Who here can play a walking bass line?!

[RSBro]

Actually, I wasn't being sarcastic and I'm certainly hoping I'm not being taken as being snide about it either. I just 'assumed' that being able to walk a bass line was such a fundamental skill for a bassist to have that everyone could do it (at least to some degree or another). Shows you what I know

It's hard to "assume" much, esp with such varying styles of music out there.

Banging out 16th notes, with exact speed, time and precision for a 4:00 song isn't as easy as you'd think.

I assume also that slap/pop is a fundamental style most people know and use, but I'm wrong there also.

[PaulyWally]

It's hard to "assume" much, esp with such varying styles of music out there. Banging out 16th notes, with exact speed, time and precision for a 4:00 song isn't as easy as you'd think. I assume also that slap/pop is a fundamental style most people know and use, but I'm wrong there also.

I can't do either of them!

[coyote-1]

There's a fundamental difference between taste/style preferences and fundamental knowledge of the language of music.

there are some "jazz" guys who wouldn't know a good riff if they tripped over it.

 

[bassesofalessergod]

There's a fundamental difference between taste/style and fundamental knowledge of the language of music.

you are fundamentally a dumbass.

[Westsailor]

Banging out 16th notes, with exact speed, time and precision for a 4:00 song isn't as easy as you'd think.

Actually, for me the hard part of 12 bar anything is not getting bored, getting sucked into wankery.

Anyway, that being said, I hope you don't listen TOO hard to my tracks then... I just grabbed my bass, plugged it into the laptop and banged them out about 7AM this morning when I ran across this thread.

[Tolka]

excellent playing PaulyWally....you did some things that were pretty interesting.

 

 

+1

 

 

I'm learning walking bass lines myself at present. For anyone interested in learing them I can recommend the "Building Walking Bass Lines" book by Ed Friedland.

[FreestyleIntruder]

I know *how* to but I'm not sure I'd do a particularly good job of it because it's not a skill I've ever really worked on

[wades_keys]

There is a big difference between "plain ol 12-bar Blues"... and the 12-bar progression that Bassius posted. Technically, it's Jazz that just happens to use a I-IV-V as it's basis.

+1000000.

Those extended chords can pull even a good ear in all kinds of directions - If he would have posted a "straight" version I would wager far more folks could improvise a walk over it.

As it stands, I don't listen to much jazz - my ear just isn't trained to hear the fundamental underneath those reharms - so i would have to chart the notes on paper before i even attempted any kind of bassline.

That said - thanks Bassius for posting that - I'm going to add this clip to my practice regimen; if anything halfway musical comes out of it I'll post it....

[xdamagexx]

i can jam out the 12 bar blues... does that count?

[coyote-1]

Actually, the difference is not that great. Problem is you look at it and are intimidated, rather than saying "hey yeah I can do that".

There's only one non-diatonic chord in Bassius' 12-bar. Aside from the G7, all those chords are natural to the same 12-bar you'd play in "Honky Tonk Woman" if you played it in Bb. (A good riff, BOALG?) And that G7 leads to the C-7 through the circle of fourths the same way the C-7 leads to the F7 which leads to the tonic Bb.

I would not consider that a jazz progression as much as a simple pop progression. You find stuff like that in the Beatles, Deep Purple, Skynyrd, Nirvana, ChiliPeppers, and a thousand other rock bands.

+1000000. Those extended chords can pull even a good ear in all kinds of directions - If he would have posted a "straight" version I would wager far more folks could improvise a walk over it.

 

[PaulyWally]

Actually, the difference is not that great . There's only one non-diatonic chord in Bassius' 12-bar. Aside from the G7, all those chords are natural to the same 12-bar you'd play in "Honky Tonk Woman" if you played it in Bb. (A good riff, BOALG?) And that G7 leads to the C-7 through the circle of fourths the same way the C-7 leads to the F7 which leads to the tonic Bb.

