Walking bass is my favorite upright bass sound. As a drummer, I find myself becoming enamored with it without realizing it. The thing is, once you place limiting paramaters on a musical technique or style, music finds a way to still make it interesting and entertaining.
Jazz Bassist here. Nice to see an explanation of how this works, as it's just something I had to learn on my own. Picked up through feel more than anything, as I never really learned the names of notes and all the other music theory stuff mentioned in the video. Something I really want to work on if I'm to ever move on to more professional jazz playing.
"It wouldn't be jazz if we always did the easy thing" ---Did you use Tau as the symbol of "easy thing"? I think Numberphile would have a field day with that.
As a jazz bassist, I'm happy you decided to show folks how important and innovative we are. I usually pick the beat 4 note on the spot by feel. Sometimes I know beforehand, if we're playing a standard that gets played often, though you've got to mix things up, so strike that thought.... And, I love the "jazz hands"!
this is cool. having something you've always understood but couldn't really explain in a meaning full way ("dunno, just FEEL it, man") broken down like this is super useful
Good video/narration, entertaining and informative. We play bass because we like the bass, like the sound, like the shape, and we can lean on it while we play. But some of us don't think about the technical elements; we merely play a note that "fits" in the tune and one note suggests another so we follow the notes the same way a mountain man follows a trail . . . or we simply read the notes written on the score.
I _love_ jazz, it has everything necessary to make good music. It has the beats, complex chords and, in some styles, those good old crying sax riffs, too...
That one moment when you took calculus 30 in addition to your advanced band. I can spot a Mandelbrot set from 1/2 a kilometre away. I like how it kind of implies that, like music (both theory and practice) are infinitely detailed, not unlike the Mandelbrot set. Amazing video btw.
We all appreciate the sacrifices you make in the name of science. And in the name of making Kristaan do unpleasant things on camera too, if we're all being honest.
Hitting the root on one is a good idea in a more traditional setting, but most jazz I've heard breaks that rule all the time. In fact, the way I learned walking bass lines was basically, "hit chord tones on 1 and 3, don't go too crazy, and...go!" (not a bass player, but this is what I've picked up from playing the music)
I've often wondered about those very early urb players. They weren't amplified. Even the smallest combo, duet w/piano, presents a challenge for the bass to be heard. Throw in a wailing sax or trumpet, much less an entire section (or three!). Those early doghouse slappers must have had monster forearms to be heard. Thanks for the F clef walk, 12Tone.
jazz guitarist here. I often throw in a few base notes as I comp. thanks for the vid! gave me some ideas on how to fit a baseline in. gonna try it over 'your me to the moon' changes rn :D
Could become a series about different styles' accompaniment traditions, and when you get to basso continuo - you could have "and the continuo continues on"
A good musician can have favorite styles. The important thing to remember is that all styles/sub-styles contribute to the tapestry and intersect with each other in some way. Definite sub here. Looking forward to your upcoming work.
The first time I heard the term walking bass (a John Clayton performance), I legit thought the bassist would pick up the double bass and play it as he walked. I felt so stupid later :D
It's not entirely true that we don't feel the swing in walking bass lines. A huge thing jazz oriented bassists focus on is where the quarter note ends; if placed correctly, it swings. This is something I learned from the incredible Canadian multi-instrumentalist John Lee.
Hi 12tone. Very nice breakdown of the bare essentials indeed! One minor point: if I would have played a C# in a two-chords-per-bar progression like | A-7 D-7 | I would have been corrected by my teacher to play the C that is actually in the A-7 chord. The situation would be different in a one-chord-per-bar situation, for example to play the C# as a passing note to a D, but in the case you show (2:45) I would not choose to play a C#... Apart from that: great video as always!
Thanks for making me understand this. I only took classical composition, I thought this was going to be harder to understand but it's pretty much basic harmony. Thanks!
Good idea! We did a video on chord substitutions in general (ruclips.net/video/0YDnJyHBBP8/видео.html ) but it'd be interesting to look at some more advanced jazz techniques in specific. I'll add it to our list!
I heard from my jazz band instructor that some bands would slightly mix the two rhythms - straight and swung eighth notes - especially at slower tempos, since it doesn't feel quite as energetic and that can be useful. Is this regional, or did you maybe not cover it because it's beyond the scope of the video? I'd be curious to hear your input. Thanks for making the video, was great to know more since i'm a cellist and i kinda want to get more into jazz!
That's definitely true! It was a little beyond the scope here, since this was more about the basics, but there's a lot of stuff that good jazz bassists add in to make things more interesting, and this is just scratching that surface.
