Ok, I keep tripping while walking.

[Llama's Rage]

Ya so I learned all the basic major/minor arpeggios and scale forms and I can play the arpeggios pretty much sight reading....my only problem is that whenever I try to incorporate chromatic notes into a pattern it just doesn't sound.....good.

I want to try to move away from making it sound like I'm playing arpeggios up and down to transitioning between the different chords but I just can't seem to do it. I've got to sit and play with the two target arpeggios and find notes that sound good.

I read something about a b3, #4 and b6 but I'm still having trouble trying to incorporate "passing tones" and/or "chromatics" into a walking line

[dlloyd]

Originally Posted by Llama's Rage

Ya so I learned all the basic major/minor arpeggios and scale forms and I can play the arpeggios pretty much sight reading....my only problem is that whenever I try to incorporate chromatic notes into a pattern it just doesn't sound.....good.

I want to try to move away from making it sound like I'm playing arpeggios up and down to transitioning between the different chords but I just can't seem to do it. I've got to sit and play with the two target arpeggios and find notes that sound good.

I read something about a b3, #4 and b6 but I'm still having trouble trying to incorporate "passing tones" and/or "chromatics" into a walking line

You need to incorporate approach notes to get it to walk. The easiest one is the chromatic approach note. Say you're playing a walking blues line and want to go from Bb7 to Eb7... a good trick is to play R-3-5 of the Bb, then use a chromatic passing tone to approach the Eb...

---------------
---0-3-2--1---
-1-------------
---------------

You basically want to choose a note that is a half step from the one you're going to.

As was mentioned in a previous thread, it get's boring very quickly if it's the only method you use to draw you into the next chord. But it's the first step.

Go and buy Ed Friedland's Building Walking Bass Lines book.

[Dynna]

A great exercise that Gary Willis taught me was to take Dm7 and G7 arpeggios and:

1. Play them up and down in ONE position. The same position. Play Dm7 up and down, then G7. Remember the SHAPES.
2. Play Dm7 UP and G7 DOWN.
3. Switch.
4. Play 4 notes of Dm7 UP, followed by 4 notes of G7 starting on the next available note. Go as high as you can before switching directions. Remember to stay in ONE position.
5. Play 3 notes of Dm7, then play a PASSING tone to the next available note of G7. That maybe a chromatic note, or part of the C major scale. Then play 3 notes of G7 followed by a passing tone to the next Dm7 note.
6. Remember that ALL OF THIS is in ONE POSITION. You may only stretch one fret either way by extending your index or pinky, but stay in ONE position.
7. Play a Dm7 chord tone followed by a passing tone to the next Dm7 chord tone. Then play a passing tone to the next G7 chord tone. That's basically.... chord tone, passing tone, chord tone, passing tone, etc. Just remember that you're playing four notes for each chord(Dm7-G7).

That should kick you out of your rut.

PM me if you have any questions.