How to Use Chords on Bass Guitar (E Major Lesson)
Most bass players spend years focusing on single-note lines—and rightly so. That’s the role of the instrument in most band settings. We’re there to support the harmony, lock in with the drums, and provide a solid foundation.
But there’s another side to bass playing that often gets overlooked: chordal playing.
In this lesson, I’ll show you how to use chords on bass in a musical, expressive way using the key of E Major, along with a simple but powerful concept - a drone/pedal note.
This is a lovely thing to practise and it's also useful for writing music.
Scroll down for the free PDF with all the shapes.
E Major Bass Guitar Chord Voicings
Why Play Chords on Bass?
Let’s be honest—you’re probably not going to play full chords in a band situation very often.
Low frequencies can get muddy quickly, and stacking notes down there doesn’t always serve the music. That’s why most great bass lines stick to single notes, octaves, and occasional double stops.
But practicing chords on bass is incredibly valuable.
Here’s what it develops:
- Fretboard knowledge – You start seeing shapes instead of isolated notes
- Music theory understanding – You connect chords, scales, and harmony in a practical way
- Technique – Your fretting hand strength, control, and accuracy improve
- Creativity – You move beyond “root note playing” and start thinking musically
- Musicality – You hear how harmony moves, not just individual notes
It’s one of the fastest ways to level up your overall playing—even if you never use full chords live.
The Concept: E Drone + Chord Voicings
For this lesson, we’ll keep things simple but powerful.
We’ll use:
- An open E string as a constant drone (or pedal note)
- Chord voicings taken from the key of E Major
That open E gives you a rich, resonant foundation while you explore harmony on the higher strings.
It also creates that beautiful, atmospheric sound that makes this style so enjoyable to play.
The Chords in E Major
Let’s quickly outline the diatonic chords in the key of E Major:
- E Major (I)
- F# minor (ii)
- G# minor (iii)
- A Major (IV)
- B Major (V)
- C# minor (vi)
- D# diminished (vii°)
In this lesson, we’ll be working with all of these except the vii chord (D# diminished).
The diminished chord is less stable and doesn’t lend itself as nicely to this kind of open, ringing chordal playing—so we’ll leave it out and focus on the more usable, musical shapes.
What You’ll Get From This
By combining:
- A drone note (open E)
- With chord shapes from E Major
- And scale-based note choices for movement
…you can create rich, expressive, almost ambient bass parts that sound far more advanced than they actually are.
More importantly, you’ll start to:
- Hear harmony differently
- Visualise the fretboard in a more connected way
- And develop a more musical approach to improvisation
In the lesson, I used some ambient effects (Waves CLA Guitar plugin plus SoundToys Crystallizer). Using effects can make practice time more inspiring.
Want to Take This Further?
If you enjoy this kind of approach—connecting chords, scales, and fretboard knowledge—this is exactly what I go deep into in my course: Music Theory For Bass Players
