Walking Bass Lines in 3/4 Time

[Fajah]

Hi Todd,

Just wondering how you would approach (develope) walking bass lines in 3/4 time. A tune example that I'm working on right now is Wes Montgomery's West Coast Blues, specifically the B section where there are allot of ii-V's decending in half steps.

Thanks in advance,

Lawrie

[Todd Johnson]

Originally Posted by Fajah

Hi Todd,

Just wondering how you would approach (develope) walking bass lines in 3/4 time. A tune example that I'm working on right now is Wes Montgomery's West Coast Blues, specifically the B section where there are allot of ii-V's decending in half steps.

Thanks in advance,

Lawrie

Hi Lawrie!!

Hey, great question......OK here goes.....(putting my teacher hat on!)

I'll start to answer your question with a question....

What does the bass player on the recording play??? That should be the first place you go. On my recording he's playing the "Root on beat one"....then a little bit of root 5th root type of stuff.

Remember that the root on the down beat is "KING"....OK.

Also understand that beat 1 is the STRONGEST BEAT HARMONICALLY in 3/4......then beat 2......beat 3 is the weakest. Beat 3 is where you'll want to play your "approach from above or below". Make sense??

On the "descending ii-v's" I would recommend playing some 1-3-5, 1-5-8, 1-5-1 or some 1-5-leading tone things. That's "mostly" what the bass player is doing on my recording.

I assume you have a recording??? If not, go to itunes and get one ASAP. You should do this for every tune you learn from now on. Cool?? Cool.....

BTW, I cover walking in 3/4 on my Walking Bass Volume 3 DVD....but it won't be out until spring/summer of 2009. Sorry about that. Besides, the answer you're looking for is on the recording. Transcribe 2 or 3 choruses and you'll be in good shape.

I hope this helps.

[Fajah]

Hi Todd,

Really appreciate you getting back to me on this.

What does the bass player on the recording play??? That should be the first place you go. On my recording he's playing the "Root on beat one"....then a little bit of root 5th root type of stuff.

The "A" section is pretty straight forward and I pretty much have that down. The root and a bit of the 5th are evident as you mention.

Remember that the root on the down beat is "KING"....OK.

Also understand that beat 1 is the STRONGEST BEAT HARMONICALLY in 3/4......then beat 2......beat 3 is the weakest. Beat 3 is where you'll want to play your "approach from above or below". Make sense??

Makes total sense now I never looked at it in that way. I'll have to pay closer attention to those beat 3 approach notes.

On the "descending ii-v's" I would recommend playing some 1-3-5, 1-5-8, 1-5-1 or some 1-5-leading tone things. That's "mostly" what the bass player is doing on my recording.

The "B" section is the challenging part for me. On my recording it flows so nicely. I have no problem on walking bass lines in 4/4 time, but 3/4 time trips me up for soem reason. I also have to work out how to play what you've recomended efficiently from a fingering and position standpoint.

For example, do you try to maintain the same fingering and just decend in half steps on the ii-V's, or do you try to stay in the same position on the neck and change the fingering?

I assume you have a recording??? If not, go to itunes and get one ASAP. You should do this for every tune you learn from now on. Cool?? Cool.....

I do have the recording and the chart. In general, with chart in hand, I get the basics of the tune down. Then I usually grab and listen to several versions for different ideas on the bass lines, harmony, rhythm, etc.

BTW, I cover walking in 3/4 on my Walking Bass Volume 3 DVD....but it won't be out until spring/summer of 2009. Sorry about that. Besides, the answer you're looking for is on the recording. Transcribe 2 or 3 choruses and you'll be in good shape.

I hope this helps.

This helped big time Todd, thanks so much. I get together with a group of guys every Monday to play jazz where I play a 6 string fretless. West Coast Blues is one of the tunes we're currently working on. We hope to do a gig some time in the fall.

I also love your bass work on the Unit 7 (from the Youtube video). I'm dying to play that with my Monday night group.

Lawrie

[Todd Johnson]

For example, do you try to maintain the same fingering and just decend in half steps on the ii-V's, or do you try to stay in the same position on the neck and change the fingering?

Lawrie[/quote]

Hi Lawrie,

To answer this question:.......Yes!!

You should learn both ways of playing that. Each fingering will lead to different patterns and/or ideas.

Cool?? Cool.........

[Fajah]

Originally Posted by Todd Johnson

For example, do you try to maintain the same fingering and just decend in half steps on the ii-V's, or do you try to stay in the same position on the neck and change the fingering?

Lawrie

Hi Lawrie,

To answer this question:.......Yes!!

You should learn both ways of playing that. Each fingering will lead to different patterns and/or ideas.

Cool?? Cool.........

Very cool! Thanks Todd.

[Todd Johnson]

Originally Posted by Fajah

Very cool! Thanks Todd.

You're certainly welcome!!