Double Bass Walking Over 2 Maj7 Chords

[TheAwesomeGingerGuy]

as title suggests: how to?
new to walking and I don't just want to play arpeggios
my specific chords are
Emaj7 | Emaj7 | Abmin7 | Dbmin7 | Emaj Ebmaj |
^^^^^^^^^
these are my problem

 

[Marc Piane]

Try to think of the overarching line melodically. You are improvising a counterpoint line.

 

[pnchad]

Listen to Ray brown play Killer Joe - they are Dom7 chords but all the concepts of keeping it fresh apply to any set of 2 simple changes

 

[sean_on_bass]

Lots of options there. You say you don't want to play arpeggios, but using the chord tones in an interesting way is one way to go, and you dont have to play them in a logical ascending or descending order. You could also take a more scalar approach, walking up over the course of two measures. Or try this...arpeggiate on the first measure then a scalar walk on the second into the Ab.

Again, lots of options. I recommend you loop an Emaj7 to infinite and try experimenting. Devise a nice one measure phrase, then two, then four, then eight. Also, practicing the jazz blues will develop this skill, among others.

 

[Don Kasper]

Here are some possible approaches: notice the use of the 9(F#), 13(C#), and #11(A#).
Thanks.

 

[Marc Piane]

What I would encourage you to do is to walk the line that you have in mind starting on the first chord and then melodically follow the idea into the next chord. Drew talked about it a little bit this video. The main idea is to let your ear be the guide and don't default back to the root and ensuing pattern just because.

 

[damonsmith]

The melody notes would help to see the full arc of tension and release in the harmony. If you don't have a grasp of that stay with our "safe" bass notes, roots, fives, chromatics and leading tones.