I had lots of requests for some more lessons on walking bass, with the guitar comping along as you go.This is a great technique to get down, it sounds real cool when you get it swinging.

Target the root

Landing on the root note of the chord on beat 1 is pretty consistent. This helps define the harmony and is one of the keys to developing walking bass as an improvised skill.

Sidesliding (or side stepping)

The root note is nearly always approached from either a semitone above or a semitone below the root note (though sometimes from a note that is in the arpeggio of the preceeding chord).

Focus on the bass

Remember that the bass part is the most important, so if you cannot get the chords leave them off!! It will sound perfectly fine without them. Better with them there, but it is MORE IMPORTANT to have the bass swinging like Austin Powers at a scene.

Harmony and fingering

If you can, try to analyze the harmony, remember to look for the two-fives. And FOLLOW THE FINGERING - at least until you know that you can work it out for yourself...

The fingering is written on the music and should be easy enough to follow. Try to memorize the way that chords connect with each other.

Get the music

Download the pdf file here - JazzBlues1.pdf

Then watch the Video (further notes to be found below)

Video Lesson

 

The sheet music

omg... this is so old... back in the .co.uk days.... the gool ol' days :) lol

 

HELP!!!!

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