The best advice that I ever got about walking bass was "Worry that it grooves, then how it grooves, then why it grooves. You're making music, not rocket fuel."
This was the approach I took for a while, but there's some addition piece of information real jazz bassists have that I just can't figure out. Something that makes the lines even smoother, and more.. compositionally appropriate. More interesting. I.. can't put my finger on it. In some way it feels like something you only really know when you've moved your fingers up and down the neck for ten thousand hours.
Talking about bass and string instruments more generally, how difficult are artificial harmonics to string players? Are they easier when bowed or played pizzicato? I'm not talking about the first few harmonics which should be trivial, but the higher ones... what is the highest one can hope to execute clearly? Is it around the 24th?
I'm afraid I don't know very much about string playing technique. I'm primarily a vocalist and pianist by training. I know enough to write string parts for songs, and I've arranged a quintet or two in my time, but when it comes to advanced playing techniques like artificial harmonics, I'd be in a bit over my head. Sorry!
Jason93609 I play a bit of guitar and from my experiences the 24th fret is just an octave higher than the open string (maybe two I'm not sure). So in order of ease of playing it goes 12th, 24th, 7th, 5th, 9th, 3rd. I also think they are in order of lowest to highest. (Don't quote me on that, I'm far from a professional)
Hi, amazing video, so useful! I´m a little confused tho, in the example bass line (min 3:59) in the 8th bar, the last change is noted as chromatic but it goes from C# to A, aren´t chromatic changes the closest ones?
Depends where it's going next! If the 8 bars repeat, then yes, it's going back to A, but the harmony's actually an excerpt from Fly Me To The Moon, and the next chord is a D chord, which C# approaches by half step. (Actually, the chord in that bar switches to A7 on beat 3, so the C# is just a chord tone, but apparently I forgot to notate that. Whoops!)
Loved the "Fly Me To the Moon" sample! Aimee Nolte has said that the definition of "swing" in this context, even though it is the normal sense, isn't quite right. She has a more exhaustive explanation on her channel in her "Accompany Yourself" playlist. She also has a video on her "formula" for a simple walking bass. Tl;dw: if the chord lasts multiple bars, play 1 2 3 5 on all but the last. If it lasts for exactly 1, play 1 2 3 [chromatic]. If it lasts for only 2 beats, on beats 1 and 3 play the roots and on 2 and 4 do a chromatic lead-in to the next chord. And one more thing: keep it in the 2nd and 3rd octaves. (Middle C or higher might run into your right hand, while anything lower than C2 would be too muddy)
4:12 Y u no resolve!? Just kidding, that's fun sometimes. Being a jazz bassist is one of the many things with which I keep my self busy, and though I have a good ear and a decent understanding of theory, I never really put to words why I do some of the stranger things I do in walking bass lines. Like Ari said, you covered everything very nicely. Great channel!
Not bad for a Jazz hater :) A rule I tell my bass students is that the more instruments, the simpler I keep it. If you have piano and guitar and multiple horns, stick to chord tones, if you're in a trio or 4peice, start using those chromatic runs and approach notes, just make sure you can hear the chords changes when you do it.. Ya know who was a genius at the walking bass....??? J.S Bach
If you really listen you’ll hear that jazz bass players play the notes on 2 and 4 a tiny bit louder. One to be sync with the back beat and two to bring us solidly to the harmonically more important notes on 1 and 3. IRealPro doesn’t do that and that’s what’s wrong with it.
Jazz bassist here, you covered everything very nicely!
Thanks, that's great to hear from an expert!
Ari Eschtruth
why did i read your comment at "jazz jazzist here,"
@@pizzasub3194 Bass jazzist here,
He just summarized what bassists spend their whole lives practicing
@@ace-smith Bazz Jassist
"It wouldn't be jazz if we always did the easy thing" ...
^_^
Accompanied by the Tau symbol. Some quality mathematical jokes in this one.
Talks about resolving tension.
Draws a nuke.
I like it.
How walking basslines work has always been a question I've had in the back of my mind. Thank you so much, I love your videos.
Thanks! We were really surprised at how many people apparently really wanted to know about this one, but I'm glad we could help!
Isn't it just root notes?
@@OriginalKingRichTv thirds, fifths, etc
Y O U L I K E J A Z Z ?
Sometimes! It's not really my style, but there's a couple jazz artists I really enjoy.
12tone that is a reference to bee movie lol
*YaLikeJAZZZZZZZZZ?;)*
Ｙｏｕ ｌｉｋｅ Ｊａｚｚ？
You stole my comment, but then again, as if I expected someone wouldn't do it.
