Does anyone have any tips for creating walking bass lines? 
Websites and YouTube videos welcome. Thanks
Websites and YouTube videos welcome. Thanks
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Tips for creating walking bass lines?
- Thread starter Axtman
- Start date
- Dec 13, 1999
- 11,736
- 8,941
- 70
- Disclosures
- Chuck Sher publishes my book, WALKING BASSICS:The Fundamentals of Jazz Bass Playing.
There's lots of simple theoretical approaches that work to get you started, and I'm yet to find one that's a substitute for jamming with players at - and slightly above - your level.
Try and hit the root every time a chord changes (unless your band is fairly advanced).
As soon as you hit this root, try and hear the next root in your head, then start approaching it. Mostly use the scale of the bar you're in early in the bar.
If the chord change is pretty straightforward and predictable, concentrate on melodic flow. You can use melodic sequences, or themes like ascending as far as possible before descending as far as possible. Other themes (just, ideas that give you something to structure your line around) might be always approaching the next root from below or always from above. Have some fun and let the bass line be interesting, although listen out for whether a soloist is using unusual tones which you might want to respond to somehow.
If on the other hand the tune just gave you a wacky chord change, you should focus less on melody and more on navigation. Play arpeggios that favour the correct guide tones (3 and 7) so it's really really clear where you're up to. The only wrong notes are if you use, say, a major 3 in a minor chord, a minor 7 in a major chord, or a natural 5 in a diminished or augmented chord. If you play these, you're misleading your group at exactly the time you should be navigating for them.
Helpful?
I play most weeks at a jazz jam night (western sydney readers PM me if keen) and that improved my walking more than any theory lesson could. I use it as practice, plus I've some good friends there now.
Try and hit the root every time a chord changes (unless your band is fairly advanced).
As soon as you hit this root, try and hear the next root in your head, then start approaching it. Mostly use the scale of the bar you're in early in the bar.
If the chord change is pretty straightforward and predictable, concentrate on melodic flow. You can use melodic sequences, or themes like ascending as far as possible before descending as far as possible. Other themes (just, ideas that give you something to structure your line around) might be always approaching the next root from below or always from above. Have some fun and let the bass line be interesting, although listen out for whether a soloist is using unusual tones which you might want to respond to somehow.
If on the other hand the tune just gave you a wacky chord change, you should focus less on melody and more on navigation. Play arpeggios that favour the correct guide tones (3 and 7) so it's really really clear where you're up to. The only wrong notes are if you use, say, a major 3 in a minor chord, a minor 7 in a major chord, or a natural 5 in a diminished or augmented chord. If you play these, you're misleading your group at exactly the time you should be navigating for them.
Helpful?
I play most weeks at a jazz jam night (western sydney readers PM me if keen) and that improved my walking more than any theory lesson could. I use it as practice, plus I've some good friends there now.
There was a similar thread here recently. Here is the link :
http://www.talkbass.com/forum/showthread.php?t=611715&highlight=walking
http://www.talkbass.com/forum/showthread.php?t=611715&highlight=walking
Get lessons from Gene Simmons(*seriously)
But I think I like the second response about playing the root and envisioning what will come up next. That's how I do it.
Good luck.
(*seriously)But I think I like the second response about playing the root and envisioning what will come up next. That's how I do it.
Good luck.
The root of the chord the guitarist is actually playing at that moment, and not of the overall key/scale, right? I have a feeling this is a very stupid question, :scowl: but I want to be sure.
What would be an example of a wacky chord change? There's a weird noodly bridge/transition between the chords? Or the next chord is all weird and dissonant and out in left field?
Also, there's chord changes and then there's key changes. I... uhhhhh... my brain just stopped.
Well yeah...one of the things that a walking bassline has to do is outline the chord progression. So if the chords are Dm7-G7-Cmaj7, then bar 1 should start on a D, bar 2 should start on a G, and bar 3 should start on a C.
Of course, you don't always have to start on the root, but for beginners this is sufficient.
He seems to be advocating a fairly fly-by-the-seat-of-your-pants approach to walking. Really, if you know the song, no chord changes should take you by surprise.
Also, there's chord changes and then there's key changes. I... uhhhhh... my brain just stopped.
If you outline the chord changes, then the key changes will take care of themselves.
Not to pull ya away from Ed's book which has some pretty serious endorsers but.... Evolving Bassist, Rufus Reid.
Here are a few TB threads you may want to check out:
Creating bass lines
Target Approach
Walking bass line examples
Ed Friedland on walking bass lines
Playing scales
Creating bass lines
Target Approach
Walking bass line examples
Ed Friedland on walking bass lines
Playing scales
yea, typically (when it's in 4) you'll wanna play the root note on the downbeat, for beat 2 you can play a chord tone or passing (scale) tone, for beat 3 you wanna play a chord tone, for beat 4 you can play a chord tone, but it usually makes more sense to play a leading tone either a half step above or below the root note of the next chord you're moving to. you don't always have to move in stepward motion and you don't always have to play arpeggios. there really aren't any rules. intonation is important, but the rhythm is king. waffle the notes before you give up on the pulse. your bandmates can handle a few wrong notes, but they absolutely need the pulse to keep pumping and chugging. you want to outline the chord, and play a nearby leading tone into the next chord, but most important is your groovin, in the pocket rhythm that gets your bandmates hopping!!!!
