C Half-diminished Bass Arpeggio
Bass arpeggio — fretboard diagram
C Half-diminished Arpeggio — Notes and Intervals
Notes: C, Eb, Gb, Bb
Intervals: 1P, 3m, 5d, 7m
Formula: WH-WH-2W
Number of notes: 4
Also known as: m7b5, ø, -7b5, h7, h
The C Half-diminished arpeggio contains 4 notes (C, Eb, Gb, Bb). Use the interactive fretboard above to explore this arpeggio on Bass with different tunings and fret ranges.
When to Use the C Half-diminished Arpeggio
Play the C Half-diminished arpeggio whenever a C Half-diminished chord appears in a progression. Unlike scales (which include passing tones), arpeggios guarantee every note you play IS a chord tone, making your solo sound harmonically precise and intentional.
Arpeggio vs. Scale
The C Half-diminished arpeggio uses 4 notes (C, Eb, Gb, Bb) while the full scale uses 7. The arpeggio is a subset — think of it as the skeleton of the scale. Practice alternating between the arpeggio and the full scale to develop a melodic vocabulary that mixes chord tones with passing tones.
How to Play C Half-diminished Arpeggio on Bass
On bass, locate C on the A string at fret 3. Span the 4 notes (C, Eb, Gb, Bb) across two to three strings using one finger per fret. Focus on even tone production between plucked strings and smooth position shifts.
The C Half-diminished arpeggio creates a tense, unstable sound built from minor thirds. It works over Cdim, Cdim7, Cm7b5 chords and is often used as a passing device to create dramatic tension before resolving to a stable chord.
Practice Routine
Play the C Half-diminished arpeggio as whole notes over a backing track or drone on C. Focus on intonation and tone quality for each of the 4 notes (C, Eb, Gb, Bb). After a few passes, begin improvising short melodic phrases built from these arpeggio tones, connecting them with passing notes.
Bass Tips
Practice the C Half-diminished arpeggio on bass using a raking technique across adjacent strings for a smooth, flowing sound. Then try the same shape with a two-finger alternating pluck for a more defined, punchy articulation.