Bass Chords: An Online Reference – Open Position & Movable Chord Shapes For Bass Guitar, With Diagrams & Information

A complete guide to bass chords – open position and movable chord shapes and how to play them.

Most of the time, bass guitarists stick to playing single-note lines. This ‘traditional’ approach has evolved for a reason; it’s all too easy to overload the low end of a song with a wall of bass sound. Oftentimes a more spartan approach is more effective.

That said, in certain situations playing bass chords will allow you to create new textures and interesting effects. You may want to fill out the bass part of a song, to create an intro, or to achieve a ‘bigger’ sound if you play in a small group.

Even if you don’t actually play bass chords, knowing their shapes can help you write new bass lines. By fingering the chords and playing the notes separately instead of strumming them you can make arpeggiated bass lines. Move the patterns up and down the fretboard to create riffs that could form the basis of a new song.

Knowledge of how chords are formed will also benefit your understanding of music, and improve your songwriting, composition and improvisation.

On this page you’ll find a selection of common bass chords that you can learn and use in your own bass parts…

Page Index: Use The Links Below To Jump Straight To The Chord You Need!

• Bass Chords
• Open Position Bass Chords
• Open Position Major Chords For Bass Guitar
• Open Position Minor Chords For Bass Guitar
• Open Position Dominant 7th Chords For Bass Guitar
• Open Position Minor 7th Chords For Bass Guitar
• Movable Bass Chords
• Movable Major Chord Shapes For Bass Guitar
• Movable Minor Chord Shapes For Bass Guitar
• Movable Dominant 7 Shapes For Bass Guitar
• Movable Minor 7 Shapes For Bass Guitar
• Major 7th Chord Shape For Bass Guitar
• Bass Power Chords
• Bass Diminished Chord Shape
• Bass Augmented Chord Shape
• Bass Chord Playing Tips

• Want this information at your fingertips? Check out our printable Bass Scales, Chords & Arpeggios book. Download your copy today!
• If you’re unclear on some of the technical terms on this page, take a look at our Guitar Chord Theory pages.

Bass Chords

Open Position Bass Chords

Open position chords are played in the first three or four frets, near the nut (the grooved ridge that separates the fretboard from the headstock).

They are usually easier to play than movable chords (covered further down the page) and the open strings give them a bright, ringing sound.

Try out all of the following chords on your own bass guitar so you can begin to hear the differences between the chords.

Open Position Major Chords For Bass Guitar

Major chords consist of the root, major third and perfect fifth notes. They produce a ‘cheerful’, open sound.

Open Position Minor Chords For Bass Guitar

Minor chords contain the root, minor third and perfect fifth notes. They produce a ‘sad’ sound.

Open Position Dominant 7th Chords For Bass Guitar

Dominant 7th chords produce an ‘expectant’ sound, and often resolve to the tonic chord. (See our guitar chord theory pages for an explanation.)

Open Position Minor 7th Chords For Bass Guitar

Minor 7th chords have an ‘open’, rather ambiguous sound. They are often used before a dominant 7th chord as the ii chord in a ii V I progression.

Movable Bass Chords

This is where things start to get interesting …

Movable bass chords shapes can be moved up and down the neck of the instrument to play chords with different root notes.

For example, the same major chord shape can be used at one position to play an A major chord, and at another to play a C major chord.

On the following chord shapes, the root note is represented by a white circle. This should be positioned over the desired root note on the fretboard.

Want to know more bass chords, scales and arpeggios? Check out our ‘Bass Guitar Scales, Chords & Arpeggios‘ book. It gives you the tools you need to create awesome bass lines and solos.

Movable Major Chord Shapes For Bass Guitar

Movable Minor Chord Shapes For Bass Guitar

Movable Dominant 7 Shapes For Bass Guitar

Movable Minor 7 Shapes For Bass Guitar

Major 7th Chord Shape For Bass Guitar

Bass Power Chords

Bass Diminished Chord Shape

Bass Augmented Chord Shape

Bass Chord Playing Tips

Because frets get narrower the further up the fretboard you go, some movable chords are easier to play in higher positions.

Playing chords can be quite a strain at first, so take things slowly: it will get easier.

Bass chords can be played either with a pick or with the fingers. They can be strummed, or the notes in the chord can be played individually to create riffs and bass lines.

Read These Pages Next:

• Visit our comprehensive bass scales page here: Bass Scales.
• Check out our range of Bass Backing Tracks.