Bass CAGED

Sort of. Since the bass is tuned exactly one octave below the guitar's lowest four strings, all fingerings will be identical - scales, arpeggios, etc.

But since the CAGED view of the guitar relates everything to five open chord shapes, and the bass is missing a couple of strings, you'd have to adjust your thinking a little bit.

Sort of. Since the bass is tuned exactly one octave below the guitar's lowest four strings, all fingerings will be identical - scales, arpeggios, etc.

But since the CAGED view of the guitar relates everything to five open chord shapes, and the bass is missing a couple of strings, you'd have to adjust your thinking a little bit.

thank you so much note boat. if you dont mind helping with another question, could you possibly elaborate on adjusting my thinking? what exactly do you mean? it would mean alot to me.

Sure - CAGED is based on the idea that there are five open major chords on the guitar (C, A, G, E and D). It then relates everything - scale fingerings, arpeggios, chord extensions, etc - to those five shapes.

But a shape like D major, x00232 on the guitar, gives you x002 on the bass. That means it's not much of a 'shape' :)

I'm personally not a big fan of CAGED. While it's useful to break the fretboard down into chunks for learning, and CAGED is one way to do that, any method that relies on a set of patterns instead of the underlying notes misses a whole lot of possibilities. But your mileage may vary.

Sure - CAGED is based on the idea that there are five open major chords on the guitar (C, A, G, E and D). It then relates everything - scale fingerings, arpeggios, chord extensions, etc - to those five shapes.

But a shape like D major, x00232 on the guitar, gives you x002 on the bass. That means it's not much of a 'shape' :)

I'm personally not a big fan of CAGED. While it's useful to break the fretboard down into chunks for learning, and CAGED is one way to do that, any method that relies on a set of patterns instead of the underlying notes misses a whole lot of possibilities. But your mileage may vary.
well one big thing im having a hard time finding material on is how guitar and bass work together. say you play a e major chord on guitar, you can play e major on bass the same time? i want to know how to play instruments together, if that makes sense.

You usually don't play chords on bass... I mean you usually don't play all the notes in the chord simultaneously. Usually it doesn't sound good. You can watch some videos where it is made, you will see they usually play in the highest notes. Sometimes you only play intervals. It is common to play tenths (you could consider it is a third one octave higher), usually you only play the first and fourth strings.

When you play chords on bass, you usually play arpeggios, you play the notes in the chord sequentially. You can start with the root or you can start with a different note (you are playing an inversion). Practicing arpeggios must be in your daily practice... probably in every instrument but it is very important on bass.

When the rest of the band is playing E major, the bass can play an E (when in doubt, play the root), G# (the third), B (the fifth) or another note that sounds good. For example, you could play D# and you would be adding the seventh, the final result is an E major seventh chord.

But the bass could also play a riff based on a scale (or several scales) that sound good in that song or even you could use a chromatic approach in a walking bass line and use all the twelve notes.

Try to listen the bass part in your favorite songs. How does it sound? Is the bass player playing the root, a repetitive riff or arpeggios?

makes sense. that's what i meant when i said chords on bass. if i learn the 5 open chords on guitar can i learn the same chords on bass in arpeggio form?

Yes, you can. But as NoteBoat said, the CAGED system is based on "shapes". I am not sure if it will help on bass, I have not experience on CAGED for bass and I am not a big fan of it for guitar neither.

On bass, the fourth is always in the same fret of the next string ("next" is the higher string), the fifth is two frets higher than the fourth and the major third is one frets lower (or two frets if you need the minor third). Find the root and you will get the arpeggio.

And the same for scales.

Try to find the notes. The patterns can help at the beginning but to know the notes is better in the long run.

thanks you so much guys the help is so appreciated!!! i would play all night, only if my fingers wernt so sore :cry:

Here are some useful shapes to play for the various intervals on a 4-string bass.

The most important notes when playing with a major chord (or maj7) are the root, 3rd, 5th, 6th and 2nd, roughly in that order. The 7th and b7 are useful, but alter the character of the chord markedly, so utilise with care. Many other notes can be used in passing as long as they are brief.

Major chord with 4th string root:
-|---|-2-|---|-3-|---|---|-
-|---|-6-|---|-7-|-8-|---|-
-|---|-3-|---|---|-5-|---|-
-|---|-7-|-R-|---|-2-|---|-

Major chord with 3rd string root:
-|---|-6-|---|-7-|-8-|---|-
-|-2-|-3-|-4-|---|-5-|---|-
-|---|---|-R-|---|-2-|---|-
-|-4-|---|-5-|---|-6-|---|-

The most important notes for a minor chord (m, m7 or m6) are the root, minor r3rd (b3), 5th and minor 7th (b7). The 6 and b6 may occasionally be utilised with care, but I left them off the chart. Many other notes can be used in passing as long as they are brief.

