A walking bass line moves between chord changes instead of sitting on the root. The simplest walking pattern: the 1-3-5-octave of each chord.
The four notes
For any chord, play the:
- Root (1)
- Third (the 3rd note of that chord's scale)
- Fifth (the 5th note of that chord's scale)
- Octave (the root, one octave higher)
For a C major chord:
- 1: C (A string, fret 3)
- 3: E (A string, fret 7)
- 5: G (D string, fret 5)
- 8: C octave (D string, fret 10, or G string, fret 5)
These four notes are the "chord tones" of C major. They sound good against the chord because they're literally in the chord.
Walk the four chords
For a I-V-vi-IV progression in C (C → G → Am → F):
beat: 1 2 3 4
chord: C G Am F
note: C-E-G-C | G-B-D-G | A-C-E-A | F-A-C-F
One chord per measure, four notes per measure: 1, 3, 5, 8.
Practice metronome
75BPM
75 BPM. Loop the progression. Each chord gets the 1-3-5-8 treatment.
When 3 changes to b3
For minor chords, the 3rd is flat. Am has notes A, C, E, A (the 3rd is C, not C# like A major would be). The 5th (E) and octave (A) stay the same.
How to tell: minor chord = "lowered" 3rd = play one fret lower than the major 3rd would be.
A Minor Pentatonic (Bass)
(The minor pentatonic of A includes the b3, the 5, and the octave. Useful reference.)
Next: eighth-note grooves. Doubling up to give the bass line more drive.