Bass
(B) E A D G
The guitar's lowest four strings, an octave down.
Download Fancy Bass Chords and Their Voicings
This booklet is designed to be printed, or you can also download a copy to read on your device:
Contents
Circle of Fifths
Movable Shapes
| shape | root on | bottom | example |
|---|---|---|---|
| fifths | |||
| 02xx | E | R | 13xx = F5 |
| x02x | A | R | x13x = Bb5 |
| xx02 | D | R | xx13 = Eb5 |
| 3x0x | E | R | 4x1x = Ab5 |
| major | |||
| 02x1 | E | R | 13x2 = F |
| 320x | E | R | 431x = Ab |
| x320 | A | R | x431 = Db |
| minor | |||
| 02x0 | E | R | 13x1 = Fm |
| 310x | E | R | 421x = Abm |
| x310 | A | R | x421 = Dbm |
Shape is the fingering above its lowest fret. Slide it one fret, the chord rises a semitone.
Numbers
| 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | 6 | 7 | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| C | C | D | E | F | G | A | B |
| Db | Db | Eb | F | Gb | Ab | Bb | C |
| D | D | E | F# | G | A | B | C# |
| Eb | Eb | F | G | Ab | Bb | C | D |
| E | E | F# | G# | A | B | C# | D# |
| F | F | G | A | Bb | C | D | E |
| Gb | Gb | Ab | Bb | Cb | Db | Eb | F |
| G | G | A | B | C | D | E | F# |
| Ab | Ab | Bb | C | Db | Eb | F | G |
| A | A | B | C# | D | E | F# | G# |
| Bb | Bb | C | D | Eb | F | G | A |
| B | B | C# | D# | E | F# | G# | A# |
In the key on the left, the four is the note under the 4.
Root Positions
| E | A | D | G | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| C | 8 | 3 | 10 | 5 |
| Db | 9 | 4 | 11 | 6 |
| D | 10 | 5 | 0 | 7 |
| Eb | 11 | 6 | 1 | 8 |
| E | 0 | 7 | 2 | 9 |
| F | 1 | 8 | 3 | 10 |
| Gb | 2 | 9 | 4 | 11 |
| G | 3 | 10 | 5 | 0 |
| Ab | 4 | 11 | 6 | 1 |
| A | 5 | 0 | 7 | 2 |
| Bb | 6 | 1 | 8 | 3 |
| B | 7 | 2 | 9 | 4 |
Fret for the root of each key on each string. Everything else is measured from there.
What to Play Under
| major | R 3 5 |
|---|---|
| m | R b3 5 |
| 5 | R 5 |
| + | R 3 #5 |
| ° | R b3 b5 |
| sus2 | R 2 5 |
| sus4 | R 4 5 |
| 6 | R 3 5 6 |
| m6 | R b3 5 6 |
| 6/9 | R 9 3 5 6 |
| 7 | R 3 5 b7 |
| maj7 | R 3 5 7 |
| m7 | R b3 5 b7 |
| °7 | R b3 b5 6 |
| m7b5 | R b3 b5 b7 |
| 7sus4 | R 4 5 b7 |
| 7b5 | R 3 b5 b7 |
| 7#5 | R 3 #5 b7 |
| 9 | R 9 3 5 b7 |
| maj9 | R 9 3 5 7 |
| m9 | R 9 b3 5 b7 |
| add9 | R 9 3 5 |
| madd9 | R 9 b3 5 |
| 7b9 | R b9 3 5 b7 |
| 7#9 | R b3 3 5 b7 |
| m11 | R 9 b3 4 5 b7 |
Degrees from the root, for each chord you might be asked to play under.
Patterns
Root + fifth + octave The default. Works under anything in the key.
| degree | R | 5 | 8 |
|---|---|---|---|
| string | R | 1+R | 2+R |
| fret | R0 | R2 | R2 |
Major arpeggio Major, maj7, 6.
| degree | R | 5 | 8 | 3 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| string | R | 1+R | 2+R | 3+R |
| fret | R0 | R2 | R2 | R1 |
Minor arpeggio Minor, m7, m6.
| degree | R | 5 | 8 | b3 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| string | R | 1+R | 2+R | 3+R |
| fret | R0 | R2 | R2 | R0 |
Dominant seventh Any 7 chord. The b7 pulls to the four.
| degree | R | 5 | b7 | 3 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| string | R | 1+R | 2+R | 3+R |
| fret | R0 | R2 | R0 | R1 |
Minor seventh The two and the six chord.
| degree | R | 5 | b7 | b3 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| string | R | 1+R | 2+R | 3+R |
| fret | R0 | R2 | R0 | R0 |
Walking approach Leading into the next chord.
| degree | R | 5 | 6 | b7 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| string | R | 1+R | 1+R | 2+R |
| fret | R0 | R2 | R4 | R0 |
How to print, cut, and sew a copy
- Print the 4-up PDF for your paper, double-sided, flipped on the long edge, at 100%. Don't let the printer fit to page.
- Cut along the gray lines, which mark the four 3.5in by 5.5in rectangles. On US Letter that is three cuts down and one across. On A4 it is three each way, because the sheet is 18mm taller than two pages.
- Stack the rectangles in the order they came off the sheet: top-left, top-right, bottom-left, bottom-right.
- Staple the sheets together along the edge, or
- Punch holes through the marks along the edge with an awl and sew a five-hole pamphlet stitch:
Examples of some printed and stapled booklets:
