [G] could move up like this,
[D] but [G] that means shifting position.
Now, with our fourth finger and first finger patterns, if I play this C major
arpeggio, I can see the G there.
It's right there under the fourth finger, under the pinky.
So I don't need to move.
I can just play the fourth finger pattern.
So that would besos there's the [D] fourth finger, [G] G major. So I can play C major, then G major, and the hand hasn't moved at all, okay? As a slightly longer example, if I was down here in this lower position and I was playing through a chord progression of C major, A minor, D minor, and G major, so 1, 6, 2, 5 in the key of C, and I was just playing arpeggios through that progression, if I was only limited to our second finger major triad and our first finger minor triad, I'd have to do quite a bit of position shifting. So if I was to play C major, I then might move up to the A here, fifth fret of the E string, and play with the first finger pattern. First finger for the D, and then down for the second finger on the G. So there's quite a bit of movement. See, I'm moving up into that fifth fret area. Now, if I was to use our new patterns, our fourth finger patterns, we can just stay in that same position. So if I play through the C major, and then I move to A, I can see the A there at the fifth fret of the E string, it's right there under the fourth finger, under the pinky. So I can [F] use the fourth finger minor triad, and I've not moved position at all. I'm in exactly the same position. Then for the D, it's right there under the fourth finger, I can use the fourth finger pattern again. And then the G is down here, I can play with the second finger. So the whole progression, no position shifting at
Now, for this next lesson, I'm going to run through a simple set of three basic arpeggio
patterns that might possibly change your bass playing forever.
I know that when I stumbled upon this way of looking at the fretboard, it was like a
huge light bulb moment for me, and it allowed me to break out of those one-octave box patterns
that we all fall foul of when we start out.
So I've been known to nickname this way of looking at scales and arpeggios as the tri-shape
system because we're seeing three fretboard patterns for any scale or arpeggio that we learn.
Basically, we learn an arpeggio from one of three fingers, the first finger, the second
finger, or the fourth finger.
We can sometimes use the third finger instead of the second finger, as you'll see.
It's all dependent on the intervals that we're playing, but at its core, we have these three
patterns that we're working on for any one root note.
Now, remember what we looked at with the intervals in module one.
For any interval, we've got a couple of nearby places that we can play them moving both up
and down the fretboard.
So if we just take a major third interval as an example from C, if we take the C there,
third fret of the A string, and we play a major third interval, we've got a common major
third interval here moving up to the E, second fret of the D string.
So that's third fret A string, second fret D string, that little major third pattern.
But that E, we can also find here at the seventh fret of the A string.
So we've also got C to E, the same major third pattern, third fret A string,
and then seventh fret A string.
So we've got this major third interval where we're looking down the neck towards the
headstock, and then we've got this major third interval where we're coming down the
neck towards the body.
This way of looking at intervals is key to our three arpeggio patterns we'll be
looking at because for any arpeggio, we can see those notes in there at different
places on the fingerboard, and you'll see what I mean as we move through them.
So let's have a look at a C major arpeggio, okay, just a basic C major triad.
And we're going to play it starting at the C here, eighth fret of the E string.
Now, I'm going to start it here so that we've got a little room to maneuver because
we're going to branch out in both directions on the neck.
So we've got the C there, eighth fret of the E string, and then we have [G] E and G,
so seventh fret and tenth fret on the A string.
So that's our basic C major triad.
So that would be our second finger pattern, okay, because we're starting on the second
finger, the middle finger.
The C there, the tonic, we're playing it with that second finger.
So now, let's have a look at a first finger pattern.
So to do this, we're going to start that arpeggio, that same arpeggio,
but with the first finger.
So we play that C again, eighth fret of the E string with this first finger.
Now, because of the position that we're now occupying, moving further up the neck,
we need to find a different E because we don't want to be jumping down.
So we look for the E at the 12th fret.
And this is that same major third pattern that I was just talking about where we're
on the same string.
So we have C, eighth fret, E string, and then E, 12th fret, E string.
Then we just take the G again there, that's handy there, you know,
that's within reach, just at the 10th fret of the A string.
So we now have the second finger position and the first finger position,
which means we've now given ourselves a little bit more real estate.
We're not limited to that single pattern.
Then for the fourth finger pattern, we're going to start that arpeggio
with the fourth finger, the pinky.
So eighth fret, E string again with the fourth finger, and this time,
we're moving down the neck.
So we want the E, so the nearest E is going to be there.
We can grab that one, seventh fret of the A string.
And then for the G, well, we don't want to be moving up to this G,
so we can play the G here at the fifth fret of the D string.
Okay, so again, that's a completely different shape.
