In this lesson i share some essential walking bass patterns. Once youve done that, combining it with chords on the guitar is just a matter of slipping in simple versions of chords here and there. The bass lines are good and one simple addition to know is that just about any chord walking bass line, you can always use a leading tone that is, 12 step below to whatever is the next chord. In essence, were using the b note in our walking bass line, plus the guitar s standard tuning to create a very cool sounding chord change. The tough part is developing the ability to play the walking bass line. While giant steps can be daunting to improvise over, you can create a walking bass line with only a few notes. Ive got a great lesson for you on walking bass with chords for jazz guitar. Walking bass line jazz standards swing tune bass by misc. A guitar in standard tuning will never reach the lower bass notes of a real bass, but between the sixth and fifth strings on the guitar you can create the illusion of a bass player being present. I have searched for an understanding of how to create walking bass lines online for a long time. Learning how to construct walking bass lines is the easiest and fastest way to start really learning your fingerboard. Jazz bass line construction thelonious monk institute of. It is found most commonly in blues and jazz, but as you learn bass guitar, you will hear its influence in almost any style of music.
Theoretically and as a good starting point for us, a bass line can be comprised of just chord tones. Beginners guide to walking bass lines bass tabs bass. Every chord change in the blues should be viewed as an opportunity to create harmonic movement and interest for the listener. The first lesson will be building walking bass lines in the 44 meter swing style. While walking bass in a band is generally played by the bass guitar or double bass player, being able to play walking bass lines is an essential skill for. Getting started with walking bass lines on bass guitar. There is a big tendency for players to seek for advanced and complicated topics while they still did not master the basics. There are a couple of exceptions as youll see but for the most part were looking at one line for ascending and one line for descending. Half steps create feeling of tension and release and this is what makes a walking bass line sound jazzy. Basic 12 bar blues in a the walking bass bass tabs bass.
When the harmonic rhythm of a progression of a song is two chords per bar, the bass player will often play a target note on beats 1 and 3, and an approach note on beats 2 and 4. A bassline also known as a bass line or bass part is the term used in many styles of music, such as jazz, blues, funk, dub and electronic, traditional music, or classical music for the lowpitched instrumental part or line played in jazz and some forms of popular music by a rhythm section instrument such as the electric bass, double bass, cello, tuba or keyboard piano, hammond organ. The first jazz walking bass line etude we are going to learn is over the first eight bars of giant steps. The function of the bass is to provide the foundation for the harmony of the given tune. Its function is to outline the chords of the progression and provide a smooth transition from one chord to another. To demonstrate this we are going to use one of the most important chord sequences youll find in jazz music. It is common for the harmonic rhythm to vary within most chord progressions. Once comfortable, simply randomize the cell in any order. Walking bass lines always sound cool in any style of music, but are essential to jazz blues and great american songbook jazz standards.
The walking bass line itself fills a lot of space since it is continuously moving around. In this weeks lesson were looking at a very simple walking bass line through the chord changes of the jazz. Our basic method for bass line construction is pretty straightforward. This exercise is nothing more than a i vim iim v bass line playing two quarter. As always you can download the examples as a pdf here. Walking up or down into a chord is a really nice way of making a transition from one chord to another. Walking bass and chords bb blues jazz guitar lesson. The difficulty in walking bass on the guitar lies in the combination of playing chords and bass at the same time. For this walking bass line im going to use only two scale patterns as the foundation for the whole thing. The description below is for the pdf and audio files.
So grab your guitar, pick out some chords and have some fun walking that bass. Five steps to walking basslines on guitar guitar world. How to play walking bass exactly like a bass player. If youre amazingly extra awesome, youll be able to sing the melody and make a bass line at the same time. The bassment free bass guitar transcriptions in standard. Jul 21, 2016 walking bass line jazz standards swing tune misc unsigned bands. In essence, were using the b note in our walking bass line, plus the guitars standard tuning to create a very cool sounding chord change. In this lesson i am going to go over a walking bass comp on a 12 bar bb jazz blues and how you play it on guitar.