Walking bass is my favorite upright bass sound. As a drummer, I find myself becoming enamored with it without realizing it. The thing is, once you place limiting paramaters on a musical technique or style, music finds a way to still make it interesting and entertaining.
Jazz Bassist here. Nice to see an explanation of how this works, as it's just something I had to learn on my own. Picked up through feel more than anything, as I never really learned the names of notes and all the other music theory stuff mentioned in the video. Something I really want to work on if I'm to ever move on to more professional jazz playing.
Thanks! It's awesome that you were able to pick it up through feeling, not everyone can do that!
ha, I love how you drew in a Mandelbrot set when talking about not following the pattern! That’s some quality joking right there!
Thanks!
I don't get it. What does the mandelbrot set have to do with not following patterns?
Infinite complexity? *shrug*
i didnt see a mandelbrot anywhere
Josh B Cried the terrified mathematician.
When he said "walking bass don't care," I was expecting him to draw a honey badger.
"It wouldn't be jazz if we always did the easy thing" ---Did you use Tau as the symbol of "easy thing"? I think Numberphile would have a field day with that.
As a jazz bassist, I'm happy you decided to show folks how important and innovative we are. I usually pick the beat 4 note on the spot by feel. Sometimes I know beforehand, if we're playing a standard that gets played often, though you've got to mix things up, so strike that thought.... And, I love the "jazz hands"!
I’m a bassist and this explains walking bass better than most RUclips videos I’ve seen, thanks
love how you drew a tau when talking about not doing the easy thing
this is cool. having something you've always understood but couldn't really explain in a meaning full way ("dunno, just FEEL it, man") broken down like this is super useful
Thanks!
Best bass lesson I've ever watched. 1st time that I could understand it. Thank you so much.
Good video/narration, entertaining and informative. We play bass because we like the bass, like the sound, like the shape, and we can lean on it while we play. But some of us don't think about the technical elements; we merely play a note that "fits" in the tune and one note suggests another so we follow the notes the same way a mountain man follows a trail . . . or we simply read the notes written on the score.
I _love_ jazz, it has everything necessary to make good music. It has the beats, complex chords and, in some styles, those good old crying sax riffs, too...
That one moment when you took calculus 30 in addition to your advanced band. I can spot a Mandelbrot set from 1/2 a kilometre away. I like how it kind of implies that, like music (both theory and practice) are infinitely detailed, not unlike the Mandelbrot set. Amazing video btw.
Thanks! ^_^
"Let's start with an A minor 7th..."
...and all I hear is C Major with an added 6th...
All I hear is C maj7 over A
I love all of your videos so much, you've taught me so much and i've applied a lot of it to writing and it just all makes sense to me now, thank you
I think this is my favorite 12tone video so far. Keep on rocking dude.
Aw, thanks!
more like keep on jazzing
I was actually just wondering about this yesterday. Informative as always!
What a coincidence, I was just wondering about gross fermented herrings!
Ok, no I wasn't, but still.
Our daily lives do seem to have minor differences :P
We all appreciate the sacrifices you make in the name of science. And in the name of making Kristaan do unpleasant things on camera too, if we're all being honest.
Hitting the root on one is a good idea in a more traditional setting, but most jazz I've heard breaks that rule all the time. In fact, the way I learned walking bass lines was basically, "hit chord tones on 1 and 3, don't go too crazy, and...go!" (not a bass player, but this is what I've picked up from playing the music)
Excellent video - you summarise walking bass brilliantly. Perfect!
I've often wondered about those very early urb players. They weren't amplified. Even the smallest combo, duet w/piano, presents a challenge for the bass to be heard. Throw in a wailing sax or trumpet, much less an entire section (or three!). Those early doghouse slappers must have had monster forearms to be heard.
Thanks for the F clef walk, 12Tone.
this guys needs *more subs*
Thanks! Feel free to share if you know anyone who'd be interested!
Never heard it explained so well.
jazz guitarist here. I often throw in a few base notes as I comp. thanks for the vid! gave me some ideas on how to fit a baseline in. gonna try it over 'your me to the moon' changes rn :D
This bass was made for walking, and that's what it will do! Someday, this bass will walk all over you!
heiii, never watched any of your videos til today...automatically turned into a 12tone big fan!! awesome job, greetings from chile
Aw, thanks!
James Jamerson was a jazz player who played bass for Motown. Listen to his lines; soo amazing and unique.
"In normal music, " loved that line
Could become a series about different styles' accompaniment traditions, and when you get to basso continuo - you could have "and the continuo continues on"
Thank you, I have to audition for jazz region soon and I was thinking about how to map out a walking bass line for a section.
