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Double Bass Walking bass line

pma18

pma18

Guest
Mar 20, 2018
10
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#1
So I have been playing double bass for some time now, mostly classical pieces though and lately I have been getting a lot of interest in Jazz, but have almost zero experience and knowledge when it comes to playing double bass in Jazz. I am trying to create a walking bass line for the song Summertime, (I would like to do something similar to what the guys in the video below are doing) but it just sounds a little boring and not much like the song. I created this really basic sheet (Walking bass Summertime 1) just using roots, thirds and chromatic approaches, I am not even sure if it’s well done… Could someone look into it and give me some tips on how to make it more interesting?

)

Thanks a lot!
 
#2
That wouldn't be my first choice of tune for your first walking bass line. Might I suggest an alternative? How about All The Things You Are, which was voted the best song of all time (although I forget by whom and when), or maybe Autumn Leaves? (I'm looking at the Real Vocal Fake Book at the moment). Call Me Irresponsible would be another one.

-S-
 
#3
Steve Freides said:
That wouldn't be my first choice of tune for your first walking bass line. Might I suggest an alternative? How about All The Things You Are, which was voted the best song of all time (although I forget by whom and when), or maybe Autumn Leaves? (I'm looking at the Real Vocal Fake Book at the moment). Call Me Irresponsible would be another one.

-S-
Click to expand...

Gonna look into them then, thank you!
 
#7
Sam Dingle said:
That was my question. The line is pretty good over the changes written though.
Click to expand...

But those chords are boxing him in. I think for learning to construct a walking line on Summertime, you'd be much better served simplifying the changes. If someone handed me that chart on a gig, I would listen during the first few bars and unless they were doing something very distinct with the arrangement, I would ignore those changes and play the song.
 
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#8
TroyK said:
But those chords are boxing him in. I think for learning to construct a walking line on Summertime, you'd be much better served simplifying the changes. If someone handed me that chart on a gig, I would listen during the first few bars and unless they were doing something very distinct with the arrangement, I would ignore those changes and play the song.
Click to expand...

Agreed. Not a good line for summer time but as an exercise of writing a bass line over changes the bass line plays the written changes pretty well. He's on the right track with walking lines. Now he just needs the right changes.
 
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#9
All the motion in your example is based on thirds. There are so many other options for walking—you are limiting yourself by sticking exclusively to thirds. Here’s some ideas to expand your arsenal.

When chords change every two beats, all you have time for is root, leading tone, root, leading tone. A leading tone is a half step or whole step, above or below the next root.

When chords change every 4 beats there are three ways to walk from root to root: chromatically, scale-wise, or like an arpeggio, or a combination. For roots a third or fourth away, up or down, chromatic is usually the best choice. For roots a fifth away, scale is usually the best choice. Larger intervals, usually arpeggios are best.
 
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#10
Let's see if the OP is still with us. If he is, I think falling back to some more minimalist chords would make this a different exercise. I agree that he did okay with the chart he had. If we understand that it was "Summertime" that was important to him, rather than those changes, by simplifying the changes, we could help him stretch out with some other ideas.

@pma18

By the way, I cringe every time someone wants to sing "My Funny Valentine", but I quite liked the performance from that YouTube video.
 
#11
Here is a sketch of Wes Montgomery's basic changes - (I've added a couple of common "hipster" moments, as well.)
The sooner the OP and his cohorts/bandmates can begin uncovering/discovering, and using, specific harmonic arrangements by the Masters, the more accelerated ("...the better!") their learning/hearing curve.
Here is Wes and the sketch below.
Thanks.


IMG_3587.JPG
 
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#13
pma18 said:
So I have been playing double bass for some time now, mostly classical pieces though and lately I have been getting a lot of interest in Jazz, but have almost zero experience and knowledge when it comes to playing double bass in Jazz. I am trying to create a walking bass line for the song Summertime, (I would like to do something similar to what the guys in the video below are doing) but it just sounds a little boring and not much like the song. I created this really basic sheet (Walking bass Summertime 1) just using roots, thirds and chromatic approaches, I am not even sure if it’s well done… Could someone look into it and give me some tips on how to make it more interesting?

)

Thanks a lot!
Click to expand...

Looks like you're getting the same answers here as in your other thread about this.
 
Last edited:
#15
TroyK said:
Let's see if the OP is still with us. If he is, I think falling back to some more minimalist chords would make this a different exercise. I agree that he did okay with the chart he had. If we understand that it was "Summertime" that was important to him, rather than those changes, by simplifying the changes, we could help him stretch out with some other ideas.

@pma18

By the way, I cringe every time someone wants to sing "My Funny Valentine", but I quite liked the performance from that YouTube video.
Click to expand...

I was just really trying to make some sort of walking bass line from the sheet I had that I probably ended up forgetting the song itself because of that.

Why do you cringe when someone wants to sing "My funny Valentine"? Just curious ahah
 
#16
Don Kasper said:
Here is a sketch of Wes Montgomery's basic changes - (I've added a couple of common "hipster" moments, as well.)
The sooner the OP and his cohorts/bandmates can begin uncovering/discovering, and using, specific harmonic arrangements by the Masters, the more accelerated ("...the better!") their learning/hearing curve.
Here is Wes and the sketch below.
Thanks.


View attachment 2967865
Click to expand...


Thank you for you help! I am gonna watch the video too. I started to read a book about creating walking bass lines, I figured I have A LOT to learn so that's for sure why my sheet was all odd in the first place.
 
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#18
Sure those notes have an obvious theoretical explanation, but I think the best way to think about them is they get you from D to G in an attractive graceful powerful way that lies nicely under your hand. That's how to think when you're walking. Sounds good, don't you think? That's what's up. Your job here is not to be brilliant or innovative - the suggestion generously written for you is neither - but rather to get from one chord to another in a way that sounds and feels great to you and the people you play with. Don't over think it.
 

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