Boots walkdown on a fretted bass

[countryboy]

How do you folks play the intro to "These Boots Are Made For Walkin'" on a fretted bass? Specifically, do you try to account for the quarter tones in that walkdown?

My band just started playing this song & I'm not happy with what I've been playing (I bend the string up, pluck it, and then play the next note w/o bending the string.) I've been playing bass for one and one-half years, so they're many things I need to learn, even from a simple song like "Boots."

Thanks.

[dmusic148]

Try grabbing the minor 2nd and walk it down? Maybe a bit much....

[bassteban]

You NEED a fretless, or double bass. There- it's in writing, therefore, official.
Seriously, I'd just go semi-sloppily(very natural for me )from the proper/correct beginning note of the phrase to the ending/root, in the right time & rhythm. If you're emulating a doghouse to cop the feel of the original Nancy Sinatra version, it shouldn't be all that clear-sounding anyway.

[BrennP90]

When I played this I played a whole octave, E to E, on the D string, over two bars. I'm pretty sure thats NOT how the recording is (I haven't listened to it for awhile) but it always sounded fine.

On a fretless it was easy to distribute all the notes over 2 bars. But on a fretted some notes will be played more than once as you walkdown.

[manicbassman]

try using a slide

[Jake of Bass]

Originally Posted by BrennP90

When I played this I played a whole octave, E to E, on the D string, over two bars. I'm pretty sure thats NOT how the recording is (I haven't listened to it for awhile) but it always sounded fine.

On a fretless it was easy to distribute all the notes over 2 bars. But on a fretted some notes will be played more than once as you walkdown.

Same for me when I played in a cover band a few years ago and it always went down a treat. Also allows for the guitar/sax/keys to double up on the descending line too...

[countryboy]

Thanks for all of the suggestions, folks. And manicbassman, I played the run with a slide last night, and I really, really liked the sound. I'll use the slide tonight at practice and see how it goes over with the band. Thanks, again.