Chords as “Stacks of Intervals”
A chord is built by stacking intervals above a root. For bass players, this matters because your note choice can either lock the harmony in place (clear, stable) or push it into tension (color, movement). In this chapter we’ll focus on triads: three-note chords made of the root plus two stacked thirds, which also create a fifth above the root.
Think of a triad as: Root + (some kind of 3rd) + (some kind of 5th). Your job is often to outline that sound with arpeggios (one note at a time) and grooves that emphasize chord tones.
Practical bass priorities inside any triad
- Root (R): the strongest “home base.” If you’re unsure, play the root on strong beats.
- Fifth (5): the safest supporting tone; it reinforces the chord without changing its quality.
- Third (3 or b3): the “identity note” that tells major vs minor. Use it intentionally.
- Altered fifth (b5 or #5): adds tension or brightness; use as a color or to lead somewhere.
How to Read the Examples
All examples are written as arpeggios and short grooves, not strummed shapes. To keep things consistent, we’ll use C as the root and place it at 3rd fret on the A string. You can move the same fretboard pattern to any root note.
Note names used: C (root), E (3), Eb (b3), G (5), Gb (b5), G# (#5).
| Chord quality | Interval recipe | Chord tones in C |
|---|---|---|
| Major | R–3–5 | C–E–G |
| Minor | R–b3–5 | C–Eb–G |
| Diminished | R–b3–b5 | C–Eb–Gb |
| Augmented | R–3–#5 | C–E–G# |
1) Major Triad (R–3–5)
Definition (sound and feel)
Major sounds stable, open, bright. On bass, major is usually best outlined with root and fifth as anchors, with the major third used to clearly state the harmony (especially if the song’s mood depends on it).
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Interval recipe
R–3–5
Bass arpeggio pattern (C major: C–E–G)
Fretboard locations (one practical position):
- C (R): A string, 3rd fret
- E (3): D string, 2nd fret
- G (5): D string, 5th fret
- C (octave): G string, 5th fret (optional)
C major arpeggio (ascending then descending) 4/4 | 1 bar each direction|A|----------------|----------------|D|----2--5--------|----5--2--------|A|-3--------3-----|-3--------3-----|E|----------------|----------------| C E G C C G E CTwo-bar groove (mostly chord tones)
Goal: keep it solid with root/fifth, then “label” major with the 3rd.
Two-bar groove: C major (R–3–5) 4/4|A|----------------|----------------|D|------5-----2---|------5---------|A|-3--3---3-3---3-|--3-3---3--3-3--|E|----------------|----------------| R R 5 3 R R R 5 R 5Step-by-step practice: (1) Loop just the roots on beat 1. (2) Add fifths on beat 3. (3) Add the third on an off-beat (like the “& of 3”) to hear the major color without destabilizing the groove.
2) Minor Triad (R–b3–5)
Definition (sound and feel)
Minor sounds darker, more introspective. The bass choice that makes it unmistakably minor is the flat third (b3). If you avoid the b3 completely, your line may sound harmonically “neutral” (just root/fifth) and the minor quality may be left to other instruments.
Interval recipe
R–b3–5
Bass arpeggio pattern (C minor: C–Eb–G)
Fretboard locations:
- C (R): A string, 3rd fret
- Eb (b3): D string, 1st fret
- G (5): D string, 5th fret
- C (octave): G string, 5th fret (optional)
C minor arpeggio (ascending then descending) 4/4|A|----------------|----------------|D|----1--5--------|----5--1--------|A|-3--------3-----|-3--------3-----|E|----------------|----------------| C Eb G C C G Eb CTwo-bar groove (mostly chord tones)
Goal: use root and fifth as anchors, then place b3 where it’s clearly heard.
Two-bar groove: C minor (R–b3–5) 4/4|A|----------------|----------------|D|------5-----1---|------5-----1---|A|-3--3---3-3---3-|--3-3---3-3---3-|E|----------------|----------------| R R 5 b3 R R R 5 b3 RStep-by-step practice: (1) Play only R and 5 for two bars. (2) Add b3 on beat 4. (3) Move b3 to the “& of 2” and notice how the minor color becomes more active without changing the chord.
