The 5 Simplest Walking Bass Formulas - Exactly Where to Start

[@johnfreeland3604]

Best lesson I've found for walking bass lines. Well done!

[@markwoolard6745]

Hi James. I've been playing electric bass for 50 years, mostly at church. Just basic stuff, nothing fancy. Several years ago I discovered smooth Jazz (i.e. Dave Brubeck) and fell in love with it. I finally decided recently to purchase an upright bass (1953 Kay C-1). It's beautiful. And now I'm learning to play it. Your lessons have been so helpful in understanding some basic jazz techniques (2-5-1, walking formulas, etc). Thanks so much for your help. God bless.

[@ebassguitar]

Thank you! My pleasure :-)

[@hilarytoussaint3359]

A 5 STAR VIDEO. A CONFIDENCE BUILDER FOR ALL BEGINNERS. IT MAKE FEEL AND SOUND LIKE ONE KNOWS WHAT HE IS DOING.

[@MarkRendle]

I’ve been learning bass and watching bass videos on KZbin for eight months and this is the first time the algorithm has suggested one of your videos. I’ve been missing out! Great stuff, thank you.

[@fastmarket]

Yes, I'd like to learn upright bass. This is a really solid and helpful lesson.

[@AdamZuk1982]

Great lesson , thank You!

[@robertgreen3702]

Great lesson!!! Thabk you

[@losriosprofundos2113]

I've been working on walking for a while, but this still really helped a lot. Excellent lesson!

[@ebassguitar]

Great keep going!

[@ebassguitar]

Hey! How's your bass walking? I hope that you're still getting on with it. I would be happy to hear about it and see if there's something I can help. Cheers!

[@tabonejohann]

Great stuff , what I love to know is how to do solos while walking spontaneously.

[@Jill-ni8fe]

Great lesson ❤

[@rogerdshrubber6557]

Outstanding lesson. The perfect way to introduce the walk. Thank you 🙏

[@ebassguitar]

Thank you so much roger!

[@ryanchristophergonzales6260]

Thank You For Sharing This Walking Bass Lesson I Really Learn A Lot.

[@ebassguitar]

My pleasure!

[@frankmcintyre8244]

I am on his ebass lessons he is a absolutely a genius can teach a bird how to play and just awesome guy all around and is always trying to you get better

[@ebassguitar]

Thanks for the kind words, Frank! All the best!

[@hiphoprajeshlifeksr220]

Thank you so much sir very useful ❤❤❤❤❤

[@janraeven8461]

Great video! Just one small comment: I think the E in the descending G7 chord sounds very wrong. I would always play an E-flat there.

[@ebassguitar]

I know what you mean!

[@henryfreeman7748]

I'm up at 2:30 this morning it's now 4:30 am. Playing bass lines and this lesson with other lessons having a good time.😅 Yes, I love playing bass🎉, thank you and Grand rising I'm kinda sleepy now 💤💤 Happiness is a well played bass guitar 🎸

[@ebassguitar]

Good morning!

[@henryfreeman7748]

@@ebassguitar Grand rising🌄, please consider keep doing what you do for the bass community, we artists / students are a small yet hardy bunch, of which are inspired by this wonderful instrument of wood and string to learn and PlAY, be aware YOU are appreciated thank you very much 👏

[@henryfreeman7748]

Learning The Bass guitar has in its own way has saved my Life. I found my first and only rogue Bass in a rubbish bin, dirty with all the strings no malarkey. I became inspired to clean it up along side with my life, and learn how to play it fairly well, by some people's standards this is a bogus bass instrument better left where it was, not so It has helped me when I'm struggling to get clean and live better. I now have a nice Fender mustang 🐎 now, and I will never part from my trash bin Rogue, Music is the best medicine for me.😎😁😁😁😁😁

[@ebassguitar]

Well done! I’ve heard so many amazing stories like that

[@henryfreeman7748]

@@ebassguitar🧨 Thank you for responding and sending out a good message 😊❤️ and appreciation 😎 runnings my friend and true Bassist 🦍✨

[@ismaeltorres4983]

Great video and explanation made it easy for me to understand 👍Really appreciate it

[@ebassguitar]

Glad it helped!

[@michaelgalietta5623]

Very helpful and clearly explained..thank you

[@ebassguitar]

My pleasure Michael! You're very welcome!

[@begtotheroots]

Thank you thank you thank you!👌

[@tiaanpretorius3375]

Definitely want to learn Double Bass!

[@ebassguitar]

Do it!

[@TheRuben1954a]

Im just starting to lern and you make us go forward thanks

[@ebassguitar]

You're welcome! Glad to know you're getting something out of it!

[@Roberto47664]

Thank you James for your Formulas, great concept to understand.

[@ebassguitar]

My pleasure

[@edwinengelbrecht3377]

Again another great lesson. This def will keep me happily busy for the next few week.Thanks James. PS we are in lockdown and I am self isolating.

[@ebassguitar]

How are you Edwin? Still playing bass? I would be happy to hear about it and see if there's something I can help!

