Sample Walking Bass lines for some Jazz standards available for free download

[Johannes Oehl]

You can check out my site:

Start - johannes-oehls Jimdo-Page!



I was trying to have a wide range of different walking bass styles: halftime, swing, latin.

[mebusdriver]

Let me be the first to say thank you!!! Im starting my jazz journey right now along with learning to read. So both the sample lines and reading practice are a huge help to me. This is exactly what I've been looking for! So thanks!!

[wrench45us]

me as well
and having different 'arrangements' of standards is really helpful is seeing how different principles are applied in walking bass

[barricwiley]

Thank you SOO much.
It is appreciated.
Richard

[Johannes Oehl]

Thanks for your kind feedback, its much appreciated. :-)

[MalcolmAmos]

Yes, ditto. Having the sheet music and then being able to play with the audio file has great value.

Thanks for posting.

[Intenzity]

um, in tab?

really?

[Johannes Oehl]

You are right. Of course I have every file with standard notation and tab. I am just about updating all files.

[Old Joe]

Thanks for this. Looking forward to the updated standard notation as I am learning to read (for bass) AND learning how to construct walking bass lines.

[Johannes Oehl]

All transcriptions currently availiable come with standard notation and tabs.

A thing that can really help your way of playing walking bass it to realize that there is no mystery behind this. In fact you can use the cliché chromatic lines any time and get through a piece, even if you are sight-reading.

First, you got to be sure about the location of the notes on the fretboard, so you are able to play the root note of every chord without any hesitation.

Then you have to check out how chords are constructed:

maj7 has a major third, a perfect fifth and a major seventh
"x"7 has a major third, a perfect fifth and a minor seventh
m7 has a minor third, perfect fifth and minor seventh
m7b5 has a minor third, diminished fifth and a minor seventh
dim7 has a minor third, diminished fifth and a diminished seventh (enharmonic equivalent of a major sixth)

If you got that in mind, it becomes easy to play patterns over the changes such as:

R-3-5-3, R-5-3-5

G----------------------------2---0------0---4--5---------------
D--------2---------0--2--3---------0---------------------------
A-0---3-----3------------------------------------------------
E---------------------------------------------------------


Am7 Dm7 G7 Cmaj7


That covers the harmonic development of the chord progression. However, if you only rely on these patters, your walking bass line lacks something.

This is why you add chromatic notes to theses patterns.

If you are playing over a VIm7, IIm7, V7, Imaj7, it is not too much trouble to use some chromatic notes:

G------------------------------0--2--3--4---5------------------
D-----------------0--2--3--4----------------------------------
A-0---2---3--4------------------------------------------------
E---------------------------------------------------------

Am7 Dm7 G7 Cmaj7


You will notice that every bar starts with the root of the chord. Then you play the second note of the chord, which is a major second in every chord we have here. Add two chromatic notes that lead to the next root, and you are good!

[MalcolmAmos]

Originally Posted by Johannes Oehl

....... You will notice that every bar starts with the root of the chord. Then you play the second note of the chord, which is a major second in every chord we have here. Add two chromatic notes that lead to the next root, and you are good!

I use chromatic runs of three notes to the next chord and land on the next chord's root for the 4th beat and the chord change - all the time. That's Country 101.

Would not have thought of using the R-2, then a two note chromatic run to the next chord. Going to give this a try. Sounds interesting.

Thanks.

[Johannes Oehl]

I hope you will find this usefull, many of the great bass players use these or very similar patters.

You can also take the pattern I mentioned earlier, and spice it up with some chromatic approaches.

G----------------------------2---1---0------0---4--5-----------
D---------2---1------0---3--------------0----------------------
A--0---3--------------------------------------------------------
E----------------------------------------------------------------

Root-Third-Fifth-Chromatic approach

[SR505bassman]

I will add another BIG Thank You!! This is just what I was looking for too

[Johannes Oehl]

You are welcome!

PM is on its way.

[Sparks55]

Originally Posted by Johannes Oehl

Thanks for your kind feedback, its much appreciated. :-)

Yes, Johannes, also exactly what I was looking for. Thank you for the English translations.

Mark