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Welcome to the Rockschool Bass Technical Handbook
In this book you will find printed in full all the scales and arpeggios needed to complete the Technical Exercises section of
Rockschools Bass grade exams.
This book should be read in conjunction with the relevant grade books (DebutGrade8) published by Rockschool and the
Syllabus Guide for Bass. The Syllabus Guide can be downloaded for free from our website: www.rockschool.co.uk.
In the Rockschool grade exam system, the Technical Exercises form the core of each grade. Mastering them gives players a
valuable insight not only into the types of scales and arpeggios needed for any improvisational work they may be required to
do, but also into the other types of unseen tests they will encounter in the exam, such as the Sight Reading, Improvisation &
Interpretation and Ear Tests, and at Grade6 or higher, the Quick Study Piece.
This book is divided and ordered by grade, starting with Debut and then progressing from Grade1 to Grade8. Its many
features include the following:
At the start of the book we have included some Frequently Asked Questions which we hope will cover the enquiry
topics most commonly sent in to the Rockschool office by teachers and learners.
A grade-by-grade ordering of technical material showing all the keys, starting notes and fingering patterns for the
scales and arpeggios needed to complete the exam.
Each section is introduced by a page which summarises the content found in each grade. These pages show whats new
grade-by-grade as well as showing, at a glance, the technical work required for each grade.
At Grades68 the Technical Exercises conclude with a Stylistic Study. Candidates may choose one of the three Studies
to perform in the exam. Please note that the choice of style in the Study will dictate the style of the Quick Study Piece.
We hope you find this book useful and that it will inspire you to approach the Technical Exercises in our exams without fear.
To make best use of it, you will need a bass in standard tuning and either a physical or a virtual metronome which can be
downloaded as a phone app for very little cost.
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Technical Work
Grade 3
Tempo q = 90
Scales | Major G, A & B
Scales | Natural Minor G, A & B
Scales | Minor Pentatonic G, A & B
Scales | Major Pentatonic G, A & B
Scales | Blues G, A & B
Arpeggios | Major G, A & B
Arpeggios | Minor G, A & B
Arpeggios | Dominant
7
G, A & B
Rif Eight bars @ q = 90
G
rade 3 adds the blues scale to
the four scale types in Grade 2.
A third arpeggio type (dominant
7
) is
added to the major and minor arpeggios
found in previous grades. Te scale and
arpeggios are required in three keys. Te
rif exercise follows the same format as
Grade2, but the tempo is increased to
q = 90 and uses more eighth notes.
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Grade 3 Technical Exercises
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Group A: Scales | Major scales
1. G major scale
2. A major scale
3. B major scale
?
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A
B
#















3 5
2 3 5
2 4 5 4 2
5 3 2
5 3
?
T
A
B
#
#
#















5 7
4 5 7
4 6 7 6 4
7 5 4
7 5
?
T
A
B
#
#
#
#
#















2 4
1 2 4
1 3 4 3 1
4 2 1
4 2
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Technical Work
G
rade 8 features three new scale
types (whole tone, diminished
and altered) in two fngerings from
four starting notes. Te natural minor
is required over two octaves in one key.
Four new arpeggio types (dominant
7
#
5
,
dominant
7
b
5
, dominant
7
#
9
and
dominant
7
b
9
) are required from two
starting notes. Te three chord types
found in Grade 7 remain the same, but
use diferent fngerings. Te Stylistic
Studies follow the same procedure as
previous grades.
Grade 8
Tempo q = 100 (q q played)
Scales | Whole Tone F
#
/G
b
, G, G
#
/A
b
, & C
#
/D
b
Scales | Diminished F
#
/G
b
, G, G
#
/A
b
, & C
#
/D
b
Scales | Altered F
#
/G
b
, G, G
#
/A
b
, & C
#
/D
b
Scales | Natural Minor G
Arpeggios | Dominant
7
#
5
D & G
Arpeggios | Dominant
7
b
5
D & G
Arpeggios | Dominant
7
#
9
D & G
Arpeggios | Dominant
7
b
9
D & G
Chords | Dominant
7
F
#
/G
b
, G, G
#
/A
b
, & C
#
/D
b
Chords | Minor
7
F
#
/G
b
, G, G
#
/A
b
, & C
#
/D
b
Chords | Major
7
F
#
/G
b
, G, G
#
/A
b
, & C
#
/D
b
Stylistic Studies
Rock/Metal
Funk
Jazz/Latin/Blues
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Group A: Scales | Whole tone scales
1. F
#
whole tone scale
2. G whole tone scale
?
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A
B
#
#
#



#






14
11 13 15
12 14
11
14 12
15 13 11
14
?
T
A
B

#
#








3
0 2 4
1 3
0
3 1
4 2 0
3
?
T
A
B
#
#
#



#






2 4 6
3 5
2 4 2
5 3
6 4 2
?
T
A
B

#
#








3 5 7
4 6
3 5 3
6 4
7 5 3
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3. Jazz/Latin/Blues: uptempo fingerstyle technique and walking basslines CD Tracks 23 & 24
?
T
A
B
4
4
.
.
.
.

b



b

3
1 3 4 3
G
7
C
7

q =160 Uptempo Blues

b




3 1 3 1
1 3
G
7


#

3 0 1 1 2 3

#

5
0
2
1
3
2 3
?
T
A
B
.
.
.
.

b



b

[5]
3
1 3 4 3
G
7
C
7


b




3 1 3 1
1 3
1.

b
3

b
3
5 3
5 4
N.C.
3

b


#

3 1
3 0 1 2 3
?
T
A
B
2.

3
b

b n
3
#

[9]
3
1 3 4 5
3 4 5
N.C.
b

3 3
5

b n

3
0 1 2 3
C
7
G
7

b
b

1 0
4 3
G
7
?
T
A
B


b

[13]
3
0 1 3

b

b

5
6 5
4 3
Dm
7
G
7

b

0 3
1 3
C
7


#

3
0 1 2 3
G
7
?
T
A
B


#
[17]
3 0 1 2

#



2
2 0 3
0
Bm
7
E
7

#

2 3 4 5
Am
7

#
0 1 2
D
7
?
T
A
B

b
[21]
3
3 2
1
G
7
E
7

b
b

0
7 6
4 3
A
7
A
b7
C

b



b n
3
1 3 4 5




#

4 5
3 3
5
4 5
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