Playing sax for 50 years, I'm a Pro jazz saxophonist with the USAF bands (now retired), I have been playing Bass Guitar since I was about 13, now I'm 59, and this is absolutely amazing! This reminds me of Milt Hinton, or Curley Russell on bass with Charlie Parker!!
As a guitarist turned bass player who never learned to walk turned back to guitarist who wants to learn to walk for recording purposes… this is gold. Thank you.
This 1-3-6-5 walking bass line even comes up in Bach! In the D major fugue of the second book of the Well Tempered Clavier (BWV 874), the pattern is part of the subject, and is chained together, and even overlapped with itself (called stretto) to create a full piece of music.
I played the organ for over 50 years and play the pedals (rather than left-hand bass) and while it's difficult to ghost since I only use my left foot, but I find I play many of these patterns. Still, this gentleman's shown a few new patterns I intend to incorporate. I've always listened to bass players, mainly Ray Brown, rather than other pedal-playing organists because they tend to play the same simple 1-5, oom-pa patterns (not all, but most). Thanks, Bob for sharing your talent!
I find this and your other walking bass lessons to be extremely helpful to me as an electric bass player. You make points that guys teaching electric bass don't seem to make, which really make a difference. The principle of octave displacement to keep the patterns low on the fingerboard is critical, and the right/left hand techniques you demonstrate to ensure notes sustain properly and flow together are great too. Thank you! Wonderful lessons.
Back in the day I didn't try to get technical. I just tried to make my playing fit the tune and fit with what the other players were doing. Listening was important. But that was in the "long ago" and my bass just leans in the corner next to the piano (the two of them like to hang out together). If I was young today I'd pay you to be my teacher.
I’ve been trying to learn jazz tuba and while the position information may not transfer directly to my instrument, overall this lesson has been very helpful, thanks Bob
Great lesson broken into bit sized chunks 😎 I like to call the octave a “2for1” Also occasionally use a leading tone approaching the upcoming measure on beat 4 a half step above or below the root. There are a lot of variations that’ll work by adding simple concepts to your basic bass line
I've really loved the song Flip Flop and Fly by Downchild Blues Band (the 1976 ? version) since I was a kid.. I noticed the bass player does a couple of interesting runs which are slightly different than the standard rock/blues pattern. maybe a different chromatic approach to the next chord. I'm really enjoying getting back into the bass, still playing my upright, but thinking of buying a Fender Jazz to continue learning on. Thanks for this video!
hey open studio, i am a piano pack subscriber and i really want to learn a lot more about piano walking bass. Is there a course there? I am also considering subscribing all the bass course there.
Hi Jonathan, thanks for watching and for the comment. I'm not aware of a strictly walking bass for piano course, but the Open Studio Pro Bass plan might be what you're looking for (as you said). Definitely not just for bassists! All the best, Bob
Great lesson! I noticed on the D7 you played a Bb, which would the 6 keeping in key signature, but not necessarily the chord. Is that always the case? e.g. if you were playing this pattern over the E chord of All of Me, would you play a C#, or a C as the 6th?
Thanks Phil. The focus is more on the forward momentum of the line than on the theory that it might use. Where you're coming from and where you're going to. I can say for sure that I wasn't thinking of the the key signature - more on the chord, and even more so on the shape and direction of the line...Thanks for watching! -Bob
Bob, help me here. I'm digging the walk patterns but I'm playing bass at church and if I play the root-third-fifth then flat fifth then won't that sound out of tune? I'm greatful for Open Studio videos!
Hey, doesnt pattern 2 imply that i´ll go to the 3-chord? Or atleast it feels that way to me. And if you are playing the same chord for a few bars, would you play the basetone everytime on one or how often only a few times. Thanks for the video
Your intonation is a bit off.. pinky is almost always flat/low, especially in lower positions, unless you change position sliding into it with your pinky then it's good (it gets better if you play quicker with flow.. vs note for note as a demonstration). But listen back you'll hear it too, and if you agree, try and stretch that pinky a bit more... 😉 Useful lesson though.
