Ridiculous question: How do you make a walking bass line?

OneMoreRobot · #1 02-03-2010, 01:13 PM

Hey guys,

I'm currently playing with my college's jazz band, and currently reading sheet music. Unfortunately, I don't know how to improvise a walking bass line! Is there a form you follow to make a walk?

Thanks

mpm32 · #2 02-03-2010, 01:19 PM

Say you start on an A

One pattern;

A Db E Gb G Gb E Db

Or

A Db D Eb E Eb D Db

Ah, I see you said Jazz band, these are blues walks. Although, they could be jazz?

**DougD** · #3 02-03-2010, 01:27 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by OneMoreRobot

Hey guys,

I'm currently playing with my college's jazz band, and currently reading sheet music. Unfortunately, I don't know how to improvise a walking bass line! Is there a form you follow to make a walk?

Thanks

Try these out

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hEvw9f5IrMI
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=a_kNp...eature=related
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PG8JK...eature=related
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=raANx...eature=related

anonymous02282011 · #4 02-03-2010, 01:33 PM

You use chord tones and passing tones to get you from one chord to the next.

Which notes? Well, that's up to you. That's why it's called improvisation.

I don't think you're going to learn how to walk a bassline via the internet. I'd suggest starting by writing out some ideas over the chord changes on the charts you're playing, maybe run them by a qualified teacher or perhaps your ensemble director.

uethanian · #5 02-03-2010, 01:39 PM

when the chord changes, play the root on beat 1. beats 2/3/4 (or beats 2 thru 8 if it's 2 bars of the same chord) should essentially lead you to the next root. most essential thing: gotta know you're scales/arpeggios. here's some examples on a ii V I progression

Dm7 G7 C

D E F A G F E D C
D C B A G A A# B C
D F A C D C B D C

first one's the simplest, i move up the d-minor scale, and then down the g7 to resolve at c-major. second one is similar, but in the g7 there's a chromatic passing tone, the A#; this is totally legal, as long as it resolves to a chord tone. last example, i arpeggiate up the d-minor, and hover around d in the g7. contrary to what i said about playing the root on changes, it is totally permissible to start on the 5th or 3rd. but when you're just starting, focus on just the roots. other than these guidelines you can do whatever you feel like as long as it sounds good, have a mix of scalular and arpeggiated motion, travel both ascending and descending, use the full range of the instrument

OneMoreRobot · #6 02-03-2010, 01:44 PM

The gist of my question is basically, what are some go-to notes that can HELP me write a walking bass line on the fly.

mpm, that helped. I think you mean C# instead of Db though

DougD, that first video was a good starting point.

adbass, if I had time to do what you're suggesting I wouldn't be asking the question. I'm looking for a quick BAM I've made a walking bass line. I know it will vary due to keys and accidentals and stuff

OneMoreRobot · #7 02-03-2010, 01:47 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by uethanian

when the chord changes, play the root on beat 1. beats 2/3/4 (or beats 2 thru 8 if it's 2 bars of the same chord) should essentially lead you to the next root. most essential thing: gotta know you're scales/arpeggios. here's some examples on a ii V I progression

Dm7 G7 C

D E F A G F E D C
D C B A G A A# B C
D F A C D C B D C

first one's the simplest, i move up the d-minor scale, and then down the g7 to resolve at c-major. second one is similar, but in the g7 there's a chromatic passing tone, the A#; this is totally legal, as long as it resolves to a chord tone. last example, i arpeggiate up the d-minor, and hover around d in the g7. contrary to what i said about playing the root on changes, it is totally permissible to start on the 5th or 3rd. but when you're just starting, focus on just the roots. other than these guidelines you can do whatever you feel like as long as it sounds good, have a mix of scalular and arpeggiated motion, travel both ascending and descending, use the full range of the instrument

Alright, that helps. Thanks, I'll study up.