So that's the fourth finger pattern for the C [Em] major triad.
So we have second finger, first finger, and fourth finger,
three completely separate different patterns for the same three notes,
the same C major triad, okay?
And like I said, we're covering a lot more real estate.
We're not just confined to this one small area here.
We can now move up, so we can move up to the twelfth fret,
and we're also moving down to the fifth fret.
So instead of just a span from seventh to tenth fret there with our second finger
pattern, we're now able to play that C major arpeggio anywhere from this fifth
fret all the way up to the twelfth fret.
So we're covering a lot more of the fingerboard.
Now, the beauty of this system comes from the fact that once we've memorized these
shapes for every arpeggio, we're free then to play arpeggios in one
area without moving.
So as a basic example, if I'm playing a second finger C major arpeggio here at the
eighth fret of the E string, just as in the previous example,
if I then want to play a G major arpeggio, well, I could look for a G and see that
there's a G there at the tenth fret of the A string.
And I could, using this second finger pattern, I [G] could move up like this,
[D] but [G] that means shifting position.
Now, with our fourth finger and first finger patterns, if I play this C major
arpeggio, I can see the G there.
It's right there under the fourth finger, under the pinky.
So I don't need to move.
I can just play the fourth finger pattern.
So that would besos there's the [D] fourth finger, [G] G major. So I can play C major, then G major, and the hand hasn't moved at all, okay? As a slightly longer example, if I was down here in this lower position and I was playing through a chord progression of C major, A minor, D minor, and G major, so 1, 6, 2, 5 in the key of C, and I was just playing arpeggios through that progression, if I was only limited to our second finger major triad and our first finger minor triad, I'd have to do quite a bit of position shifting. So if I was to play C major, I then might move up to the A here, fifth fret of the E string, and play with the first finger pattern. First finger for the D, and then down for the second finger on the G. So there's quite a bit of movement. See, I'm moving up into that fifth fret area. Now, if I was to use our new patterns, our fourth finger patterns, we can just stay in that same position. So if I play through the C major, and then I move to A, I can see the A there at the fifth fret of the E string, it's right there under the fourth finger, under the pinky. So I can [F] use the fourth finger minor triad, and I've not moved position at all. I'm in exactly the same position. Then for the D, it's right there under the fourth finger, I can use the fourth finger pattern again. And then the G is down here, I can play with the second finger. So the whole progression, no position shifting at
Key:
G
D
Ab
C
Em
G
D
Ab
_ _ _ [Ab] _ [C] _ _ _ _
_ _ _ _ Now, for this next lesson, I'm going to run through a simple set of three basic arpeggio
patterns that might possibly change your bass playing forever.
I know that when I stumbled upon this way of looking at the fretboard, it was like a
huge light bulb moment for me, and it allowed me to break out of those one-octave box patterns
that we all fall foul of when we start out.
So I've been known to nickname this way of looking at scales and arpeggios as the tri-shape
system because we're seeing three fretboard patterns for any scale or arpeggio that we learn.
Basically, we learn an arpeggio from one of three fingers, the first finger, the second
finger, or the fourth finger.
We can sometimes use the third finger instead of the second finger, as you'll see.
It's all dependent on the intervals that we're playing, but at its core, we have these three
patterns that we're working on for any one root note.
Now, remember what we looked at with the intervals in module one.
For any interval, we've got a couple of nearby places that we can play them moving both up
and down the fretboard.
So if we just take a major third interval as an example from C, if we take the C there,
third fret of the A string, and we play a major third interval, we've got a common major
third interval here moving up to the E, second fret of the D string.
So that's third fret A string, second fret D string, that little major third pattern.
But that E, we can also find here at the seventh fret of the A string.
So we've also got C to E, the same major third pattern, third fret A string,
and then seventh fret A string.
So we've got this major third interval where we're looking down the neck towards the
headstock, and then we've got this major third interval where we're coming down the
neck towards the body.
This way of looking at intervals is key to our three arpeggio patterns we'll be
looking at because for any arpeggio, we can see those notes in there at different
places on the fingerboard, and you'll see what I mean as we move through them.
So let's have a look at a C major arpeggio, okay, just a basic C major triad.
And we're going to play it starting at the C here, eighth fret of the E string.
Now, I'm going to start it here so that we've got a little room to maneuver because
we're going to branch out in both directions on the neck.
So we've got the C there, eighth fret of the E string, and then we have [G] E and G,
so seventh fret and tenth fret on the A string.
So that's our basic C major triad.
So that would be our second finger pattern, okay, because we're starting on the second
finger, the middle finger.
The C there, the tonic, we're playing it with that second finger.