 

 

I didn't mean to say that the progression itself is so different. I suppose I just meant that there are certain harmonic and chordal differences that would lend any one person to approaching it more in a Jazz manner... and less of a Blues (or Rock) manner.

 

 

I would not consider that a jazz progression as much as a simple pop progression. You find stuff like that in the Beatles, Deep Purple, Skynyrd, Nirvana, ChiliPeppers, and a thousand other rock bands.

 

 

Pop/Rock came heavily from Jazz influence. Also, most Pop progressions do not use 7th chords. That's is a very "Jazz" thing to do. Even Blues does not always use 7th chords in that fashion.

 

Chord progressions are fairly finite. You'll find nuances of that chord progression almost anywhere you look. But that doesn't mean they are all approached like the Rolling Stones would approach them.

 

 

I guess what I'm trying to say is, you're correct. The difference does not have to be that great. It can be played very simple and still be quite effective. However, the chord progression is written in such a way that it was intended to be approached with Jazz theory... not Pop or Blues.

[Westsailor]

Actually, the difference is not that great . Problem is you look at it and are intimidated, rather than saying "hey yeah I can do that". (snip) I would not consider that a jazz progression as much as a simple pop progression. You find stuff like that in the Beatles, Deep Purple, Skynyrd, Nirvana, ChiliPeppers, and a thousand other rock bands.

 

 

yep... pull out the piano & brushes and replace 'em with a Stratocaster & snare and wha'dya got? Stevie Ray Vaughn.

[ec437]

Alright, so I guess instead of explaining it to me to help me get better at bass, you could all just argue over whether or not it needs to be explained and if a bassist that doesn't know what it was sucks too much anyways.

 

Thats cool guys, thanks.

[PaulyWally]

Alright, so I guess instead of explaining it to me to help me get better at bass, you could all just argue over whether or not it needs to be explained and if a bassist that doesn't know what it was sucks too much anyways. Thats cool guys, thanks.

I'm an idiot... don't listen to me. I'm trying to explain the theory behind why it is approached in a certain manner. But I'm not doing a good job of it. And it really has no relevance anyway.

[coyote-1]

Brief explanation: Two things are going on here, a) chord progression and b) bass movement to make that progression more interesting.

As to chord progression, there are all kinds of resources on the Web for basic theory. (It would help if you had familiarity with the major scale.) Likewise, the Web is full of resources on building walking bass lines... we cannot force-feed this stuff to you. If the concept intrigues you, google the phrases "beginning music theory" and then, a month after beginning real study of that, google "walking bass".

Alright, so I guess instead of explaining it to me to help me get better at bass, you could all just argue over whether or not it needs to be explained and if a bassist that doesn't know what it was sucks too much anyways. Thats cool guys, thanks.

 

[Bassius]

Thanks for contributing everyone.

 

I think the proof is in the pudding, guys. if you say you know how, then say you'd suck at it...that doesn't make sense... post your files and prove your self ... incidentally that's not what i'm looking for...i just want to hear what you have to say on the bass, so that i can get a census for the way average cats play some quarter notes....dig?

 

so anyway thanks and keep them coming...

[wades_keys]

As to chord progression, there are all kinds of resources on the Web for basic theory. (It would help if you had familiarity with the major scale.) Likewise, the Web is full of resources on building walking bass lines... we cannot force-feed this stuff to you. If the concept intrigues you, google the phrases "beginning music theory" and then, a month after beginning real study of that, google "walking bass".

 

I'm not sure if you missed the part of my post where I said I would have trouble IMPROVISING a bassline over this progression.

 

It's not for lack of theory PER SE - it's more my lack of application of this area of theory, on this instrument, in this genre.

 

My ear is not used to listening to this style - there is a lot of voice leading or whatever you wanna call it - there's a lot of movement away from and around the implied tonic.

 

My ear is wanting to follow that - which ain't bad put it pulls me right off the tonic and right off the cliff.....

