Walking Bass in C (C)
Swing and jazz bass line over ii - V - I - VI cadence with approach notes
Walking bass technique requires plucking four quarter notes per measure with even weight and legato clarity. On beat one always target the chord root. On beats two and three explore chord thirds and fifths. On beat four insert a chromatic or diatonic approach note that leads smoothly into the upcoming root.
What the bass plays, bar by bar
The progression
- Dm7
ii7 · Bar 1
- G7
V7 · Bar 2
- Cmaj7
Imaj7 · Bar 3
- A7
VI7 · Bar 4
It runs in 4/4 at 108 beats per minute, so each bar lasts about 2.2 seconds and the whole round about 8.9.
Bar by bar
| Bar | Chord | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Dm7 | D2F2G2G#2 |
| 2 | G7 | G1B1D2C#2 |
| 3 | Cmaj7 | C2E2G1G#1 |
| 4 | A7 | A1C#2E2Eb2 |
Notes with a dotted border are not part of the chord.
Where each chord sits
- Dm7
Bar 1, Dm7.
The root D2 sits on open string 2 and the fifth A1 on open string 3.
The walking line plays D2, F2, G2 and G#2.
G and G# are not notes of Dm7.
- G7
Bar 2, G7.
The root G1 sits on string 4, fret 3 and the fifth D2 on open string 2.
The walking line plays G1, B1, D2 and C#2.
C# is not a note of G7.
The last note sits a semitone from the first note of Cmaj7.
- Cmaj7
Bar 3, Cmaj7.
The root C2 sits on string 3, fret 3 and the fifth G1 on string 4, fret 3.
The walking line plays C2, E2, G1 and G#1.
G# is not a note of Cmaj7.
The last note sits a semitone from the first note of A7.
- A7
Bar 4, A7.
The root A1 sits on open string 3 and the fifth E2 on string 2, fret 2.
The walking line plays A1, C#2, E2 and Eb2.
Eb is not a note of A7.
How the root moves
D2 → G1 → C2 → A1
The roots are D2, G1, C2 and A1. D2 to G1 goes down seven semitones, G1 to C2 goes up five semitones and C2 to A1 goes down three semitones.
The lowest note of the circle is G1 and the highest G#2. It uses strings 4, 3, 2 and 1. Strings 3, 2 and 1 ring open at some point.
Walking Bass in C (C) line for electric bass
One bar per chord with the root and fifth line for four-string electric bass (E, A, D, G).