How to write a walking bass line learn jazz standards. On the fourth beat of the measure, hit the a chord on a downstroke, pull off your fingers, hammer the index finger on the second fret of the a string to get the b note in the bass and play a short. Recently i put together a howto guide to building walking basslines on jazz guitar. It is absolutely crucial for the student to learn the material in the correct order and not to go ahead of oneself. Playing jazz guitar bass lines and chords terence wright. Learn how to build and play walking bass lines on guitar and combine these with chords video, guitar tabs, and backing track. When you can cleanly and smoothly play the bass line, add the chords. Nothing too difficult, just make sure you are stamping your foot two times per second and that you are counting from 1 to 4 in time with your foot beat.
Youll become a oneinstrument rhythm section and be perfectly placed to accompany singers and soloists in a duo setting. Jazz bass line construction thelonious monk institute of jazz. Walking bass guitar is an important comping style for any jazz guitarist to study when learning how to play jazz guitar chords if you are new to playing walking bass guitar lines and want to learn an easy method for learning them, i highly recommend checking out this guide that i published before working through the material in this lesson this article is aimed at the guitarist who already. All of our bass tab pdf is printable and downloadable so you can enjoy it for years to come. Creating a walking bass line is one of the more elusive art forms in the bass world, but if you understand how to put it together. Youll receive a pdf of all the lines played in the lesson, an arpeggio reference sheet and the backing tracks in c major and f major. Playing a walking jazz guitar bass line is a captivating method of comping for other musicians, and yourself. This tutorial takes a look at five different approaches to playing walking basslines in a 12bar blues progression. An example of four common chord progressions found in jazz, including a blues, minor blues, modal song form and rhythm changes. It is used in country, bluegrass and jazz very often, but you can use it in other genres as well.
While walking bass in a band is generally played by the bass guitar or double bass player, being able to play walking bass lines is an essential skill for jazz guitarists when playing without a bass player. Easy walking bass lines pdf constructing walking jazz. Feb 14, 2018 download pdf alright, this is just a warmup, good to stretch your fingers out with, its simple, and works quite well as an improv. In this module we are going to look at using scalewise motion in our lines. Chords and walking bass part 1 in this lesson ill demonstrate how i approach playing walking bass lines and chords at the same time. Pay close attention to the quality of the chords dominant seven or minor. The walking bass line was developed by upright bassists like ray brown, milt hinton, paul chambers, and ron carter, but now its also commonly played on the bass guitar. Use your thumb for the bass notes and your other fingers to comp the chords. This is a a way of playing that i use really a lot in situations where theres no bass player, so mostly duo settings with a guitar player, singer or horn player. Our collection of tabs, guitar chords, and video lessons is constantly growing, so check back often to find your favorite songs. Walking bass line theory basicspart 1by chris fitzgerald.
The cd includes recordings of the lesson materail as well as detailed explanations by mark. Free bass tabs printable, downloadable pdf bass tabs. Walking bass lines for jazz guitar pdf file adg productions. After browsing our selection of free bass tab pdf, view our video lessons to help you get started learning your favorite songs from start to finish. The book will show the musician how to connect familiar chord shapes with the appropriate bass notes. From the steely dan album aja border song holy moses. In general, it is a good strategy to play the root of the chord on the downbeat of the measure. Looking for a structured way to increase your current skill level. It is full of ideas, examples, chord voicings and substitutions, as well as short chord progressions for you to try your new learned skills.
Simple walking bass line for jazz beginners talkingbass. If you are wishing to order the pdf mp3 files please go to the correct page as this product is for the pdf file only. This is the first step in developing walking bass lines. Lessons scales walking blues 12 bar blues scale bass. Here is an example of walking a line by switching between 1231 and 53. The simplest walking bass line formula exactly where to. Essential walking bass line patterns discover double bass.
Walking bass and chords on a bb blues jazz guitar lesson. A jazz blues progression written in all twelve keys. Walking bass and walking chords guitar styles ted greene. The first level will be to develop bass lines using triad chord tones only and resolve to the next chord root in the most economical way i. A big part of being a jazz guitarist is accompanying other musicians. Walking bass lines for jazz guitar digital sheet music. Walking bass lines youtube jazz guitar with martin taylor. In this bass guitar lesson, im going to take you through the 3 core concepts you can use to create walking bass lines. Are you trying to find a way in to playing jazz bass. As a special bonus, 2 specially commissioned online videos are included, with martin taylor illustrating the secrets of walking basslines on jazz guitar. Once again thank you for your clear, easy to understand lessons.
