A walking bass line is a bass line played in quarter notes, with the root on beat one, and the other notes walking, by step or by chromatic approach, to the next root. It is the bass line of jazz and blues, and it swings, because the quarter notes walk, steadily, from chord to chord, and the harmony is outlined, note by note.
What are walking bass lines?
A walking bass line is a bass line played in quarter notes, with the root on beat one, and the other notes walking, by step or by chromatic approach, to the next root. It is the bass line of jazz and blues, and it swings, because the quarter notes walk, steadily, from chord to chord, and the harmony is outlined, note by note, and the bass line is the foundation, and the melody, and the rhythm, all at once, and the walking bass is the bass player's art, because it is improvised, and it is the song, played by the bass. The walking bass line is played in quarter notes, one note per beat, in 4/4 time, with the root on beat one, and the other notes on beats two, three, and four, walking, by step, or by chromatic approach, to the next root, so the bass line moves, steadily, from chord to chord, and the harmony is clear, and the rhythm is steady, and the music swings, because the quarter notes are even, and the bass line walks, without stopping, and the walking bass is the heartbeat, of jazz and blues. The C major bass chord and the G major bass chord are the chords most walking bass lines are built on, and the metronome keeps the beat steady.
How walking bass lines work
A walking bass line works by playing four quarter notes per bar, with the root on beat one, and the other notes walking, to the next root, so the bass line is the harmony, outlined, note by note, and the rhythm is the quarter notes, steady, and even, and the music swings. The notes on beats two and three are usually chord tones, the 3rd, the 5th, or the 7th, or scale notes, that fit the chord, and the note on beat four is usually an approach note, a half step above or below the next root, so the bass line walks, into the next chord, and the harmony changes, smoothly, and the bass line is the guide, from chord to chord. The approach note is the key: a chromatic approach, a half step below the next root, is the most common, because it creates tension, and the tension resolves, when the next root is played, on beat one, and the bass line walks, into the next chord, and the music flows, because the approach note leads the ear, to the next root, and the root is the resolution, and the bass line is the journey, from root to root, and the approach notes are the steps, along the way. The D major bass chord and the A major bass chord are the chords the walking bass is built on, and the key of C major is the easiest key to walk in, because it has no sharps or flats.
Worked example — walking from C major to G major. Play a walking bass line in C major, in 4/4 time, with four quarter notes per bar: on beat one, play C, the root, on the A string, 3rd fret, C2, 65.41 Hz, and on beat two, play E, the major 3rd, on the D string, 2nd fret, E2, 82.41 Hz, and on beat three, play G, the perfect 5th, on the D string, 5th fret, G2, 98 Hz, and on beat four, play F#, the chromatic approach, a half step below the next root, G, on the D string, 4th fret, F#2, 92.50 Hz, and the note is F#, which is a half step below G, and the tension resolves, when the next bar starts, with G, the root, on the E string, 3rd fret, G2, 98 Hz, on beat one, and the bass line walks, from C to G, and the harmony changes, smoothly, because the approach note led the ear, to the next root. The I–V–vi–IV progression in C major is a good progression to walk.
How to practise walking bass lines
Practise walking bass lines slowly, with a metronome, playing the root on beat one, and the approach note on beat four, until the bass line walks, smoothly, from chord to chord.
- Play a walking bass line in C major, with four quarter notes per bar, root on beat one, and the other notes walking, to the next root, and listen for the bass line to be steady, and even.
- Play the root on beat one, and a chromatic approach note, a half step below the next root, on beat four, and listen for the tension to resolve, when the next root is played.
- Play the I–V–vi–IV progression in C major on bass, walking from chord to chord, with the root on beat one, and the approach note on beat four.
- Practise with the metronome at 60 beats per minute, and increase the tempo by 5 beats per minute when the walking bass line is clean at the current tempo.
- Use the fretboard note finder to check the notes of any walking bass line, and name each note as you play it, so the notes are learned with the line.
Common mistakes
- Not playing the root on beat one — The root must be on beat one, because the harmony changes on beat one, and the bass must be there, with the root, or the band will be confused, and the harmony will be unclear. Play the root on beat one, every bar, and the bass line will be solid.
- Playing too many notes — A walking bass line is four quarter notes per bar, one per beat, and a player who plays too many notes will make the bass line busy, and the rhythm will be confused, and the music will not swing. Play four quarter notes per bar, and the bass line will walk, steadily.
- Forgetting the approach note — The approach note, on beat four, is what leads the ear, to the next root, and a player who forgets it will make the bass line jump, from chord to chord, instead of walking, and the music will not flow. Play an approach note, a half step below the next root, on beat four, and the bass line will walk.
Quick reference
This table shows a walking bass line from C major to G major, with the beat, the note, and the role for each one, so you can see the walking bass side by side and practise it one beat at a time. The root is on beat one, the chord tones are on beats two and three, and the approach note is on beat four, leading to the next root.
| Beat | Note (C to G) | Role |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | C | Root of C major |
| 2 | E | Major 3rd of C major |
| 3 | G | Perfect 5th of C major |
| 4 | F# | Chromatic approach, half step below G |
| 1 (next bar) | G | Root of G major |
Use the table to practise walking bass: play the root on beat one, the chord tones on beats two and three, and the approach note on beat four, and listen for the bass line to walk, smoothly, from chord to chord, and the tension to resolve, when the next root is played. When you can walk from any chord to any chord, you can play walking bass, and the music will swing.
Frequently asked questions
What are walking bass lines?
A walking bass line is a bass line played in quarter notes, with the root on beat one, and the other notes walking, by step or by chromatic approach, to the next root. It is the bass line of jazz and blues, and it swings, because the quarter notes walk, steadily, from chord to chord.
What is a chromatic approach note?
A chromatic approach note is a note a half step above or below the next root, played on beat four, so the bass line walks, into the next chord, and the tension resolves, when the next root is played, on beat one, and the music flows, because the approach note leads the ear.
How many notes are in a walking bass line per bar?
Four, in 4/4 time, one quarter note per beat, with the root on beat one, chord tones or scale notes on beats two and three, and an approach note on beat four, leading to the next root.
What style is walking bass used in?
Jazz and blues, mainly, because the walking bass is the heartbeat, of jazz and blues, and the quarter notes swing, and the bass line walks, steadily, from chord to chord, and the harmony is outlined, note by note.
Can I play walking bass lines as a beginner?
Yes, once the roots are solid, and the chord tones are known, and the approach notes are learned, one at a time, and the bass line grows, from the roots, to the walking bass, and the music will swing.