Best explanation I ever heard. I think NOW I understand it. I'm a drummer, so I'm excused. Right?
Heh, sure!
like this "teaching" I take a "lesson" every day , and it makes me always smile
That Mandelbrot set at the end though
Yeah, that's a fun one to toss in sometimes...
Ive been playing bass for years! Your videos are addicting
Thanks!
the best video I've found on walking bass! very easy to understand and remember, respect!
Thanks!
I have been struggling with walking bass lines. But you have provided me with clarity. Love your channel.
Great clear explanation in a short time! I like your doodles. I'm left-handed, too.
Fly me to the moon... no matter how hard I try, how many jam sessions I go to, how many different players I play with, I can't escape that song
It's just a great progression!
You don’t understand how much I love you for this video
This made way more sense then some other walking bass lessons
A good musician can have favorite styles. The important thing to remember is that all styles/sub-styles contribute to the tapestry and intersect with each other in some way.
Definite sub here. Looking forward to your upcoming work.
Exactly! It's like being a chef: You don't have to like every ingredient, but you should still know how to use them.
Epic video! I’m just learning how to walk on bass and this will be very helpful!!!!!
"And they'd stick it in about anything, if you'd give'em the chance". Same!
I've just discovered your channel and it's fascinating. I've been watching your videos for...too long :) and just subscribed.
Aw, thanks!
Excellent. Simplified formula.
The first time I heard the term walking bass (a John Clayton performance), I legit thought the bassist would pick up the double bass and play it as he walked. I felt so stupid later :D
I think this is the best explanation I ve seen ,about walking bass
Great video, this really helped me on my way to learning how to walk jazz basslines. Keep up the good work
Fly me to the moon....
Yup!
...let me gaze upon the stars? (i think)
DJ Fork something like that, yeah
OOOOHHHH I just noticed now!!!
4:41 keep on jazzing
^_^
It's not entirely true that we don't feel the swing in walking bass lines. A huge thing jazz oriented bassists focus on is where the quarter note ends; if placed correctly, it swings. This is something I learned from the incredible Canadian multi-instrumentalist John Lee.
Hi 12tone. Very nice breakdown of the bare essentials indeed! One minor point: if I would have played a C# in a two-chords-per-bar progression like | A-7 D-7 | I would have been corrected by my teacher to play the C that is actually in the A-7 chord. The situation would be different in a one-chord-per-bar situation, for example to play the C# as a passing note to a D, but in the case you show (2:45) I would not choose to play a C#... Apart from that: great video as always!
Yeah, I caught that. Still, great video!
Thanks for making me understand this. I only took classical composition, I thought this was going to be harder to understand but it's pretty much basic harmony. Thanks!
That's awesome, glad we could help!
You should make a sequel covering The Modern Walking Bass Technique by Mike Richmond
walks on, walks on, hold on
and the bass walks on
BRUH I WAS LITERALLY GONN WRITE THAT
Cool! Let's walk that walk!
Hey! Welcome to 12tone! _Ya like jazz?_
2-5-1 is life
Beethoven's 32nd sonata in C minor in the theme and variations movement have some pretty jazzy walking bass
Do a video on jazz reharmonization
Good idea! We did a video on chord substitutions in general (ruclips.net/video/0YDnJyHBBP8/видео.html ) but it'd be interesting to look at some more advanced jazz techniques in specific. I'll add it to our list!
This is exactly what I needed, thank you
I love the way you explain! Why don't you do classes teaching music theory?
Well done! I'm looking forward to seeing all of your work.
Thanks!
I heard from my jazz band instructor that some bands would slightly mix the two rhythms - straight and swung eighth notes - especially at slower tempos, since it doesn't feel quite as energetic and that can be useful. Is this regional, or did you maybe not cover it because it's beyond the scope of the video? I'd be curious to hear your input. Thanks for making the video, was great to know more since i'm a cellist and i kinda want to get more into jazz!
That's definitely true! It was a little beyond the scope here, since this was more about the basics, but there's a lot of stuff that good jazz bassists add in to make things more interesting, and this is just scratching that surface.
comment in this video:
30% "He used the Mandelbrot set"
50% "I was wondering about this"
20% others
Sounds like the chords to fly me to the moon
It was a while ago so I'm not sure anymore, but I think that's exactly what it was!
Yep, that's what I was thinking too
That’s the cycle 5ths progression. It’s used a lot in jazz standards.
How could you not like jazz?!?
Great starting lesson on walking bass! Thanks
This is really solid.
Famous quote I picked up somewhere? "Jazz is just 8 guys all soloing to a different song" Pretty much says it all......
