Walking Bass Help, Tips... Options

[ashmoors]

Gday all. Just wondering if anyone has some quick and easy tips for writing walking bass lines. I have a good knowledge of chords, and I was wanting to teach myself just how to work out a walking bass line from looking at the chords of a jazz piece.
Thanks

[Keys]

This is maybe not the right way to do it but I always look at the chords and then use the mode of that chord (to start with, then add altered notes etc after when you get bit more comfortable with it) to create a walking bassline, moving up and down- mainly in steps but you can of course have bigger intervals, creating motifs and little repeated phrases. Then when the chord changes try and make it so that you only move a small step away- so that it flows.

Usually just basing it on the related mode should be OK. You only need it really to keep a steady backing for the melody.

Good luck. It may or may not work.

[kompozer]

I play jazz on double bass for a living and have taught improvisation. While the modes will certainly get you there, which four notes do you pick out for each bar (o.k. more if you're being flash)? To begin with, focus on the chord tones using extensions such as 9ths, 13ths, flat 5s as passing notes. If an accompanying bass line moves too far outside the chords, the harmonic structure can become confused.
Rhythmically, each quarter note should pile into the one that follows it with good energy and the accent on beats 2 & 4. Generally triplet movement follows the arpeggio, whereas walking quarter notes can follow the chord tones, the mode or be chromatic. Plenty of octave / fifth jumps and of course the tonic dropping down to the major third below.
Keys advice about the small steps to join consecutive chords is absolutely right ( so is everything else he ? she says.
Don't try to run before you can walk.

[Keys]

I'm a she. (IMG:style_emoticons/default/biggrin.gif)

[ashmoors]

Cheers (IMG:style_emoticons/default/smile.gif) Ill put your knowledge into practice. Thanks very much for your help (IMG:style_emoticons/default/smile.gif)

[JuliaR]

Hi there

I play double bass and my favourite music genre is jazz, so I'm looking to join a jazz group at school this year. I'm told its very handy to know how to do walking bass lines. How exactly do you write them? I understand that its literally is a bass line that "walks" but that's about it. I'm afraid I'm not too accostomed to the technical language used by all the experienced people above so if someone could explain it and the process of writing one in a simpler way, it would be much appreciated (IMG:style_emoticons/default/biggrin.gif)

[TenorClef]

A good tip to start out with is to stick to 4 in a bar, so for example the chord sequence IV-V7-1-II,III7 from Ellington's Perdido could be approached ABCC#-DEFF#-GBDC-BDED and so on......If that seems a little to tough try play root and 5ths and then look for notes that connect or bridge to the next chord in the sequence.

[JuliaR]

Awesome thanks so much (IMG:style_emoticons/default/biggrin.gif)

Can't wait to start transferring that over to the bass *excited*

[diapason]

As an teacher/organist (classical, theatre, modern electronic), I often give my intermediate/advanced students various exercises in arranging.
One of these includes construct a "walking bass" pedal line to fit a given chord progression.

Basically, it involves using scale-like and arpeggio patterns based on the chord at the time. As has been previously suggested, also look for linking notes (fill in a note between the interval of a third)

For example, a tune we are working on at the moment has 4 beats in a bar. The chord pattern is in minims, so changed every 2 beats. The pedal bass is in crotchets

Chord C Am F G etc.,

Bass c b a g f e d g or

c g a e f d g b


Brief answer, but hope it helps

[JuliaR]

Hi there

Thanks for that example, but I'm a bit confused at the first one. I can see there's the root but every second note isnt in the chord. How do you get a b from the C chord? The second one makes sense to me, but I'm a bit confused that th 6th note is a d. How is that done? It's not in the F chord thats all.. (IMG:style_emoticons/default/huh.gif)

The example did help me a lot in understanding it, though, much appreciated (IMG:style_emoticons/default/smile.gif)

[bassdud78]

Hey,

B is just a passing tone between C (from Cmaj) and A (from Amin). It is the major 7th of Cmaj chord so it is very much so in the hamony. The same goes for the D note in the F chord. Passing tones (chromatic and scalar) can be not only used to color the chord of the moment, they can also function to anticipate upcoming harmony. When dealing with harmony I-vi-IV-V (C-Am-F-G) that is completely diatonic, in some cases the passing tones can be related to both chords. I hope this makes sense.


b

[diapason]

Hey,

B is just a passing tone between C (from Cmaj) and A (from Amin). It is the major 7th of Cmaj chord so it is very much so in the hamony. The same goes for the D note in the F chord. Passing tones (chromatic and scalar) can be not only used to color the chord of the moment, they can also function to anticipate upcoming harmony. When dealing with harmony I-vi-IV-V (C-Am-F-G) that is completely diatonic, in some cases the passing tones can be related to both chords. I hope this makes sense.


b

Thanks bassdud78 - I couldn't have put it better (IMG:style_emoticons/default/wink.gif)

Ok there JuliaR. It's just a thought. There are some excellent organ arrangements of popular standards arranged in jazz style - try your local library - look for Bill Irwin, Kenneth Baker, Mark Laub. You could look at the pedal lines for a bit of inspiration, just as my organ students look at piano and other instrumental arrangements for their stylings.

[JuliaR]

Awesome, thanks for the advice, and now it makes much more sense (IMG:style_emoticons/default/biggrin.gif)