 

I'm just relating my experience - no big deal man - like I said I can compose such a line, but I suppose I lack the experience to make it happen on the fly.

 

Good skill to have, no doubt.

 

Again - thanks for posting that, Mr. Bassius.

[brake]

Walking is what it's all about! Keeping a steady quarter-note pulse through something like Autumn Leaves is one of the hardest things to do, imo. Everyone should work on their walking bass lines.

[brake]

Thanks for contributing everyone. I think the proof is in the pudding, guys. if you say you know how, then say you'd suck at it...that doesn't make sense... post your files and prove your self ... incidentally that's not what i'm looking for...i just want to hear what you have to say on the bass, so that i can get a census for the way average cats play some quarter notes....dig? so anyway thanks and keep them coming...

I can't really record anything... no recording programs. I'd throw down a bass line if I could, though.

[Nayland]

Walking is what it's all about! Keeping a steady quarter-note pulse through something like Autumn Leaves is one of the hardest things to do, imo. Everyone should work on their walking bass lines.

Autumn Leaves is actually pretty easy...it's almost all cycle of fourths! The difficult stuff is songs with weird chord progressions, like the infamous Giant Steps, or just about any of Wayne Shorter's standards.

[brake]

Autumn Leaves is actually pretty easy...it's almost all cycle of fourths! The difficult stuff is songs with weird chord progressions, like the infamous Giant Steps, or just about any of Wayne Shorter's standards.

It's really simple but playing really simple is kinda hard sometimes.

[Bassius]

It's really simple but playing really simple is kinda hard sometimes.

 

 

+1

[T. Alan Smith]

It's really simple but playing really simple is kinda hard sometimes.

Only when your not paying enough attention to what happening around you(re. the other playas).

[Westsailor]

Alright, so I guess instead of explaining it to me to help me get better at bass, you could all just argue over whether or not it needs to be explained and if a bassist that doesn't know what it was sucks too much anyways. Thats cool guys, thanks.

My fault... I'm the one that got off on the wrong foot/tangent.

The 'argument' came about because the MP3 is being described as 'jazz' which might be throwing people off from giving it a shot ('I don't know how to play jazz', 'don't know the theory', etc.).

And I certainly don't mean to imply anyone sucks if they can't play a walking bassline. I was just surprised how many can't (or maybe do, but poorly). I should have known better... I couldn't play a lick of metal or punk (etc.) if my life depended on it.

Truth be told, yea you could stretch it and say it's jazz but if so, it's about as basic a jazz progression as you can get so there is nothing to be intimidated by. Forget it's in Bb with a piano/brushes (that's what makes it sound 'jazzy'). Forget all the flat7's,minor 7's, etc. (for now) If you've played any basic 3 chord rock/pop/funk/blues/country at all you already know the 'theory' for the 'timing' for 2/3rd's of the progression.

The last 3rd, the sequence at the end (Bb, G, C, F) is a 'ancient' progression, sometimes called a 'turnaround' (or a 'circle of 4ths' for the more technically inclined). Play just those notes. You should recognize it... it's used in a ton of songs. I dare say 50's rock & roll (and a ton 'o {censored} after) wouldn't exist without this turnaround.

Play these notes (one per beat):

Bb, D, Ab, E, F, Ab, D, C, Bb, Bb, G, G, C, C, F, F, Bb, Ab, G, F, Bb

Now, just put the '3 chord beat' together with the above 'turnaround' and there you have it.

Now, staying with that basic progression & timing, play around the 'root' chords used and find what other notes 'fit'. Don't think about it... {censored} the theory... just use your ears.

Not sure if that helped... the main thing I want to get across is it's much simpler than it might appear.

One thing you can take to the bank tho. Learn this progression. I guarantee you you'll use it (it's probably the most 'jammed' progression in existence after 12 bars of A-D-E

[mrcrow]

root
octave
flat 7th
6th
2nd
3rd 4th 5th