Minor chord with 4th string root:
-|---|-2-|-b3|---|-4-|---|-
-|---|---|-b7|---|-8-|---|-
-|-b3|---|-4-|---|-5-|---|-
-|-b7|---|-R-|---|-2-|-b3|-
Minor chord with 3rd string root:
-|---|---|-b7|---|-8-|---|-
-|-b3|---|-4-|---|-5-|---|-
-|-b7|---|-R-|---|-2-|---|-
-|---|---|-5-|---|---|---|-

The most important notes for a dominant chord (7) are the root, 3rd, dom7 (b7) and 5th. Because the nature and purpose of dominant chords is tension and dissonance, other, perhaps jarring, notes can be used more freely with them than with major and minor chords, but again, take care.

Dominant chord with 4th string root:
-|---|-2-|---|-3-|-4-|---|-
-|---|-6-|-b7|---|-8-|---|-
-|---|-3-|-4-|---|-5-|---|-
-|-b7|---|-R-|---|-2-|---|-

Dominant chord with 3rd string root:
-|---|---|-b7|---|-8-|---|-
-|---|-3-|-4-|---|-5-|---|-
-|-b7|---|-R-|---|-2-|---|-
-|-4-|---|-5-|---|---|---|-

I hope this helps a bit.

thanks you so much guys the help is so appreciated!!! i would play all night, only if my fingers wernt so sore :cry:
You are welcome!

Don't worry about the fingers, it is normal if you started now. You will develop a wonderful calluses in a few weeks.

Here are some useful shapes to play for the various intervals on a 4-string bass.

The most important notes when playing with a major chord (or maj7) are the root, 3rd, 5th, 6th and 2nd, roughly in that order. The 7th and b7 are useful, but alter the character of the chord markedly, so utilise with care. Many other notes can be used in passing as long as they are brief.

Major chord with 4th string root:
-|---|-2-|---|-3-|---|---|-
-|---|-6-|---|-7-|-8-|---|-
-|---|-3-|---|---|-5-|---|-
-|---|-7-|-R-|---|-2-|---|-

Major chord with 3rd string root:
-|---|-6-|---|-7-|-8-|---|-
-|-2-|-3-|-4-|---|-5-|---|-
-|---|---|-R-|---|-2-|---|-
-|-4-|---|-5-|---|-6-|---|-

The most important notes for a minor chord (m, m7 or m6) are the root, minor r3rd (b3), 5th and minor 7th (b7). The 6 and b6 may occasionally be utilised with care, but I left them off the chart. Many other notes can be used in passing as long as they are brief.

Minor chord with 4th string root:
-|---|-2-|-b3|---|-4-|---|-
-|---|---|-b7|---|-8-|---|-
-|-b3|---|-4-|---|-5-|---|-
-|-b7|---|-R-|---|-2-|-b3|-
Minor chord with 3rd string root:
-|---|---|-b7|---|-8-|---|-
-|-b3|---|-4-|---|-5-|---|-
-|-b7|---|-R-|---|-2-|---|-
-|---|---|-5-|---|---|---|-

The most important notes for a dominant chord (7) are the root, 3rd, dom7 (b7) and 5th. Because the nature and purpose of dominant chords is tension and dissonance, other, perhaps jarring, notes can be used more freely with them than with major and minor chords, but again, take care.

Dominant chord with 4th string root:
-|---|-2-|---|-3-|-4-|---|-
-|---|-6-|-b7|---|-8-|---|-
-|---|-3-|-4-|---|-5-|---|-
-|-b7|---|-R-|---|-2-|---|-

Dominant chord with 3rd string root:
-|---|---|-b7|---|-8-|---|-
-|---|-3-|-4-|---|-5-|---|-
-|-b7|---|-R-|---|-2-|---|-
-|-4-|---|-5-|---|---|---|-

I hope this helps a bit.

wow thanks so much!!!! i love it

thanks you so much guys the help is so appreciated!!! i would play all night, only if my fingers wernt so sore :cry:
You are welcome!

Don't worry about the fingers, it is normal if you started now. You will develop a wonderful calluses in a few weeks.
ive been playing for 2 years now just never enough to develop the awesome calluses. things get serious now!!