Five elements that generate great bass lines

1. Play the root of the chord

2. Play the root followed by the notes of the chord

3. Play the root followed by the notes of the scale

4. Use a pentatonic scale for each chord

5. Walking bass lines

What about guitar playing? well I,m sure this is gonna be very helpful

Understanding how a bass line functions is crucial if you want to transcribe the chords of a song.

The bass line will help you calculate the chord progression.

The chord progression is used to determine the key of the song.

Then you can extend the chords within the key and use the Major scale for your guitar solo.

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5. Walking bass lines

If you run out of space you fill the gap with a chromatic non scale note.

Example.

The key: - G major G A B C D E F#

The chords: - Am7 & D7

(they are the second chord of G Major and the fifth chord of G Major)

||: Am7 / / / | D7 / / / :||

Check out “Hey Joe” by Hendrix(below) and most Big Band bass parts

|| C / G / | D / A / | E / / / | E / / / ||

However

When the chords are too close or to distant we follow the root on beat one with a chord note and proceed to walk up or down the scale from that position.

More solutions for other chord progressions in G Major below.

||:Am7 / / / |C / / / :||

A E D C# C E F# G

||:Am7 / / / |Bm7 / / / : ||

A E D C B F# G G#

||: Am7 / / / |G / / / : ||

A E F F# G D C B

||: Am7 / / / |Em7 / / / : ||

A G F# F E F# G G#

By observing the above we become aware of the permutations involved.

Here is bassline that may be mistaken for supporting E7 or E

||E F# G G#|A / / / ||

but an understanding of walking bass rules allows it to be used for Em7 also.

So, walking bass, "king of bass lines"

Linking roots using scale notes, and adding chromatics at the last moment.

There`s more , sure is!

When chords change key strange things are possible!!

NEXT MONTHS NEWSLETTER

More walking bass:- changing keys and a recap.

CHORD PROGRESSION OF THE MONTH

Purple Rain by Prince

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