Bass chord companion
Learn the C Half-Diminished chord on bass with chord tones, intervals, playable arpeggios, and fretboard maps.
Play these tones one at a time to outline the chord. The maps show the complete formula; the numbered exercises give an ascending path, including extensions in their written octave.
Standard four-string bass: E1 – A1 – D2 – G2. String 4 is low E; string 1 is high G. Fingers 1–4 are index through little finger; 0 is open. Use comfortable hand positions and shift where indicated.
C Half-Diminished complete chord-tone map around string 4, fret 8. Choose individual tones for a bass line.
Follow steps 1–4 below. Keep one hand position.
| Step | Degree | Note | String / fret | Finger | Position |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | 1 | C2 | 4 / 8 | 3 | Fret 6 |
| 2 | b3 | Eb2 | 3 / 6 | 1 | Fret 6 |
| 3 | b5 | Gb2 | 3 / 9 | 4 | Fret 6 |
| 4 | b7 | Bb2 | 2 / 8 | 3 | Fret 6 |
C Half-Diminished complete chord-tone map around string 3, fret 3. Choose individual tones for a bass line.
Follow steps 1–4 below. Keep one hand position.
| Step | Degree | Note | String / fret | Finger | Position |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | 1 | C2 | 3 / 3 | 3 | Fret 1 |
| 2 | b3 | Eb2 | 2 / 1 | 1 | Fret 1 |
| 3 | b5 | Gb2 | 2 / 4 | 4 | Fret 1 |
| 4 | b7 | Bb2 | 1 / 3 | 3 | Fret 1 |
Every C Half-Diminished Chord chord tone across the neck, with roots highlighted for quick orientation.
Frets 0–24. Select a position or tap a note to hear it.
Try these progressions to hear the harmony in context. On bass, outline each chord with individual target tones.
Half-diminished and diminished sounds often set up a dominant chord resolving to minor.
Use the tension as a connector between more stable harmony.
| Degree | Interval | Note |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Root | C |
| b3 | m3 | Eb |
| b5 | d5 | Gb |
| b7 | m7 | Bb |
1 – b3 – b5 – b7
Compound degrees retain their names: 9, 11, and 13 are extensions. A voicing may place their pitches in a closer register.