Walking bass lines, a different question.

[LeFunk Machine]

Its tough what you're trying to do but its possible. Its going to take a lot of trials and errors but you'll figure it out; don't give up. Meanwhile, I'm out here trying to play like James Jamerson in my church

 

[byacey]

Most of the contemporary praise music I've heard is based around very simple melodies that go nowhere fast, and very simple harmony. This typically leaves the bassist looking for something interesting to play to keep his brain engaged.

 

[MVE]

I can’t walk over a KSKKS rhythm.

jazz is usually a KKKK or KHKHKHKH

 

[jamro217]

First and foremost Christian music is not about the usual entertainer/audience relationship between you and the congregation as much as it is (or should be) a matter of you using your talent and skill to its utmost as an offering to a holy God. Working closely with the rest of the ensemble towards this goal is essential not only for the sake of the music, but to exemplify the unity that exists in the church as one body in Christ. This particular style is unique in that it is not just a jam or something to be taken lightly regardless of the musical genre. That said, using your creativity to enhance the songs should be run by the other band members beforehand. There are no excuses for a train wreck. Mustang Sally at a dive bar for the appreciation of a few inebriated patrons is one thing, church is another. Save the clams for the jams. Now down to business, walking lines inherently have a swing feel to them, not a pedestrian feel (quite a misnomer, but true). Think of it this way: a walking bass line is the same as a guy on his day off walking down the street. Shuffling off to Buffalo. A regular bass line is like an army marching. Hut two three four... A different feeling entirely regardless of tempo. Like any other musical situation the key is to fit the bassline into the entire work seamlessly. The pitch of the notes played is secondary to the rhythm in which they are played. Ascending /descending or half combinations won't matter if the rhythm is off. Swing root fifths would work better. Hope this helps.

 

[nnnnnn]

In my opinion walking bass lines don't tend to sound as good in songs where each chord lasts several bars, I think because the sort of walking lines I enjoy have a feeling of leading somewhere and when chords are not changing as often that leading feeling isn't as strong. As compared to a lot of jazz songs where often a given chord only lasts one bar or even only two beats.

(Obviously there are exceptions.)

 

[thabassmon]

Maybe where the feel is at

Jazz on 2 and 4
Funk on the 1 (sorry too much James Brown and Bootsy)

 

[consectaneus]

In my opinion walking bass lines don't tend to sound as good in songs where each chord lasts several bars, I think because the sort of walking lines I enjoy have a feeling of leading somewhere and when chords are not changing as often that leading feeling isn't as strong. As compared to a lot of jazz songs where often a given chord only lasts one bar or even only two beats.

(Obviously there are exceptions.)

I think the best walking lines contain little melodies in themselves while doing the job of outlining the harmony and giving a feeling of forward momentum to the changes for the listener. As someone said, Southern gospel and Country gospel yes, but I can't think of an application for it in contemporary Christian.

 

[HolmeBass]

I’m just following along as I also play with a group and find that when my main drummer is out, and another talented musician takes place, I struggle to lock in and in turn lead and he follows with my beat. I like walking lines as well and sometimes, you’re right, they just don’t fit.

As an aside, and it may be a novice question to ask for the length of time I’ve been playing, but what do you mean by “diamonds” and roots? Roots I get... diamonds I’m at a loss.

Diamonds are whole notes.

 

[Steadfast]

It does not work with contemporary praise music. I play at a mega church. In reality I am a jazz arse kicker on bass and sax. At church I am a supporting root plucker. Lol

it is all about Worship.

 

[Volker Kirstein]

Is the 1-3-5-3 run from Kansas City a "walk"? What about the bass line to Stand By Me? Mustang Sally?

The In The Mood/Rock Around The Clock style walk was the very first bass line I learned after figuring out how to thump roots. I see almost every bass line as a "truncated walk", even a 1-5 with a 1 or 2 note walk back to the 1: 1', 5, 1', 5-7-(7+)

 

[StatesideRambler]

It’s certainly about feel. You can get by with an eternal Root-5 and not be wrong but you wouldn’t be A-list. A lot of 60s-70s country music had walking bass. Examples are Freddy Hart, Ray Price, Jim Ed Brown, Willie Nelson. There is plenty in 60s rock, too, like Paul McCartney in Eight Days a Week and John Klingberg in Moondance (Van Morrison) or Jack Casady in Somebody to Love. Check out Willie Dixon’s work with nearly everybody in the 50s-60s as well.

