# Blues bass lines

*Module 12 · Lesson 5: Pentatonic and blues · BazzLow*

> Build classic blues bass patterns from chord tones and the 6.

Before this lesson: [12.4 The 12-bar blues](https://bazzlow.com/en/pentatonic-and-blues/twelve-bar-blues/) · [9.2 Root, fifth and octave](https://bazzlow.com/en/building-bass-lines/root-fifth-octave/)

Blues bass lines are built from a handful of patterns that every bassist knows. They are made of the notes of the dominant 7th chord, plus one colour note.

## The ingredients

A dominant 7th chord has **1 3 5 ♭7**. Blues bass lines use these, often with the **6** as an extra colour note. These standard one-bar patterns, written as degrees of each chord, work in eighth notes or quarter notes, with a shuffle feel:

- **1 – 5 – 6 – 5**: the basic **boogie pattern**;
- **1 – 5 – 6 – ♭7**;
- **1 – 3 – 5 – 6 – ♭7 – 6 – 5 – 3**: the full boogie line over one bar of eighths.

> **Diagram:** The pattern 1–3–5–6–♭7–6–5–3 from A (fret 5 on the E string): A (1), C♯ (3, A string fret 4), E (5, fret 7), F♯ (6, D string fret 4), G (♭7, fret 5), then back down 6, 5, 3.

Each pattern is a **shape**: play it from the root of I7, then the same shape from IV7 and V7 (lesson 4.3).

## A whole chorus

Here is one 12-bar chorus in A with the 1–5–6–5 pattern on each chord.

> **Diagram:** A 12-bar blues in A, one bar of the pattern 1–5–6–5 on each chord, with the chord symbols under the first note of each bar: A: A E F♯ E; D: D A B A; E: E B C♯ B.

In bar 12, use a **turnaround**: for example a walk-up or a chromatic approach into the root of I (lesson 9.4). These are generic patterns from the blues tradition; the lines here are original.

## Try it

Play the chorus above with a shuffle feel at 90 BPM. Then replace the pattern with 1–3–5–6–♭7–6–5–3 where a chord lasts a full bar.

## New terms

- boogie pattern
- blues bass line

Page: https://bazzlow.com/en/pentatonic-and-blues/blues-bass-lines/