I've started to play jazz about 2 years ago, and still my walking lines feel too blues oriented (that's my background) and not so jazzy as it should feel. I'm practicing a lot but I think that what I'm doing wrong is the feel that I'm giving it. Has anyone been through this? What did you practice to get over it?
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Walking lines in jazz
- Thread starter JBP-Douglas
- Start date
I think some of that "feel" comes from where you are in regards to the beat, right on it or just behind, pushing or riding. And I think that comes from paying attention to the drummer, esp the hi-hat. Follow their feel (hopefully s/he has some). Listen to how others are doing it, and try experimenting--it can vary song to song, or movement to movement.
And I think they recomment Scotch? Or is it gin?
And I think they recomment Scotch? Or is it gin?
I think DeluxeRed is right; a lot of the "feel" is determined by where you place the beat. Another big piece of it (IMHO) is how long the notes are. In jazz the lines are typically played very legato - the quarter notes are held for their full length, where in blues you may be used to clipping them short, like right after the snare hit on beat two.
Feel is very important. In Jazz ( in paticular swing) 2 and 4 are where the accent should be. As far as note choice is concerned I would try to make each root note connect chromatically. ie a F7 chord coming down from a F# or up from a E natural. All this being said there are many different ways to approach walking bass that are equally good.
I'd suggest physically relaxing, take a deep breath and stretch out a little so you're not tense. Technqiue-wise, lighten up your fretting and plucking hands and turn up the volume on your amp and flatting out the EQ or shut it off if you can. Your hands will now control your dynamics much more.
Even if you know theory, make a point of picking up Ron Carter or Ed Friedland's books on walking and/or Todd Johnson's DVDs. They will get you out of the blues sound.
Even if you know theory, make a point of picking up Ron Carter or Ed Friedland's books on walking and/or Todd Johnson's DVDs. They will get you out of the blues sound.
+ 1 to Todd Johnson's books and DVDs. I really like Ed Fuqua's book too. IMO, Todd give you a nice, solid method to get the fundamentals of walking totally down, and Ed's book really focus on the "art" of playing good jazz. They complement each other well...
Listen to lots and lots jazz-oriented bass lines. Transcribe those basslines and see what makes them so jazzy.
Assuming it's not a harmonic issue (like, relying too much on major pentatonic lines or and 6th and b7th notes into your triads), you might want to pay attention to how you're swinging the notes. If you're leaning heavily on the triplet feel of the standard blues shuffle, maybe you can ease back to a more regular quarter note rhythm.
And as always, listen to the masters.
And as always, listen to the masters.
Thanks for all the advices, I'm starting to improve, yesterday I recorded myself and there were moments that I did it pretty jazzy, I relaxed and focused on 2 and 4, that helped me not to sound like a robot.
About Jimmy Garrison lines, I love when he plays a line that's not walking, like the one in A Love Supreme, that's a magic line!.
About Jimmy Garrison lines, I love when he plays a line that's not walking, like the one in A Love Supreme, that's a magic line!.
Keep at it. In time you'll be feeling it and playing it. Listen to Ray Brown and practice some of his lines.
JBP i am picking up the bass after a 20+ year hiatus. I am learning the idiom of jazz and walking. I would highly recommend the todd coolman book the bottom line ( ive found this to be better than some of the other books listed for my level and development) and some transcriptions. i have transcribed a few choruses of aebersold vol 1,2, and 3 of walking blues (12 bar) and modal and std progressions and am working on basic transcriptions of leaves, rythm changes etc.
My experience so far tells me that it is truely an art form that will take time. I am working on building my vocab by having several ii-v-i patterns etc memorized and working them thru different keys also getting the web to give me basically unlimited walking transcriptions. hope this helps... i ve got a long way to go but really believe that developing myears at this point will get me the furthest. believe it or not playing with records to get your lines to get the feel of the song (eg miles version of autumn leaves or freddie freeloader) is great. i have found a great teacher on the web also if you pm me ill give you his info.
Ive also found transcribing bass licks from say miles trane or pops will get you an idea of swing and finally id recommend a listen to ray brown ( ie "this ones for blanton" imho one of the best walking bass men around)
all the best.
My experience so far tells me that it is truely an art form that will take time. I am working on building my vocab by having several ii-v-i patterns etc memorized and working them thru different keys also getting the web to give me basically unlimited walking transcriptions. hope this helps... i ve got a long way to go but really believe that developing myears at this point will get me the furthest. believe it or not playing with records to get your lines to get the feel of the song (eg miles version of autumn leaves or freddie freeloader) is great. i have found a great teacher on the web also if you pm me ill give you his info.
Ive also found transcribing bass licks from say miles trane or pops will get you an idea of swing and finally id recommend a listen to ray brown ( ie "this ones for blanton" imho one of the best walking bass men around)
all the best.
+1. Give full value to the quarter note. Play Legato. Staccato Blues or R&B riffs do not swing. They're nice but, they don't swing.
+1. I too, found Todd Coolman's book really helpful. Good enough to pass it on when I was done with it. Here's one source;
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