A twobeat and walking bass line on the changes of the tune beautiful love 2. Jazz walking bass line etudes for guitar jamie holroyd guitar. It is possible to add rhythmic variations, but in general, a walking bassline drives the song forward step by step. The possible noterange of a walking bass can reach from subcontra a to middle c. Bass lessons beginners guide to walking bass lines bass tab standard string tuning g,d,a,e recommended 1.
Jazz bass line construction thelonious monk institute of jazz online jazz handbook. Walking bass for jazz guitar three easy steps fret dojo. Sep 24, 2019 every chord change in the blues should be viewed as an opportunity to create harmonic movement and interest for the listener. The conference brought middle and high school teachers from all over idaho to the college of southern idaho for three days of seminars and workshops. If youre ready to step up your bluegrass guitar playing, be sure to check out bryan suttons free sample lessons. Module 2 scales passing tones walking bass lessons. The fundamental concepts of building walking basslines from scratch. This will give you the effect of an improvised walking bass line. One of the most effective ways of comping is using walking bass lines. To illustrate that, in our first two patterns, play the root of the chord for first three beats and then, on beat four half step one fret above or below the root of the next chord. This just so happens to be done in the key of a but you can play this in any. Learn fingerstyle guitar with martin taylor online at artistworks.
Here is the bass lines for autumn leaves that everyone contributed to last week. Learn the 5 walking bass lines or cells one by one and loop them until you are comfortable and locked in with the backing track. Mar 25, 2019 welcome to part 1 of the walking bass series. Find out how to get the full series of these lessons on walking bass by clicking here. Learn to play the bass line and the thirds and sevenths all at one time. Walking bass on guitar is usually played fingerstyle. This is very useful in weaving a walking bass line through a chord progression while holding one position. Bass lessons basic 12 bar blues in a the walking bass bass tab. To demonstrate this we are going to use one of the most important chord sequences youll find in jazz music the iivi or 251.
There are 24 modules and each lesson, a cd and notationtab of the module material, comes in the mail every 2 weeks. Martin taylor walking bass for jazz guitar fundamental. Exercise 1 demonstrates this with several examples. These riffs work over almost any chord which then moves up by an interval of a 4th to the next chord. How to play a walking bass line with chords guitar.
Scale degrees between two chord tones are called passing tones. If you are wishing to order the pdfmp3 files please go to the correct page as this product is for the pdf file only. Lessons in this segment focus on the fundamentals of bass playing. Walking bass and chords is one of the greatest ways to comp if you are the only one playing behind a soloist like a horn or a singer. In this lesson, you will learn how to write and play a walking bass line over a 12bar blues in f. A jazz bassist must learn how to walk a line based on the chords of a tune. The function of a bass player in the jazz combo is to work with the piano player and drummer to provide both a harmonic and rhythmic stability for the tune. By employing them, our walking line takes on a very smooth, flowing motion. The course covers standard head arrangements, walking lines and solos for bass. Learn how to improvise walking bass lines in less than 5. Walking bass lines with chords jazz guitar lesson ever wanted to play chords and walking. Dont forget you can repeat cells multiple times and itll work. This article teaches you 3 jazz walking bass line etudes arranged for guitar.
You can do this same exercise with any of the patterns. Apr 26, 2017 our basic method for bass line construction is pretty straightforward. The function of the bass is to provide the foundation for the. What we need to bear in mind is to apply the right scale to the chord being. From the aretha franklin album young, gifted and black break it to me gently. Easy walking bass lines pdf, constructing walking jazz bass lines. A walking bass line simply walks through the appropriate scale of each chord, one note per beat, hitting every beat of each measure. How to assemble single line basslines on guitar in 3 easy steps. The video is based on a recording i made and transcribed. Use the same method that is illustrated with the ii v is. A walking bass line generally consists of notes of equal duration and intensity typically 14 notes that create a feeling of forward motion. Walking bass for jazz guitar teaches you martin taylors own secret method for building a rock solid walking bassline on any jazz standard, and shows you a fool proof way of playing chords, all at the same time.
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