**Thor** · #8 02-03-2010, 01:48 PM

I hate to tell you this but there aren't a lot of 'BAM' shortcuts to doing the work.

Schlyder · #9 02-03-2010, 02:04 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by OneMoreRobot

The gist of my question is basically, what are some go-to notes that can HELP me write a walking bass line on the fly.......
......I'm looking for a quick BAM I've made a walking bass line. I know it will vary due to keys and accidentals and stuff

well to begin with there is no quick BAM, also, there is no substitute to listening to lots of good bass players walking. (One of the best walkers was Paul Chambers. Listen to anything he has played on, and you will hear a master.)
Now, some tools to use are... (but not limited to)
- the use of scales and arpeggios related to the chord, chords, chord progression, Key center etc.
- the use of the chromatic scale
- using a flat5th as a passing/approach tone in chord changes.
- Also try approaching chord tones from a semitone above or below a chord tone.
- walking is not just spelling out chord tones, it is about creating momentum and direction. Build walking lines in 2, 4 ,8 16 bar sections where you are walking through the chords in longer ascending patterns or phrases and then descending.
Again, do lots of listening and practising, and understand there is no quick BAM. Hope that helped.

**DougD** · #10 02-03-2010, 03:02 PM

This is a excelent tool also
http://www.flipkart.com/todd-johnson...601-h5w3fpjaof

JTE · #11 02-03-2010, 03:51 PM

OK, the quick 'n' dirty is this- think of the line not just for the chord you're in, but where you're going. So...

I. Play the root on one
II. Play a leading note on four- that'd be any of:
A. A half-step away from the root of the next measure's chord
B. A fifth of the root of the next measure's chord
C. The scale tone that either comes before or after the root of the next measure's chord
III. Play the fifth on three- (you can also use other strong tones, generally a chord tone, or another scalar note that isn't outside- but this is the quick 'n' dirty
IV. Play any note that keeps the flow going (both harmonically and melodically) on beat two.

Start simple, and don't try any skips or ghost notes. Just keep nailing a swinging four notes per measure.

So, for a Dmin7 to G7 to C...

Beat One- |D---|G---|

Beat Three |D-A-|G-D-|

Beat Four |D-AF#|G-DB| Half step below the root
Beat Four |D-AG#|G-DC#| Half step above the root
Beat Four |D-AF|G-BD| Scalar note below and above the root
Beat Four |D-AD|G--BG| The fifth of the root

Then play something that moves you smoothly for beat two, staying in the key center for the section (in this example we're firmly in the key of C).

Or, even better, buy a copy of Ed Freidland's "Building Walking Bass Lines" and study it closely.

John

fdeck · #12 02-03-2010, 07:50 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by OneMoreRobot

Hey guys,

I'm currently playing with my college's jazz band, and currently reading sheet music. Unfortunately, I don't know how to improvise a walking bass line! Is there a form you follow to make a walk?

Thanks

What are the charts like? Are there any with written-out walking bass lines? If those charts don't also have chord symbols, you could get them from the guitar part.

Another resource is to have a fake book in front of you while you listen to recorded standards that have intelligible bass lines.

Otherwise, our Music Ed department (Friedland and Fuqua) have books on this subject, which are favorably regarded.

OneMoreRobot · #13 02-03-2010, 09:28 PM

Thanks JTE, that's exactly what I was looking for! Some sort of formula.

Stumbo · #14 02-03-2010, 09:32 PM

Here are a couple of links you may want to check out:
Walking bass lines examples
Walking bass lines books

nysbob · #15 02-03-2010, 10:48 PM

Ed's book is excellent.

It really isn't rocket science, use you ear, your knowledge of scales and chords, and bear in mind there are an infinite number of ways to get from point A to point B. As long as you aren't doing something blatantly harmonically wrong and you maintain a feel with momentum, the more you do it, the better you will be able to finesse it.

Ed Fuqua · #16 02-03-2010, 10:54 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by OneMoreRobot

Thanks JTE, that's exactly what I was looking for! Some sort of formula.