I guess you dont have this music in TAB form? I play a fretless jazz bass and I love these exercises, but alas, I can't read this kind of sheet music :( LOL
Only the fourth, ALWAYS the fourth, nobody every demonstrates ANYTHING ELSE with a walking bass pattern it seems. Now I see why students are complaining about it. Open a TH-cam video on walking bass, 99 percent of the time it's the same thing: go from one chord to a chord that is always exactly a perfect fourth from it... ...then you go and open the Real Book to practice all these "cool new exercises I saw this guy on youtube teach me"... only to find out chord changes don't work like that. Here you see an F going to it's fourth, a Bb, and then going to the Bb's fourth, an Eb, then going to the 4th of that chord, and Ab... MEANING YOU CAN USE THE SAME PATTERN FOR EVERY SINGLE ONE. And then YOU FAIL at actually playing a song because you come to the real world where you actually have to play MUSIC and not these fake "always a fourth exercises". How about a one chord to the dominant chord? How about any other chord to its own dominant chord with the raised third outside the key? The six of that chord? You know, stuff that ACTUALLY HAPPENS IN JAZZ MUSIC and doesn't just keep going up a fourth. Does anyone ever actually study the music and realize "maybe I shouldn't play this minor third as a passing tone? Maybe, just maybe I should actually follow the harmony?" Nope, because every youtube video example of walking bass is "let's go to the fourth! Now let's go to the fourth of that!" followed by a bunch of discouraged kids asking "well why does this piece have changes that don't work with all those youtubers patterns I followed???" Maybe because your bassline is littered with dissonance or otherwise removing the tonal center of the current harmony (or entire piece!) because you ONLY LEARNED TO CHANGE BETWEEN FOURTHS INTERVALS. Someone please link a TH-cam videos where someone actually does this with a REAL PIECE OF MUSIC and not a bunch of 4ths changes in a row, otherwise it's just going to be bookwork as I don't have the patience for this disconnect anymore. This reminds me of when I learned my first 2-5-1 pattern when I was a kid and then opened up all sorts of Jazz tunes and realized, "oh, those multibar and leading changes only work if the pattern is EXACTLY 2-5-1" which, while common, it usually is not the entire thing nor even 10 percent of it, just leads to it.
Pianist who wants to learn to walk. This is an amazing springboard to start practicing from.
yeah . i recommend it
I barely play double bass but I just stay for the amazing teaching ability, pedagogy of Bob.
Too kind Sam! Thanks for watching and for the lovely comment
I play piano but one’s gotta take a good walking bass lesson when you see one
Playing sax for 50 years, I'm a Pro jazz saxophonist with the USAF bands (now retired), I have been playing Bass Guitar since I was about 13, now I'm 59, and this is absolutely amazing! This reminds me of Milt Hinton, or Curley Russell on bass with Charlie Parker!!
Awesome Grant! Thanks for watching, and I love Milt and Curley Russell!
Thanks for making me the best walker in the world
As a guitarist turned bass player who never learned to walk turned back to guitarist who wants to learn to walk for recording purposes… this is gold.
Thank you.
This is honestly the most useful video for my brain that I have ever seen about the topic.
best bass lesson of all time!
This 1-3-6-5 walking bass line even comes up in Bach! In the D major fugue of the second book of the Well Tempered Clavier (BWV 874), the pattern is part of the subject, and is chained together, and even overlapped with itself (called stretto) to create a full piece of music.
Fugue That! just kidding
Very useful for me as a pianist. Great lesson, Bob!
Thanks Chela!
Same here - really helpful for left hand work. Thanks for the great lessons, Bob!
Wow I love the way you do the basic teaching,
thanks for helping a tubist today! May your holiday gigs keep you busy this season!
I played the organ for over 50 years and play the pedals (rather than left-hand bass) and while it's difficult to ghost since I only use my left foot, but I find I play many of these patterns. Still, this gentleman's shown a few new patterns I intend to incorporate. I've always listened to bass players, mainly Ray Brown, rather than other pedal-playing organists because they tend to play the same simple 1-5, oom-pa patterns (not all, but most). Thanks, Bob for sharing your talent!
What a fantastic resource video! Thanks a lot Bob!
Wish I was taught like this when I started to play jazz 😢 the way you teach is so easy to understand
I find this and your other walking bass lessons to be extremely helpful to me as an electric bass player. You make points that guys teaching electric bass don't seem to make, which really make a difference. The principle of octave displacement to keep the patterns low on the fingerboard is critical, and the right/left hand techniques you demonstrate to ensure notes sustain properly and flow together are great too. Thank you! Wonderful lessons.
The best teacher...and the sweetest!
I've been playing bass for 3 years and I'm trying to improve more in jazz. Just did this exercise and it already taught me many things. Thank you!!!