The bass can still give a swing feel by emphasizing beats 2 and 4. In smaller combos the bass with also comp by switching the rhythm
This was sooo helpful
great lesson
I enjoyed the tiny mandelbrot set at the end
The best advice that I ever got about walking bass was "Worry that it grooves, then how it grooves, then why it grooves. You're making music, not rocket fuel."
This was the approach I took for a while, but there's some addition piece of information real jazz bassists have that I just can't figure out. Something that makes the lines even smoother, and more.. compositionally appropriate. More interesting. I.. can't put my finger on it. In some way it feels like something you only really know when you've moved your fingers up and down the neck for ten thousand hours.
I love walking bass lines so much! Thanks for the video :)
Thanks! I agree, they're one of the main reasons I enjoy jazz. They're so smooth!
Awesome!! Now I understand
Talking about bass and string instruments more generally, how difficult are artificial harmonics to string players? Are they easier when bowed or played pizzicato? I'm not talking about the first few harmonics which should be trivial, but the higher ones... what is the highest one can hope to execute clearly? Is it around the 24th?
I'm afraid I don't know very much about string playing technique. I'm primarily a vocalist and pianist by training. I know enough to write string parts for songs, and I've arranged a quintet or two in my time, but when it comes to advanced playing techniques like artificial harmonics, I'd be in a bit over my head. Sorry!
Jason93609 I play a bit of guitar and from my experiences the 24th fret is just an octave higher than the open string (maybe two I'm not sure). So in order of ease of playing it goes 12th, 24th, 7th, 5th, 9th, 3rd. I also think they are in order of lowest to highest. (Don't quote me on that, I'm far from a professional)
Hi, amazing video, so useful! I´m a little confused tho, in the example bass line (min 3:59) in the 8th bar, the last change is noted as chromatic but it goes from C# to A, aren´t chromatic changes the closest ones?
Depends where it's going next! If the 8 bars repeat, then yes, it's going back to A, but the harmony's actually an excerpt from Fly Me To The Moon, and the next chord is a D chord, which C# approaches by half step. (Actually, the chord in that bar switches to A7 on beat 3, so the C# is just a chord tone, but apparently I forgot to notate that. Whoops!)
Ah I see! I didn´t recognize the melody and assumed that it was an 8 bar exercise. Thanks for the explanation and keep up the good work.
Limitations can be liberating. The more constricted you are the more creative you need to become...
Loved the "Fly Me To the Moon" sample!
Aimee Nolte has said that the definition of "swing" in this context, even though it is the normal sense, isn't quite right. She has a more exhaustive explanation on her channel in her "Accompany Yourself" playlist.
She also has a video on her "formula" for a simple walking bass.
Tl;dw: if the chord lasts multiple bars, play 1 2 3 5 on all but the last. If it lasts for exactly 1, play 1 2 3 [chromatic]. If it lasts for only 2 beats, on beats 1 and 3 play the roots and on 2 and 4 do a chromatic lead-in to the next chord. And one more thing: keep it in the 2nd and 3rd octaves. (Middle C or higher might run into your right hand, while anything lower than C2 would be too muddy)
4:12 Y u no resolve!? Just kidding, that's fun sometimes. Being a jazz bassist is one of the many things with which I keep my self busy, and though I have a good ear and a decent understanding of theory, I never really put to words why I do some of the stranger things I do in walking bass lines. Like Ari said, you covered everything very nicely. Great channel!
Thanks! I go back and forth on whether or not to resolve things, but leaving it hanging just felt right on a jazz video...
you sir are a GOD, i will watch your EVERY video
this is the best music channel ever good job!!!
Thanks!
Great vid guys. Very interesting.
Thanks!
Great resource 🎉
It's the gummy bears at the end for me
just like counterpoint, simple but amazing.
Holy shit, this is what I needed!
You like Jaazz?
Great video! Remarkable how many people look at music theory and also recognize Mandelbrot bugs!
Thanks!
Not bad for a Jazz hater :) A rule I tell my bass students is that the more instruments, the simpler I keep it. If you have piano and guitar and multiple horns, stick to chord tones, if you're in a trio or 4peice, start using those chromatic runs and approach notes, just make sure you can hear the chords changes when you do it.. Ya know who was a genius at the walking bass....??? J.S Bach
Love your videos. Thank you.
If you really listen you’ll hear that jazz bass players play the notes on 2 and 4 a tiny bit louder. One to be sync with the back beat and two to bring us solidly to the harmonically more important notes on 1 and 3. IRealPro doesn’t do that and that’s what’s wrong with it.
That pun was glorious