Conference napalm::guitar

      Maybe I should give an example:
    
    You are in 4/4 time and lets say the progression is 2 measures in
    
    "G", then 2 measures in "c", 1 measure in "D" back to "G" repeat


                             

    
    Uh, do you mean walking the bass on the *bass* or doing it on the
    guitar, like Chet Atkins?
    
    Either way it would take a lot of space to discuss it. I would approach
    it a number of different ways depending on what type of song it
    was, i.e. a bluegrass tune versus jazz.  
    
    Feel free to talk my ear off at 297-6289 about it.

    "Walking" bass lines are generally based around a scale, and
    incorporate chord tones, chromatic runs and passing tones. Some
    knowledge of chord theory is helpful, but I'll give a simple example
    based on your progression of G - C - D - G.
    
    The scale for key of G is G A B C D E F# G. Let's be real simple, and
    figure we want to "walk" in quarter notes, and always land on the root
    of the chord on the first beat of the measure. One possibility is:
    
    G - e - f - f# - G - A - A# - B
    
    C - E - F - F# - G' - F - E - D#
    
    D - C - B - A - G
    
    Note that there is a lot of use of chromatic lead-ins to chord tones.
    Another technique is to "walk around" the chord tones - that is, play
    notes on both sides of a chord tone, but not actually the chord itself.
    A key element of walking bass is the subtle rhythmic variations. It's
    very common, for example, to throw in a fifth or octave as a kind of
    quick "grace note". Wlaking bass really lends itself to swing style in
    this respect, playing both on and slightly before the beat.
    
    Hope that gives you a few ideas.
    
    - Ram

    Reply #3, I didn't get your first name.  This is for the bass guitar.
    How about a jazz or blues style.  Just looking for basic "walking
    methods" to approach each chord change.  
    
      >Still too much?	

     Re: .4
    
    .3 really hit the spot for jazz type walks, they tend to be highly
    chromatic.
    
    For blues, you usually would do something simpler.  I find most
    blues bassists tend to arpeggiate the chords then do small chromatic
    or scale runs to get to the next chord.  In the same example:
    
    G-B-D-E-G-D-E-B
    
    C-E-G-A-G-E-D-B  (a chromatic alternative here is C-E-F-F#-G-B-C-C#)
    
    D-B-A-F#-G-B-D-E

    It still is a "walk" of sorts but you stick more strictly to chord
    tones only.  You might throw in flat 3s (Bb) or flat 7s (F natural)
    here and there to give it more of a "blues" sound.  The more chromatic
    you get, the "jazzier" it gets.

    Compare this example to Ram's example and you should hear the
    difference pretty easily.
    
    As Ram suggested, most walking bass is done in swing time, which is a
    triplet feel. Neat tricks to add in are splitting the lines across
    octaves.  For instance, in the example above try playing the first two
    bars starting on the E string at the third fret and ascending , then
    when you get to the B note, play the C at the third fret , A string,
    then play the remainder of those two bars ascending from the open E
    string.  Compare that with playing the first two lines the same, but
    when you get to the C asacending up onto the D and G strings.
    Switching between the two octaves gives a different effect. 
    
    						Brian    

!                      <<< Note 1341.4 by CECV03::MURCH >>>
!                              -< still to much? >-
!    
!    Reply #3, I didn't get your first name. 
    
    The " - Ram" at the bottom means my first name is Ram.

!   This is for the bass guitar. How about a jazz or blues style.
!   Just looking for basic "walking methods" to approach each chord change.
    
    What I gave was a kind of "jazz-blues" example. What Brian described in
    .4 I would have called something like "patterns", rather than "walking
    bass". He is correct in saying that blues and r&b bass utilizes more
    arppegiated patterns than walking lines, or as he suggested, walking
    lines are used only as transitions between patterns. "Walking bass"
    applies more to jazz style, but the example you gave was a blues
    pattern, so I followed it.
    
    The best way to learn walking bass techniques, which by the way I am no
    master of, is to listen to some real masters. There is plenty of jazz
    stuff to listen to, some fusion incorporates walking lines. A good
    example of the use of the jazz feel of a walking bass line in rock is
    Van Morrison's classic "Moondance".
    
    - Ram (catch it this time?)    
      >Still too much?	
    

     Thanks for these great responses,  I'll need to digest them a little
    and see what other questions might pop up.  For instance; I don't
    quite understand a walking bass without hitting the root note in
    each chord change. Doesn't the root define the chord?
    
    I do have a pretty good knowledge of chords. Walking jazz sounds
    more like something I will use.  My knowlege of chords in a key
    is based on this:   key of "g" one would use
    
    G  is a major 7th  Appegio
    A  is a minor 7th  ....
    B  is a minor 7th 
    C  is a maj 7th 
    D  is a 7th
    E  is a minor 7th
    F# is a minor 7 b 5
    
    I'm trying to put all this stuff together and any info would help.
    
                    Thanks,
    
    Any other responses keep them coming!!!!
    
           

    You need not hit the root of each chord change.  But usually you do-but
    the fifth can do nicely.  You have to listen.
    
    The idea is do larger skips during the measure, and 'Walk' with close
    steps when going from one chord into another.  To get that special
    sound, go from the root, *DOWN* to the third and walk up to the next
    chord.
    
    Chord       C           G         C    
                                   
    Notes       C   E F F#  G G D  B   C
                   go down  skip octove  Note the close
                to the E                steps connecting
                                       the measures
                 
                    
    Listen to some old time bass players.