I play electric bass for the last 1.5 years and this will be a great practice segment for the next 1.5 years 😊
A very essential exercise for all Double Bassists. Great video! 👍🇮🇪
This is the only place I see you recently. Hope all is well. I can't wait till covid is done
Hi Jim! Doing great and staying busy. Hope you're well my friend! -Bob
Excellent teaching!!!. Taking the time to explain in detail the options and ways of application, it’s definitely one of the best I’ve seen. 👏🏼👏🏼🙌🏼🙌🏼❤️
Thanks for watching Ephraim!
Awesome teacher and player
Great ideas and exercises. Well worth regular workout. Thanks Bob.
Nice - pretty useful for me as a guitar player working on walking bass and chords.
Glad to hear it. Thanks for watching Ben!
stellar teaching and brilliant lesson! Give the bass player some !
Absolutely wonderful teaching! Thank you so much!
Yeah. Same here (as a pianist). I love Bob’s teaching and bass lines. I’m a “closet bassist’ wanting to break out! 😁.
Thanks Robert - go for it! "Break out!" : )
Great lesson! As I picked up my electric to play along in the blues section, I could hear the jazz police sirens in the background
This is awesome. I was struggling to understand patterns but this video helped a ton. Also helping me nail down my intonation on fretless. Thanks Bob!
Back in the day I didn't try to get technical. I just tried to make my playing fit the tune and fit with what the other players were doing. Listening was important. But that was in the "long ago" and my bass just leans in the corner next to the piano (the two of them like to hang out together). If I was young today I'd pay you to be my teacher.
Thanks for watching and for the comment Nemo! Listening is the MOST important aspect : )
Muy claro y muy rápido (y muy sonriente). Eres un profesor estupendo. Gracias.
Gracias Diego!
I’ve been trying to learn jazz tuba and while the position information may not transfer directly to my instrument, overall this lesson has been very helpful, thanks Bob
Thank you Bob for such a wonderful lesson. Missed these lesson. :)
Thank you Ravi! Getting back into it after a break. Stay tuned : )
Glad I found your tutorials!
AMAZING. Just what I was looking for!
This lesson is so fire, firetrucks are going eeeeeeeeeeeewwwwwwwwweeeeee
Nice! Always great stuff from you Bob-thanks!
Thanks Steve!
2:58 .....if you use b5 there, shouldn't you call that pattern b5 instead of pattern #4?
LOL! you're right : )
Well done, mate! Thanks for sharing the wonderful content. Great practice material here,
I don't play bass but the piano, and I'm definitely going to practice that pattern with my left hand for a couple days.
Great lesson broken into bit sized chunks 😎
I like to call the octave a “2for1”
Also occasionally use a leading tone approaching the upcoming measure on beat 4 a half step above or below the root.
There are a lot of variations that’ll work by adding simple concepts to your basic
bass line
Hi Bob, you are great teacher! Thanks a lot! The PDF in the link description is from another lesson....
Thank you very much Renato! The link has been fixed now, my apologies
nicely explained thanks
Great job Bob thank you!!!
Thanks for watching Roberto!
Very useful! Thanks
Wonderful lesson-thank you!!
thanks for watching Tippi!
Love your teaching! (I don't have a double bass but I'm learning anyway)
thanks Quentin!
I've really loved the song Flip Flop and Fly by Downchild Blues Band (the 1976 ? version) since I was a kid.. I noticed the bass player does a couple of interesting runs which are slightly different than the standard rock/blues pattern. maybe a different chromatic approach to the next chord. I'm really enjoying getting back into the bass, still playing my upright, but thinking of buying a Fender Jazz to continue learning on. Thanks for this video!
Love this. PLEASE do walking bass for minor
Awesome lesson! Thanks!
Thank you for watching!
This is a really good exercise. Thanks.
Very helpful, thanks man.
Nice lesson. Cheers. A heads up - the PDF text is for an older ‘Simple ain’t easy’ octave displacement lesson. Hopefully this is easy to re-link.
Thank you for the heads up Gareth! The link has been fixed now...
Gonna use this in my electric bass (wish I had a double bass)
11:17 jazz police are coming to town, finding out whose bass walking is naughty or nice.
There's no way Bob DeBoo is your real name 😂 It's literally the sound of walking bass line 🎵Bob DeBoo Boo Boo Boo Boo Boo Boo🎵
Loving this!!!!
hey open studio, i am a piano pack subscriber and i really want to learn a lot more about piano walking bass. Is there a course there? I am also considering subscribing all the bass course there.
Hi Jonathan, thanks for watching and for the comment. I'm not aware of a strictly walking bass for piano course, but the Open Studio Pro Bass plan might be what you're looking for (as you said). Definitely not just for bassists! All the best, Bob
Lots of great useful info as usual Bob. Thank you. How are patterns applied to minor chords?
