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Bass guitar: scales, maqamat and chords (4, 5 and 6 strings)

On this page you can learn scales and maqamat on bass guitar and play them position by position. There are three versions: 4 strings (E A D G), 5 strings (B E A D G) and 6 strings (B E A D G C).

Instrument Category Maqam / Scale Root View Position size

RootQuarter tone (half-flat ↓)Other notes (including regular flats and sharps)

Note: a regular flat (like E♭) is a semitone, so it is blue. Only a half-flat (↓, e.g. E↓ or B↓) is a quarter tone, shown in yellow. Each quarter tone is drawn inside the fret box above it, and if that box also holds a regular note, both are shown side by side. Play it by bending the string or on a fretless guitar.

Show all chord tones on the fretboard

What is on this page

Three versions: 4, 5 and 6 strings.
A recorded electric bass sound, at true pitch.
Chords (triads and seventh chords) for every degree of the scale.

All maqamat and scales are available on the selected instrument in the fretboard above.

What users and teachers say

Instrument sounds are based on open-source recorded samples (Karoryfer Samples: Black And Green Guitars and Black And Blue Basses; University of Iowa Electronic Music Studios; tonejs-instruments).

Tuner

—

— Hz

— cents

±50 cents

♭●♯

Play a string to start

Settings

Input source Instrument Mode Short beep when the pitch is accurate CalibrationHz

Input level

Diagnostics (if the tuner does not work)

Press "Run diagnostics", play a string during the test (about 3 seconds), and send me the report that appears.

Info

On a phone the tuner listens through the built-in microphone. On a computer, choose your sound card or audio interface from the "Input source" list. Automatic audio processing is turned off so the measurement stays accurate. If the metronome plays while you tune, its click may be picked up by the microphone.