This lesson for electric bass covers an easy walking style blues bass line in the key of E. The rhythm is basic, using quarter notes and the tones of a major scale. Very easy to learn and play for the beginning bass player.
(Video Bass Lesson)
Basic Blues in E – Bass Tablature
Below is the bass tablature for the basic blues in E bass line.
Blues Bass Pattern for the E7 Chord
Here is the basic bass pattern you will play over the E7 chord. It’s made up of the root, 3rd, 5th and 6th degrees of an E major scale for all of you music theory buffs out there.
Blues Bass Pattern for the A7 Chord
The bass pattern for the A7 chord is the same shape as the one you played over the E7, but shifted a set of strings so that you start with an A note on the 3rd string open. It’s still just the root, 3rd, 5th and 6th but starting on A.
Blues Bass Pattern for the B7 Chord
The blues bass pattern for the B7 chord uses a different shape than the E7 and A7 chords. It’s the same basic note ideas (root, 3rd, 5th and 6th), but starting with your 2nd finger on the 2nd fret of the 3rd string. This pattern is also only one measure long instead of 2 measures. So you only go up and not back down like you did for the E7 and A7 chords.
The blues bass line ideas in this lesson are simple, but are important building blocks that you will expand on for more complicated bass lines.