 

[coyote1]

Most of the contemporary praise music I've heard is based around very simple melodies that go nowhere fast, and very simple harmony. This typically leaves the bassist looking for something interesting to play to keep his brain engaged.

Isn’t that formula supposed to be that playing the right bass line serves the Lord, so the way to keep engaged is to fill one’s spirit with the Lord?

 

[coyote1]

So, you’re on to it right there. That’s the real real question. What makes them “magic” in jazz(my word, your example) but in other genres, not so much.

The short answer is itself a question: does it sound good? If it sounds good no explanation matters, and if it doesn’t sound good no amount of “technically correct” matters.

 

[themickster]

Give your best. Who are you playing for?

 

[dbsfgyd1]

I understand the “How” in walking bass lines. Love them. Use them often. Like creating my own lines as well.

The question I have is related to why, I suppose. My first goal is to serve the song. To support the song. I’m not always successful, but it is my goal. This question arose when I was thinking about Contemporary Christian Music. I play it often and I like it as well. I find most of the lines in this genre to be very plain, often lazy. However, when I try to apply my walking skills, it just doesn’t fit.

I’ve played the same song with 2 different groups, one demanded walking and the other was 1/4 note roots, and any other choice would have sounded wrong. So, this leads me to believe it isn’t time signatures or melodies. Is it because one played on the beat and the other swung?

I gather it’s a “style” thing. I feel it, so I get it, but is there a definitive “why?” Is it the drummer and their rhythms? Is it some other component of the song? Maybe “feel” is the best answer, but I’m curious about your thoughts.

Thanks in advance for playing along.

I’m not sure I can explain why to be honest. At my core, I’m a walking bassist that also struggled adapting to the minimalistic bass parts in CCM music. Frankly, it’s like being a mathematician tasked with writing nothing but ones on a blackboard.

What I found is that the bass parts are more orchestral in nature, much like bass parts in symphonic music, as opposed to “driving the Bus” bass parts derived from Bach. With today’s CCM, the bass parts are not tasked with providing the musical logic for chord changes, hence walking bass parts are not going to fit.

I think your musical taste is spot on which is why you are trying to figure this out. That’s a good thing. Just keep doing whatever it takes. You’ll be fine.

 

[Willie5String]

I think it depends on how you define worship and praise music and how you define walking.

if you are playing Israel Houghton, there is certainly room for a grooving bass line that walks around, however the swing 8s you play in jazz, not so much.

if you are playing straight music from Hillsong, you can walk between chord changes and do a little voice leading, that’s kinda it.

As far as jazz style walking, I can’t think of a single song that works in.

 

[BassChuck]

Music is a fairly simple expression. If there are two things that are important to the song and worthy of attention, there's no room for a third object of attention. So if the harmony is interesting and the lyrics important, the bass line needs to support.

 

[byacey]

Music is a fairly simple expression. If there are two things that are important to the song and worthy of attention, there's no room for a third object of attention. So if the harmony is interesting and the lyrics important, the bass line needs to support.

Sometimes I think the bass parts were written just for the sake of having a warm body sitting in the bassist's seat.
Much of the Baroque era music was written for liturgical use and dedicated to the glory of God; often the harmonies were fairly simple, but they still managed to write interesting bass parts.

 

[Outbush]

What this has got me thinking is, how do we know it is time to walk - or play any style of bass line. We know it and generally lots of us agree on what is the "right" line but in my case that's instinct or something. Is there some theory thing too ('cause I got no theory)?

 

[Wasnex]

What this has got me thinking is, how do we know it is time to walk - or play any style of bass line. We know it and generally lots of us agree on what is the "right" line but in my case that's instinct or something. Is there some theory thing too ('cause I got no theory)?

Judgement and discretion comes from experience IMHO.