Bass Guitar Cheat Sheet

Nashville Number System

I G C E D

w = key

ii

w Am Dm F#m Em -

iii Bm Em Gm F#m

h -

IV C F G# G

w -

V D G B A

w -

vi

Em Am C#m Bm -

w -

viio F#o Bo D#o C#o

h -

VIII G C E D

= octave = pentatonic scale (these will almost always sound good when played in a song in the appropriate key)

Example: Were going to play a song in the key of G. This means that the chords that will be used are G, Am, Bm, C, D, Em, and F#o. As a bassist, you can almost always play the notes G, A, C, D, and E over any part of the song and it will sound at least OK and maybe completely amazing.

Arpeggios
Definition: Arpeggios are the three notes that make up a chord. These notes are the root note, the third, and the fifth. For instance, the arpeggio for a G Major chord would be made up of the notes G, B, and D. For bass, any of these notes should sound good when played over the G Major chord in a song.

Major Arpeggio G D A E
3 1 8 5

Minor Arpeggio G D A E
1 8 5 3

The Scales

Major Scale G D A E
6 3 4 1 7 8 5 2

Minor Scale G D A E
7 4 1 8 5 2 3 6