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These diagrams map chords on a four-string bass in standard E–A–D–G tuning, from the lowest string to the highest. Bass players often imply harmony with a root and one or two chord tones rather than strumming a dense guitar-style grip. Each tile therefore works as both a compact chord shape and an arpeggio map. Open its detail page to see alternate positions, note names and the sound of the voicing.
Read the strings from E on the left to G on the right. A 0 means an open string, x means leave the string silent, and a number marks the fret. If a full voicing sits too low and sounds muddy, play its notes one at a time or move the same chord tones higher on the neck. The root identifies the harmony; the third tells major from minor; the seventh adds colour and direction.
Learn the roots and chord tones of these common harmonies before adding extensions:
Play the roots of C–G–Am–F first, then outline each chord with root–third–fifth. Repeat the same exercise over G–D–Em–C and A–D–E–A to learn how familiar progressions move around the neck. For a blues sound, practise A7–D7–E7 and connect the roots with fifths or chromatic approach notes. Keep notes short enough to separate the harmony clearly, and compare the linked positions to avoid unnecessary jumps between chords.