Thanks Harriet! I'll cover minor chord ideas in the future for sure. Take care -Bob
love this!
bro you are excellent
No 1,5,1 connect
Great lesson! I noticed on the D7 you played a Bb, which would the 6 keeping in key signature, but not necessarily the chord. Is that always the case? e.g. if you were playing this pattern over the E chord of All of Me, would you play a C#, or a C as the 6th?
I think it is optional, the b13 must be the tension note which will highlight the chord!
Thanks Phil. The focus is more on the forward momentum of the line than on the theory that it might use. Where you're coming from and where you're going to. I can say for sure that I wasn't thinking of the the key signature - more on the chord, and even more so on the shape and direction of the line...Thanks for watching! -Bob
Amazing! A question: is that the same for minor chords?
thank you! Minor chords will need a little modifying in general of course, but otherwise YES
So useful
Bob, help me here. I'm digging the walk patterns but I'm playing bass at church and if I play the root-third-fifth then flat fifth then won't that sound out of tune? I'm greatful for Open Studio videos!
What are the chances for a bass player to be called Bob DeBoo
I don't know the odds there Franks, but it's really my name : ) I've met other Bob DeBoos (my grandpa being one), but none that played bass...yet : )
where could one go about finding this "repository of walking lines" that you speak of?
Thx bruv
Hey, doesnt pattern 2 imply that i´ll go to the 3-chord? Or atleast it feels that way to me. And if you are playing the same chord for a few bars, would you play the basetone everytime on one or how often only a few times. Thanks for the video
q onda al final se prendio fuego una casa? alto video paa
👏
Your intonation is a bit off.. pinky is almost always flat/low, especially in lower positions, unless you change position sliding into it with your pinky then it's good (it gets better if you play quicker with flow.. vs note for note as a demonstration). But listen back you'll hear it too, and if you agree, try and stretch that pinky a bit more... 😉
Useful lesson though.
Anyone else hearing Coronation Street?
I guess you dont have this music in TAB form? I play a fretless jazz bass and I love these exercises, but alas, I can't read this kind of sheet music :( LOL
Learn notation lil bro
@@6ftcheeseburger384 Not helpful, big bro LOL
Man you can get a ton of mileage from this especially when using octave displacement.
Only the fourth, ALWAYS the fourth, nobody every demonstrates ANYTHING ELSE with a walking bass pattern it seems. Now I see why students are complaining about it.
Open a TH-cam video on walking bass, 99 percent of the time it's the same thing: go from one chord to a chord that is always exactly a perfect fourth from it...
...then you go and open the Real Book to practice all these "cool new exercises I saw this guy on youtube teach me"... only to find out chord changes don't work like that. Here you see an F going to it's fourth, a Bb, and then going to the Bb's fourth, an Eb, then going to the 4th of that chord, and Ab... MEANING YOU CAN USE THE SAME PATTERN FOR EVERY SINGLE ONE.
And then YOU FAIL at actually playing a song because you come to the real world where you actually have to play MUSIC and not these fake "always a fourth exercises".
How about a one chord to the dominant chord? How about any other chord to its own dominant chord with the raised third outside the key? The six of that chord? You know, stuff that ACTUALLY HAPPENS IN JAZZ MUSIC and doesn't just keep going up a fourth. Does anyone ever actually study the music and realize "maybe I shouldn't play this minor third as a passing tone? Maybe, just maybe I should actually follow the harmony?" Nope, because every youtube video example of walking bass is "let's go to the fourth! Now let's go to the fourth of that!" followed by a bunch of discouraged kids asking "well why does this piece have changes that don't work with all those youtubers patterns I followed???" Maybe because your bassline is littered with dissonance or otherwise removing the tonal center of the current harmony (or entire piece!) because you ONLY LEARNED TO CHANGE BETWEEN FOURTHS INTERVALS.
Someone please link a TH-cam videos where someone actually does this with a REAL PIECE OF MUSIC and not a bunch of 4ths changes in a row, otherwise it's just going to be bookwork as I don't have the patience for this disconnect anymore.
This reminds me of when I learned my first 2-5-1 pattern when I was a kid and then opened up all sorts of Jazz tunes and realized, "oh, those multibar and leading changes only work if the pattern is EXACTLY 2-5-1" which, while common, it usually is not the entire thing nor even 10 percent of it, just leads to it.
Nobody cares about what the bass player is playing in 99% of situation 😂
Coming from a bass player 😊
Why is everything free PDF. lesson files are no longer available?
Thanks for wonderful lesson!