So now, let's have a look at a first finger pattern.
So to do this, we're going to start that arpeggio, that same arpeggio,
but with the first finger.
So we play that C again, eighth fret of the E string with this first finger.
Now, because of the position that we're now occupying, moving further up the neck,
we need to find a different E because we don't want to be jumping down.
So we look for the E at the 12th fret.
And this is that same major third pattern that I was just talking about where we're
on the same string.
So we have C, eighth fret, E string, and then E, 12th fret, E string.
Then we just take the G again there, that's handy there, you know,
that's within reach, just at the 10th fret of the A string.
So we now have the second finger position and the first finger position,
which means we've now given ourselves a little bit more real estate.
_ We're not limited to that single pattern.
Then for the fourth finger pattern, we're going to start that arpeggio
with the fourth finger, the pinky.
So eighth fret, E string again with the fourth finger, and this time,
we're moving down the neck.
So we want the E, so the nearest E is going to be there.
We can grab that one, seventh fret of the A string.
And then for the G, well, we don't want to be moving up to this G,
so we can play the G here at the fifth fret of the D string.
Okay, so again, that's a completely different shape.
So that's the fourth finger pattern for the C [Em] major triad.
So we have second finger, first finger, and fourth finger,
three completely separate different patterns for the same three notes,
the same C major triad, okay?
And like I said, we're covering a lot more real estate.
We're not just confined to this one small area here.
We can now move up, so we can move up to the twelfth fret,
and we're also moving down to the fifth fret.
So instead of just a span from seventh to tenth fret there with our second finger
pattern, we're now able to play that C major arpeggio anywhere from this fifth
fret all the way up to the twelfth fret.
So we're covering a lot more of the fingerboard.
Now, the beauty of this system comes from the fact that once we've memorized these
shapes for every arpeggio, we're free then to play arpeggios in one
area without moving.
So as a basic example, if I'm playing a second finger C major arpeggio here at the
eighth fret of the E string, just as in the previous example,
if I then want to play a G major arpeggio, well, I could look for a G and see that
there's a G there at the tenth fret of the A string.
And I could, using this second finger pattern, I [G] could move up like this,
[D] but [G] that means shifting position.
Now, with our fourth finger and first finger patterns, if I play this C major
arpeggio, I can see the G there.
It's right there under the fourth finger, under the pinky.
So I don't need to move.
I can just play the fourth finger pattern.
So that would be_so_s there's the [D] fourth finger, [G] G major. So I can play C major, _ then G major, and the hand hasn't moved at all, okay? As a slightly longer example, if I was down here in this lower position and I was playing through a chord progression of C major, A minor, D minor, and G major, so 1, 6, 2, 5 in the key of C, and I was just playing arpeggios through that progression, if I was only limited to our second finger major triad and our first finger minor triad, I'd have to do quite a bit of position shifting. So if I was to play C major, I then might move up to the A here, fifth fret of the E string, and play with the first finger pattern. First finger for the D, and then down for the second finger on the G. So there's quite a bit of movement. _ _ See, I'm moving up into that fifth fret area. Now, if I was to use our new patterns, our fourth finger patterns, we can just stay in that same position. So if I play through the C major, _ and then I move to A, I can see the A there at the fifth fret of the E string, it's right there under the fourth finger, under the pinky. So I can [F] use the fourth finger minor triad, and I've not moved position at all. I'm in exactly the same position. _ _ Then for the D, it's right there under the fourth finger, I can use the fourth finger pattern again. And then the G is down here, I can play with the second finger. _ So the whole progression, _ _ _ _ _ _ no position shifting at
_ _ _ _ Now, for this next lesson, I'm going to run through a simple set of three basic arpeggio
patterns that might possibly change your bass playing forever.
I know that when I stumbled upon this way of looking at the fretboard, it was like a
huge light bulb moment for me, and it allowed me to break out of those one-octave box patterns
that we all fall foul of when we start out.
So I've been known to nickname this way of looking at scales and arpeggios as the tri-shape
system because we're seeing three fretboard patterns for any scale or arpeggio that we learn.
Basically, we learn an arpeggio from one of three fingers, the first finger, the second
finger, or the fourth finger.
We can sometimes use the third finger instead of the second finger, as you'll see.
It's all dependent on the intervals that we're playing, but at its core, we have these three
patterns that we're working on for any one root note.
Now, remember what we looked at with the intervals in module one.
For any interval, we've got a couple of nearby places that we can play them moving both up
and down the fretboard.
So if we just take a major third interval as an example from C, if we take the C there,
third fret of the A string, and we play a major third interval, we've got a common major
third interval here moving up to the E, second fret of the D string.
