Bass Gym: Build Funky E7 Bass Lines With Chromatics, Arpeggios, and Groove

This exercise began life as a warm-up idea. As usual, I was experimenting with variations on the E7 chord. You know the drill: a mix of pentatonics, chromatics, the Mixolydian scale, and arpeggios. Playing with different phrases, working on chromatic passing tones, and discovering new licks for your funky vocabulary is so satisfying.

Turning an E7 Warm-Up Into a Funk Groove

My creative process starts with a spark. Most of the time, it’s a rhythmic idea developed from three or four notes, then expanded into something more complex. I like to work with limited resources, so I decide at the beginning whether to focus on harmony, such as a simple E7 chord, or on tonal material, such as a pentatonic scale, an arpeggio, or whatever I’m practicing at the moment.

Then I like to feel the tempo, because that sets the vibe of the groove. I think most bass players naturally play funk bass lines when given the freedom to express themselves. If you’re a rocker or metalhead, you’ll start banging out riffs. Jazz players will play cool-sounding licks. Everyone has different influences, backgrounds, technique levels, and experiences. All of these factors influence the way you jam or simply become spontaneous in your musical process. It’s beautiful, and I love it!

Download the transcription and follow along with the video below.

Chromatics, Arpeggios, and Left-Hand Coordination

“Mix It Up” — I like to give grooves names to elevate them to song status — starts with an opening lick that combines a chromatic approach with an E7 arpeggio: E, G♯, B, and D. From there, it moves into a funky sixteenth-note bass line in the style of Rocco Prestia.

Notice the second half of bars 6, 8, 10, and 12. This is the initial idea of the groove, and it utilizes all four fingers while requiring smooth coordination in the left hand.

In the final bar, you end the groove with a resolute double stop, emphasizing the funky E7 sound.