3) Diminished Triad (R–b3–b5)
Definition (sound and feel)
Diminished sounds tense, unstable, “wants to move”. The key color is the flat five (b5), which creates strong tension. As a bass player, treat b5 as a spice: it’s powerful, so use it as a passing tone, a pickup, or a deliberate accent—especially if the harmony is clearly diminished.
Interval recipe
R–b3–b5
Bass arpeggio pattern (C diminished: C–Eb–Gb)
Fretboard locations:
- C (R): A string, 3rd fret
- Eb (b3): D string, 1st fret
- Gb (b5): D string, 4th fret
- C (octave): G string, 5th fret (optional)
C diminished arpeggio (ascending then descending) 4/4|A|----------------|----------------|D|----1--4--------|----4--1--------|A|-3--------3-----|-3--------3-----|E|----------------|----------------| C Eb Gb C C Gb Eb CTwo-bar groove (mostly chord tones)
Goal: keep the root strong, and use b5 as a clear tension note (often on a weaker beat or as a lead-in).
Two-bar groove: C diminished (R–b3–b5) 4/4|A|----------------|----------------|D|------4-----1---|------4---------|A|-3--3---3-3---3-|--3-3---3--3-3--|E|----------------|----------------| R R b5 b3 R R R b5 R b5Step-by-step practice: (1) Loop only R for one minute. (2) Add b3 occasionally to establish “minor-ish” color. (3) Add b5 briefly (one eighth note) and listen to how it immediately creates pull and instability.
4) Augmented Triad (R–3–#5)
Definition (sound and feel)
Augmented sounds bright, tense, “floating”. The #5 has a strong color that can feel like it’s pushing upward. On bass, you can still anchor with the root, but the #5 is usually best used as a feature note or a leading tone into the next chord.
Interval recipe
R–3–#5
Bass arpeggio pattern (C augmented: C–E–G#)
Fretboard locations:
- C (R): A string, 3rd fret
- E (3): D string, 2nd fret
- G# (#5): D string, 6th fret
- C (octave): G string, 5th fret (optional)
C augmented arpeggio (ascending then descending) 4/4|A|----------------|----------------|D|----2--6--------|----6--2--------|A|-3--------3-----|-3--------3-----|E|----------------|----------------| C E G# C C G# E CTwo-bar groove (mostly chord tones)
Goal: state major with the 3rd, then use #5 as the “special” color.
Two-bar groove: C augmented (R–3–#5) 4/4|A|----------------|----------------|D|------6-----2---|------6-----2---|A|-3--3---3-3---3-|--3-3---3-3---3-|E|----------------|----------------| R R #5 3 R R R #5 3 RStep-by-step practice: (1) Play R and 5 (use G at D string 5th fret) for a bar to feel “normal.” (2) Replace 5 with #5 (G#) and hear the immediate change. (3) Alternate 5 and #5 in the same groove to train your ear for the augmented color.
Bass Note Choices: What Each Chord Quality Implies
| Quality | Safest anchors | Identity note | Tension note | Practical bass approach |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Major (R–3–5) | R, 5 | 3 | (none in triad) | Use R/5 for stability; add 3 to clearly label “major.” |
| Minor (R–b3–5) | R, 5 | b3 | (none in triad) | R/5 works, but b3 is what makes it sound minor—place it where it’s heard. |
| Diminished (R–b3–b5) | R (careful with b5) | b3 | b5 | Keep R strong; use b5 as controlled tension, often as a passing or accent note. |
| Augmented (R–3–#5) | R | 3 | #5 | State major with 3; use #5 deliberately as color or to lead into the next chord. |
One Moveable “Triad Arpeggio Zone” to Drill Daily
Use this as a daily drill: pick a root on the A string, then locate the 3/b3 and 5/b5/#5 on the D string nearby. Play R–(3 or b3)–(5 variant)–R slowly, then turn it into a groove.
- Start safe: R and 5 on strong beats.
- Add identity: 3 (major) or b3 (minor) on a clear beat.
- Add tension: b5 (diminished) or #5 (augmented) briefly, then resolve back to R.