I know it seems like that's what you were looking for, but there's a LOT more going on than that. It's not plug and play, I been there (that's where most of us started) and it gets to a dead end pretty quickly. The folks whose records we all have (PC, Ray Brown, Sam Jones, Ron, Sonny Dallas,Leroy Vinnegar, Bob Cranshaw etc and et al) aren't plugging some formula into what they're doing and it's NEVER too early to start approaching playing a line the same way; with intent and meaning.

You try to follow some formula you're speaking gibberish; the only way you're going to create an improvised line that really means something and not only defines the harmonic motion of a piece of music but is also a melodic response to the musicians you are playing with is to hear the line you want to play. And that's a LOT of ear training. In addition to my book, you might want to check out a thread I started here called REALLY Learning a Tune, it's something that's really helped me.

boomtisk · #17 02-04-2010, 05:56 AM

The hardest thing to me about walking bass lines is definitely "landing" on the right approach notes to lead to the next chord, it really takes tons of practice, especially if you're trying to be creative and not stay glued to one position on the neck. The fact that when approaching a chord with a b5 in it, the flat fifth is also the "proper" note to use if you want to approach the chord via the fifth also trips me up a lot. Guess I simply need more practice, too bad I don't have a jazz band to play with.

OneMoreRobot · #18 02-04-2010, 06:28 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Ed Fuqua

I know it seems like that's what you were looking for, but there's a LOT more going on than that. It's not plug and play, I been there (that's where most of us started) and it gets to a dead end pretty quickly. The folks whose records we all have (PC, Ray Brown, Sam Jones, Ron, Sonny Dallas,Leroy Vinnegar, Bob Cranshaw etc and et al) aren't plugging some formula into what they're doing and it's NEVER too early to start approaching playing a line the same way; with intent and meaning.

You try to follow some formula you're speaking gibberish; the only way you're going to create an improvised line that really means something and not only defines the harmonic motion of a piece of music but is also a melodic response to the musicians you are playing with is to hear the line you want to play. And that's a LOT of ear training. In addition to my book, you might want to check out a thread I started here called REALLY Learning a Tune, it's something that's really helped me.

I was just looking for a starting point. Like I've said, I've never written a walking bass line. Hopefully I'll grow as a musician to the point where I'm playing less formulaic lines, but this will get me off the ground.

I'll check out your book and that thread for sure.

Sound Chaser · #19 02-04-2010, 07:00 AM

These are some useful ii-V-I licks:

ii-------------V-------------I--------------I----------
E-D-C#-Bb-A-C#-E-Eb-D-F#-G---A-D-A-F#-Eb
E-F#-G-G#-A-G-F#-Eb-D-F#-A-C#-D-C#-A-F#

Those are both designed to land back on the D, but you can alter them to go wherever you need to.

Root on the 1
Approach from 1/2 step on the 4
Remember to outline the chord tone

**Thor** · #20 02-04-2010, 09:05 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Ed Fuqua

I know it seems like that's what you were looking for, but there's a LOT more going on than that. It's not plug and play, I been there (that's where most of us started) and it gets to a dead end pretty quickly. The folks whose records we all have (PC, Ray Brown, Sam Jones, Ron, Sonny Dallas,Leroy Vinnegar, Bob Cranshaw etc and et al) aren't plugging some formula into what they're doing and it's NEVER too early to start approaching playing a line the same way; with intent and meaning.

You try to follow some formula you're speaking gibberish; the only way you're going to create an improvised line that really means something and not only defines the harmonic motion of a piece of music but is also a melodic response to the musicians you are playing with is to hear the line you want to play. And that's a LOT of ear training. In addition to my book, you might want to check out a thread I started here called REALLY Learning a Tune, it's something that's really helped me.

Read this post over a few more times. This is one of the best pieces of musical advice you have ever received and will stand you in good stead for many years if you take those words to heart.