Original practice exercise by Basnote
Blues Shuffle Bass Line
An original 108 BPM bass exercise in C blues: read the TAB, check the chords bar by bar, and download it as MIDI.
- Key
- C blues
- Tempo
- 108 BPM
- Feel
- On the beat
- Style
- Blues
- Length
- 4 bars, 4/4
An original exercise written for Basnote’s Riff Lab: a stylised practice pattern in the spirit of the genre, not a transcription of any recording.
About this bass line
What it trains. This is the 1–3–5–6 boogie figure, played as steady quarter notes at 108 BPM over C7 – F7 – C7 – G7. The sixth adds the familiar boogie colour, and on the F7 and G7 bars the line turns around: fifth, third, root, then a half-step lead into the next chord.
How to practise it. Start slowly and give every note the same length and weight, and let the drums supply the shuffle. Once the pattern is steady, listen to how the last note of each bar leans into the next root.
A common mistake. Rushing the walk-down bars. Keep the quarter notes even and make the lead-in note no louder than the rest.
Bass TAB (standard 4-string, E A D G)
Blues shuffle · As written
Key C · 108 BPM · Tuning EADG
h hammer-on · / slide · > accent · (x) ghost note
C7
1 e & a 2 e & a 3 e & a 4 e & a
G |----------------------------------------------------------------|
D |----------------2---------------5---------------7---------------|
A |>3--------------------------------------------------------------|
E |----------------------------------------------------------------|
F7
1 e & a 2 e & a 3 e & a 4 e & a
G |----------------------------------------------------------------|
D |>10-------------7---------------3-------------------------------|
A |------------------------------------------------/2--------------|
E |----------------------------------------------------------------|
C7
1 e & a 2 e & a 3 e & a 4 e & a
G |----------------------------------------------------------------|
D |----------------2---------------5---------------7---------------|
A |>3--------------------------------------------------------------|
E |----------------------------------------------------------------|
G7
1 e & a 2 e & a 3 e & a 4 e & a
G |>7--------------4-----------------------------------------------|
D |--------------------------------5-------------------------------|
A |------------------------------------------------/2--------------|
E |----------------------------------------------------------------|One bar per block, one column per sixteenth note, counted 1 e & a. Frets show one playable fingering that Basnote picks for a compact hand position; the same pitches can be played elsewhere on the neck. The line sits in Riff Lab’s register, which for some keys is an octave higher than a bassist would usually play it; drop it an octave if it feels high. On a narrow screen the TAB scrolls sideways.
Chords and bass notes, bar by bar
| Bar | Chord | Numeral | Bass notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | C7 | I7 |
|
| 2 | F7 | IV7 |
|
| 3 | C7 | I7 |
|
| 4 | G7 | V7 |
|
Each note shows its name, where it falls in the bar (1 e & a counting) and its role in the chord.
Download the MIDI
Each file is a Standard MIDI file (format 1) with these tracks: bass, guitar riff, guitar comping, piano and drums. The six variations rework the bass line and its backing; key and tempo stay the same.
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As writtenDownload basnote-blues-shuffle-as-written-c-108bpm.mid
The reference riff exactly as designed for the style.
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FoundationDownload basnote-blues-shuffle-foundation-c-108bpm.mid
Off-beats removed and roots on the strong beats: the learnable skeleton.
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PocketDownload basnote-blues-shuffle-pocket-c-108bpm.mid
Ghost notes and a pickup into every chord change, aiming at the groove sweet spot.
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DrivenDownload basnote-blues-shuffle-driven-c-108bpm.mid
Doubled subdivision for a busier, past-the-peak version to practise against.
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Half-timeDownload basnote-blues-shuffle-half-time-c-108bpm.mid
Stretched to a half-time feel with long low notes holding the pulse.
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Octave liftDownload basnote-blues-shuffle-octave-lift-c-108bpm.mid
The back half jumps an octave, turning the riff into a melodic line.