So that's third fret A string, second fret D string, that little major third pattern.
But that E, we can also find here at the seventh fret of the A string.
So we've also got C to E, the same major third pattern, third fret A string,
and then seventh fret A string.
So we've got this major third interval where we're looking down the neck towards the
headstock, and then we've got this major third interval where we're coming down the
neck towards the body.
This way of looking at intervals is key to our three arpeggio patterns we'll be
looking at because for any arpeggio, we can see those notes in there at different
places on the fingerboard, and you'll see what I mean as we move through them.
So let's have a look at a C major arpeggio, okay, just a basic C major triad.
And we're going to play it starting at the C here, eighth fret of the E string.
Now, I'm going to start it here so that we've got a little room to maneuver because
we're going to branch out in both directions on the neck.
So we've got the C there, eighth fret of the E string, and then we have [G] E and G,
so seventh fret and tenth fret on the A string.
So that's our basic C major triad.
So that would be our second finger pattern, okay, because we're starting on the second
finger, the middle finger.
The C there, the tonic, we're playing it with that second finger.
So now, let's have a look at a first finger pattern.
So to do this, we're going to start that arpeggio, that same arpeggio,
but with the first finger.
So we play that C again, eighth fret of the E string with this first finger.
Now, because of the position that we're now occupying, moving further up the neck,
we need to find a different E because we don't want to be jumping down.
So we look for the E at the 12th fret.
And this is that same major third pattern that I was just talking about where we're
on the same string.
So we have C, eighth fret, E string, and then E, 12th fret, E string.
Then we just take the G again there, that's handy there, you know,
that's within reach, just at the 10th fret of the A string.
So we now have the second finger position and the first finger position,
which means we've now given ourselves a little bit more real estate.
_ We're not limited to that single pattern.
Then for the fourth finger pattern, we're going to start that arpeggio
with the fourth finger, the pinky.
So eighth fret, E string again with the fourth finger, and this time,
we're moving down the neck.
So we want the E, so the nearest E is going to be there.
We can grab that one, seventh fret of the A string.
And then for the G, well, we don't want to be moving up to this G,
so we can play the G here at the fifth fret of the D string.
Okay, so again, that's a completely different shape.
So that's the fourth finger pattern for the C [Em] major triad.
So we have second finger, first finger, and fourth finger,
three completely separate different patterns for the same three notes,
the same C major triad, okay?
And like I said, we're covering a lot more real estate.
We're not just confined to this one small area here.
We can now move up, so we can move up to the twelfth fret,
and we're also moving down to the fifth fret.
So instead of just a span from seventh to tenth fret there with our second finger
pattern, we're now able to play that C major arpeggio anywhere from this fifth
fret all the way up to the twelfth fret.
So we're covering a lot more of the fingerboard.
Now, the beauty of this system comes from the fact that once we've memorized these
shapes for every arpeggio, we're free then to play arpeggios in one
area without moving.
So as a basic example, if I'm playing a second finger C major arpeggio here at the
eighth fret of the E string, just as in the previous example,
if I then want to play a G major arpeggio, well, I could look for a G and see that
there's a G there at the tenth fret of the A string.
And I could, using this second finger pattern, I [G] could move up like this,
[D] but [G] that means shifting position.
Now, with our fourth finger and first finger patterns, if I play this C major
arpeggio, I can see the G there.
It's right there under the fourth finger, under the pinky.
So I don't need to move.
I can just play the fourth finger pattern.
So that would be_so_s there's the [D] fourth finger, [G] G major. So I can play C major, _ then G major, and the hand hasn't moved at all, okay? As a slightly longer example, if I was down here in this lower position and I was playing through a chord progression of C major, A minor, D minor, and G major, so 1, 6, 2, 5 in the key of C, and I was just playing arpeggios through that progression, if I was only limited to our second finger major triad and our first finger minor triad, I'd have to do quite a bit of position shifting. So if I was to play C major, I then might move up to the A here, fifth fret of the E string, and play with the first finger pattern. First finger for the D, and then down for the second finger on the G. So there's quite a bit of movement. _ _ See, I'm moving up into that fifth fret area. Now, if I was to use our new patterns, our fourth finger patterns, we can just stay in that same position. So if I play through the C major, _ and then I move to A, I can see the A there at the fifth fret of the E string, it's right there under the fourth finger, under the pinky. So I can [F] use the fourth finger minor triad, and I've not moved position at all. I'm in exactly the same position. _ _ Then for the D, it's right there under the fourth finger, I can use the fourth finger pattern again. And then the G is down here, I can play with the second finger. _ So the whole progression, _ _ _ _ _ _ no position shifting at