Now I Remember Why I Stopped Trying To Walk...

[buldog5151bass]

So in this scenario @buldog5151bass, are you landing on the root of each chord on each change and then adding passing notes in between?

Let's take a simple example - going from C chord to G in a major scale. Those are your target notes. F# gets you to G, C goes to D. What's left? E.

Obviously it's not that simple depending on mode/chords/etc., but that's how I visualize it.

 

[Fredrik E. Nilsen]

I’m bookmarking that because in general, and for my whole life, I’ve struggled with a severe lack of confidence (and relying on others to build my self-esteem). I’ve gotten a lot of pep talks on it, but some of your words seemed to ring the loudest. Thank you.

Just beware it's a two edged sword. The musicians I meet with the highest level of confidence and self-esteem are often not the greatest players. They seem to view all suggestions on what to improve as negative critisism and don't listen when they really should. The most important thing to say to yourself is not "I can do it!" if you really can't do it, but "I can't do this /yet/". Then compliment yourself everytime you realise you have gotten one step closer to doing it.

 

[dramatwist]

...one of the first things I learned (from a teacher who played with Boz Scaggs) was a "walking" bassline... took me a couple of days, but when I finally got it, the dude heaped praise... and he didn't even like me...

 

[DirtDog]

Hmm, you know, that’s a great exercise. I just learn the chord structures but don’t really focus on why the song was written that way. Reconstructing them may help with that.

I may not get a RB for this, but recreating the progressions that I learn (maybe with melodies as well) in a DAW may help me with my fundamental knowledge.

Thanks!

Also led me to studying the magic of the 7th chord. Then the b5, hoo boy!

Funny thing is, after studying this in the jazz context, I was really able to make sense of playing pedal steel in a country music setting. Not sure if I would have been as proficient on pedal steel as quickly without having studied chord theory prior to this.

 

[bherman]

I'm pretty proficient, been playing jazz and walking blues for years. Even so, I found Ed Friedland's Walking Bass course on Scotts Bass Lessons to be helpful with foundational stuff. It was a paid course but worthwhile in my opinion. The other thing that I'd recommend is getting some Paul Chambers transcriptions. There are books for sale and individual songs available here for modest cost. Invalid Link Removed

I usually keep one on my music stand and play through it every day, he was the master of walking bass.

 

[john_g]

Ive been toying with walking off an on for the last year. I have a few books on it and they are very helpful, but its not something I play on the regular so its difficult. I find it way more mental than physical but its alot of fun.

 

[vanderbe]

- It helps to learn basic diatonic theory...what distinguishes each degree of the diatonic scale.
- learn the chord tones for each degree of the diatonic scale (chord tones for each note in the major scale)
- learn the modes
- pick a tune from the Real Book and initially just focus on playing root, third, fifth of each chord. Do this ascending and descending.
- now apply chord tones including the 7th.
- next add some chromaticism to get from one chord to the next
- add ascending/descending 1/2 step passing tones.
- listen to great walking bass lines ...they need to swing. That feel has to come across regardless of notes. “It don’t mean a thing if it ain’t got that swing”.
- transcribe walking lines that resonate with you.
- find an A list jazz bassist in your area who teaches. Take some lessons. Go, watch, and listen to them play.

 

[Dirk Diggler]

As a Berklee bass professor once told me about walking bass:

Hit the 1 with the root note, the other notes are your choice and completely up to you.

It's that simple, now have fun.
Dirk

 

[Fredrik E. Nilsen]

As a Berklee bass professor once told me about walking bass:

Hit the 1 with the root note, the other notes are your choice and completely up to you.

Or: the first note, on one, is to tell the others where you are. The rest is to tell the others where you are going.

 

[Carl Hillman]

... It’s hard as hell.

It’s so much more fun for me to groove along to a funk tune, then fumble through a jazz tune and realizing I don’t know the fingerboard or theory anywhere close to a proficient level.

But, I’m at the point in my bass journey where I need to change things up. I’ve faked my way on this instrument for too long.

I have Ed Fuqua’s “Walking Bassics” on the way (should be here Tuesday), and already have Friedland’s “Building Walking Basslines”, a handful of jazz backing tracks, some Jazz workshop courses from Scott Devine, a Ray Brown songbook, and the big, Jazz Theory Book.

I figure I’m going to start with Walking Bassics, then use Ed’s advice (and maybe Friedland’s if there’s anything to add) to improvise over Ed’s tracks. Then go through Scott Devine’s workshop to introduce me to a few standards. Then split my time improvising over the backing tracks of standards, and transcribing Ray Brown’s basslines in the book (using the book to compare notes when I’m done) and then walking over Ray’s tunes. And finally, going through The Jazz Theory Book as I transcribe other walking basslines, and walking over them. At that point, I’m going to start working on playing melodically and soloing as well.

If anyone sees any faults in this plan, or has any additional tips, I’d welcome it. Thanks in advance.

Not a fault, but an omission.
Your post mentions nothing about listening to jazz.

You should spend a significant amount of time listening to some classic jazz albums to get the feel and sound in your head.

Pick 8 albums to listen to and have them in rotation. Pick 2 or 3 of those to really get to know, like to the point where you have everyone’s solos memorized, and you can sing along with them.

 

[TexasEdition]

Lots and lots on play-along tracks on youtube. Just play them and try to fumble along, or construct basic box patterns and slowly elaborate on them. I do a little of both, and I end up with a "tool box" of box patterns wtih multiple variations and embelishments.

