Good VS Bad Walking Bass Line
#Good #Bad #Walking #Bass #Line
Originally posted by UCazf7xBAiXehzMhsQBAXoWw at https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=iZDknb9coY0
#Good #Bad #Walking #Bass #Line
Originally posted by UCazf7xBAiXehzMhsQBAXoWw at https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=iZDknb9coY0
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❌ Why is it “bad?” –
This walking bass line ONLY is playing arpeggios. While this is okay, it needs more motion as it becomes repetitive. Learning bassists often “reset” to the arpeggio patterns they know work, and this takes away from telling a story. You can also hear how every beat 4 has a definitive end to the note as the bass line prepares to go to the next chord. This is another way it lacks motion. There are no approach notes or passing tones. This is most likely how one would play when first learning or discovering the chord tones to play over a solo.
✅ Why is it “good?” –
I transcribed this jazz blues walking bass line from the legend Ray Brown. It contains arpeggios, has an excellent feel, outlines all of the chords, has motion, spans the instrument range, has fantastic rhythm, and tells a story. The flow of this bass line is never-ending. You should transcribe the legends and learn what makes it so great!
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Very good demonstration & comparison. Very, very good.
I took a clinic with the marine corps jazz band and that’s what they said would work as a bassline.
Where's the bad? Both sounds good????
they're both good, and nice to use for different songs or reasons
I wouldn't say "bad", more like "simplistic". The "bad" bass line is much better than the "good" one for example when the vocalist is singing. Both have their place in a song
Both…jus' like ya did 'em.
So there's only 1 way to play a walking bassline?
The first one is not wrong. But unlike the second, it doesn't bring out emotions.
The "bad" one sounds more like a walking bassline than the "good" one.
Why do you practically always cut the fourth quarter off in the "bad example"? I mean…yeah…ofcourse that's an excellent way to make your walking sound off, if that's your intention, but make that 4th beat ring into the first of the next bar, and all of a sudden it ain't half bad, now is it?
Nope, the "bad" one is better.
Give to me this skill ,the "Semi -Tone"above and below trick while also switching between quarter and eighth notes while doing acending and decending two octave scale runs and make it look easy…
If you're playing background music like this at a gig or something, nobody will give af what you play. Steady time and rythm are more important than fancier playing
voice lead into the new chord. Use combinations ofdiatonic scale tones chromatics and voice lead. Add skips drops hammers etc get Mike Richmonds method book. You gotta be able to actually read no tabs there
Both were meh
i think the first way of playing is great for learners in the shed, especially when tackling shapes and changes. almost an essential working method to learning to walk the changes
Depends on the context, one could be too simple while the other is too busy
For years my walking bass resembled the "bad" example until I learned the semitone above/semitone below trick. Completely transformed my playing.
I’m glad you mentioned in the pinned comments it’s a Ray Brown transcription. Because it had Ray Brown all over it. Especially the triplet drops towards the end lol. Great video!
It's a matter of opinion
lol, theres no such thing as a good jazz walkiing bass line
Both have their moments – a vocalist might prefer the first. Both are sweet!
the second one is just jazz and not always suited for common music
Bloody jazz bassists…
The Bad, the Better. Obs.: I am a bassist
"Good" has ascending and descending lines, where the "bad" only had ascending, as well as it being the same line played for each chord.
Context is EVERYTHING. The simple bassline is a good thing to start a tune with because it firmly establishes the changes in the ear of listeners. Then you can start to open it up. Also depends on who you’re playing with. Maybe someone is playing a solo line with a lot of embellishments and “out” notes so giving a stable context allows their stuff to make more sense. Maybe you’re comping with the drummer leading into a tune, so you can take the line out for a walk all over and then bring it home when the band comes in.
TBH the first walking bass is not ‘bad’ per se – the second just has more flair.
The second one is definitely better. what are these commentators smoking
honestly i prefer the 1st
both were ok
You gotta start somewhere. Playing the chord arpeggios is a great start and a great way to learn the chords. After you master that, then you can start connecting your lines in a more chromatic way.
I'm picturing a cartoon character "walking" /dancing to the steps on the frets as he plays.
The first one was literally better
To me the "bad" one is sort of anti-melodic. Rather than it having a logical melodic flow it serves only to outline the progression in a very rudimentary way which ultimately sounds kind of "angular" because there's many interval jumps in it that aren't very smooth as the result of constantly landing on a low root note for every chord change. In some settings this kind of bass line works because it's more idiomatic to play something more repetitive/motivic. The "good" one functions more like a melody in the way that many Bach bass lines do. Rather than only outlining the harmony in a basic way it does so with a clear sense of melodic direction that's mostly the result of good voice leading. It doesn't jump all over the place just to play the chord tones starting on the root. Instead it mostly moves smoothly from chord to chord by whole or half step and this creates something more melodic that adds an additional layer of depth beyond purely just outlining the changes in a basic/repetitive way.
I'm not sure I'd call the top one bad, even with the repeat arps
Wow
Basic difference: usage of chromatic runs and approach notes
So basically, more chromaticism
Your "bad" walking line is better than your "good" one!
I need to play like this, how.
I liked the first one better tbh
Both sound good to me ????
Smartass
Firts one in not bad, i less elaborated maybe. but it's not bad