But I do feel the only way to get better at it is to keep doing it. I used to do this with sight reading. I grabbed any book I could and just played through them never repeating a song twice. I got pretty good at reading and not looking down at my hands.

 

[CallMeAl]

I’ve been relying on arpeggios, and been trying to break free of that habit and play more chromatic and linear lines. I also agree it’s frustrating. Sometimes I just close up the book and go back to my rock or funk lines that are more “fun.” But I push forward because I believe it’s what I need in my musical development right now.

I set an intention NOT to improvise, because I just fall back to my comfort zone. Instead, I’ve been working on written transcription, ones that come with play along audio. That way I can listen to the bass line solo, and play along later once I have it down. I like getting those licks and patterns under my fingers, rather than try to invent my own.

I’ve been using the Jay Hungerford book, and I’d consider it easy as it’s all quarter notes. I got the Aebersold blues bass book, which is much harder.

Good luck, keep at it, and I’m right there with you!

 

[bherman]

One last suggestion, if you don't already have it get IReal Pro for your iphone or ipad. It's a great playalong app with downloadable songlists (1,350 in jazz list alone), you can turn off the bass line and loop songs endlessly.

 

[Bass Momma]

... It’s hard as hell.

It’s so much more fun for me to groove along to a funk tune, then fumble through a jazz tune and realizing I don’t know the fingerboard or theory anywhere close to a proficient level.

But, I’m at the point in my bass journey where I need to change things up. I’ve faked my way on this instrument for too long.

I have Ed Fuqua’s “Walking Bassics” on the way (should be here Tuesday), and already have Friedland’s “Building Walking Basslines”, a handful of jazz backing tracks, some Jazz workshop courses from Scott Devine, a Ray Brown songbook, and the big, Jazz Theory Book.

I figure I’m going to start with Walking Bassics, then use Ed’s advice (and maybe Friedland’s if there’s anything to add) to improvise over Ed’s tracks. Then go through Scott Devine’s workshop to introduce me to a few standards. Then split my time improvising over the backing tracks of standards, and transcribing Ray Brown’s basslines in the book (using the book to compare notes when I’m done) and then walking over Ray’s tunes. And finally, going through The Jazz Theory Book as I transcribe other walking basslines, and walking over them. At that point, I’m going to start working on playing melodically and soloing as well.

If anyone sees any faults in this plan, or has any additional tips, I’d welcome it. Thanks in advance.

Working carefully through Friedland really helped me. Do it all in several keys - message me if you want to know the ones my teacher gave me for particular things. And yep, learn the fretboard. There’s an exercise of doing the pentatonic scale on two strings, saying the notes OUT LOUD as you play them. Start key of E. E and A strings. E, G (on E string) and A, B on A string. Then G A on E string, B D on A. Then A B on E, D E on A. All the way to the 23rd frets.
Then the key of F. Then F# (remembering to start open E, F#, open A B). And so on
Then do the same thing on the A/D strings. Then same thing D/G strings. SAYING EACH NOTE OUT LOUD!!!

You’ll have your fretboard down in a couple of weeks if you do that daily.

 

[lat]

Last time I tried walking in a group with others, the pianist (jam leader) stopped playing, told everyone else to stop, and told me to leave if I don’t know what I’m doing.

Wow, that could've been handled better... the JL may or may not have had a point, but that is just an A-hole thing to say.

 

[eddododo]

I remember other dudes being amazed when I showed up able to walk in college, but really it’s just a skill to develop.. I have basically three stages- one is full one transcriptions, another is doing a lot of ‘walk through this for better or worse’ then then take notes, and the third is writing and borrowing ‘walking licks’ that I like as useful devices for getting through particular changes. And then you learn how to deviate or sub chords in a convincing way, along with non-walking swing ‘riffs’ like pedaling hitting on beats 2 and 4 or whatever.

just stick to it though, there’s no real trick, you just try til you can do it

 

[gitfiddl]

Get a copy of Rufus Reid's "The Evolving Bassist". Granted, it's jazz-oriented and meant more for upright players, but I found it very helpful in my bass journey.

 

[frankie5string]

Back when they were Berklee books, yes, there were a lot of mistakes in them and some teachers even used to trap their students to see if they were memorizing by catching them playing the errors.

However, since they were taken over by Hal Leonard, they've been mostly fixed up and are reliable.
But some teachers still listen for signature adjustments in those books and can tell you're playing from them!

I recommend Rufus Reid's "The Evolving Bassist." The book recommends you have a piano or keyboard handy so you can play and hear the chords as you learn to walk through changes. Very good book that will keep you busy for years.

Are Real Books really even real though? Lol

I had the big bound one (I think version 6, which had like 300+ tunes in it), and honestly, I used it for about 3 songs before realizing all 3 had some sort of error in them and I didn’t really bother using one since.

 

[dbsfgyd1]

To construct has lines, you walk backwards from the ends. What is the note you are leaving and ending up on, then work to close the gap to get to the middle.

I kind of agree with this, but I don't think it matters which direction if you are going forward or backwards, your point to find the beginning and ending point, then filling in the gap is a good way to start.

 

[buldog5151bass]

I kind of agree with this, but I don't think it matters which direction if you are going forward or backwards, your point to find the beginning and ending point, then filling in the gap is a good way to start.

That's kind of of what I said... By backwards, I meant from each end. Forward from the starting note, backwards from the end note - I figured that was clear (you can't go back from the starting note. ).