[@davepottage2369]

Never tried the stand up bass but would love to have a go

[@ebassguitar]

I’d go for it…

[@Ed9870]

More than once I've had people call my '67 Kay a Doghouse bass. I wish I would've started on upright when I was 18. Nothing beats the sound of a note with proper intonation and zero fret buzz. And it makes your ear better. I can hear when I'm flat or pitchy. Best quality is feeling the groove in your legs. Its extremely resonant. Excellent lesson today. I'm a big proponent of root-fifth and triad on the big boy, and nothing beats a good walk around the fingerboard.

[@ebassguitar]

Glad you like it! Thanks for sharing that! Cheers!

[@KilbrideComedy]

Self taught bassist. I have an Ibanez UB 804 electric upright. It is a ton of fun. 34" scale so it feels familiar.

[@ebassguitar]

Thanks for sharing that! Cheers!

[@JohnJohnson-qo3dy]

Have yet to come across a lefty double bass! But I'd love to!👍✌️

[@sidgriffith1213]

I love this. Thank You!

[@ebassguitar]

You're very welcome, Sid! Cheers!

[@lucapappalardo5574]

Fantastic lesson! Thank you so much! This is a real help to go into a higher level for a novice like me 😉😁

[@ebassguitar]

So glad it helps

[@ebassguitar]

Hey Luca! How's your bass playing? I hope that you're still getting on with it. I would be happy to hear about it and see if there's something I can help. Cheers!

[@lucapappalardo5574]

@@ebassguitar thanks a lot, it's going well at my apce enjoying it! Iìve got an acustic bass that I can play easily every day for a few minutes, I dont' have on my agenda to play in a band or whatsoever...maybe one day....who knows. Once againg thanks for your work and your time. cheers

[@mpd-diy-guy4241]

I don’t use a double bass and don’t want to. Love your country bass lessons. I want to know how to get the backing tracks to practice with.

[@stephenfoster6940]

Great beginner tips but that last G7 really should be a Gm7 (as you mention early on). That E note just sounds ugly and out of key when so soon after in the Cm7 there’s an Eb. But great that you’re providing these resources! 😊

[@ebassguitar]

The last chord should absolutely be a g7 - it’s a dominant chord to take one back to the Cm7. I hear your point on the ‘e’ End of the day that’s personal taste…

[@stephenfoster6940]

@@ebassguitar Thanks - absolutely agree that music cannot be divorced from personal taste. But if you want to go back to the Cm7 then I respectfully suggest that you play an Eb because that Eb is actually *in* the Cm7 chord - it's what makes the Cm7 "minor". The G7 (or V chord) is dominant for C major, but you are playing Cm7, which happens to be the II chord of Bb major. The dominant chord should be the F7 (which has the Eb in it). Anyway, there's theory and there's personal taste and if you want to play the E then that's fine. Don't get me wrong - I'm very appreciative of the time and effort that you spend making this content and encouraging people to enjoy and improve their bass playing. :-)

[@ElectricBoogaloo007]

@@stephenfoster6940 I agree. The E sounds wrong to me. Plus, the Eb is in the key of Bb major--not the E. I understand that the G min7 was altered to be a G7 to give it more pull to the next chord (C min7), but that doesn't necessarily mean you should use the mixolydian scale when playing over the G7 chord in this context. Right? Or am I mistaken?

[@OlafFichtner]

I usually use the term "upright bass". Yes, one day I would like to try one, just to experience the feeling of it, how it feels different to an electric bass

[@ebassguitar]

Go for it! Cheers!

[@frankmezquita7643]

great teacher

[@ebassguitar]

Thank you Frank!

[@patrickblay7684]

Yes I would like so much being able to play double bass

[@ebassguitar]

Go for it! I wish you the best! Cheers!

[@blueplateradio2]

I HAVE a double bass and I would LOVE to learn how to play it

[@ebassguitar]

What’s stopping you?

[@blueplateradio2]

@@ebassguitar I don't feel that I can devote enough time to learning electric bass and double bass and not being good at either.

[@andyhinds542]

@@blueplateradio2 Nobody is good at driving until they learn to drive. Sorry, but that's the lamest excuse ever. Millions of people buy expensive cameras but it doesn't stop them from being crap photographers.

[@tonymickens8803]

GREAT Vid My Brother! Oh, we always called it the "Upright Bass" Back in the day, 60's and 70's LOL I'm Telling my Age!

[@ebassguitar]

Glad you like it, Tony! Cheers!

[@Nejhlaa]

thanks a lot

[@joeblues5515]

In english I always use the word uprightbass.In german we call it Kontrabaß.(No,the last letter is not a wired "b",it's something like a double "s").Another cool lesson,by the way.

[@ebassguitar]

Nice!

[@davidpurvis134]

Worked through the Walking Bass classes, but this really clarified a lot for me. As usual, great clear, concise, and helpful lesson. Would dearly love to acquire and learn upright bass. Are you thinking of starting a whole new series of classes on this instrument?

[@ebassguitar]

I’m always thinking about… may well do it soon if there’s dams

[@ebassguitar]

Or demand

[@ebassguitar]

Hey David! How's your bass playing? I hope that you're still getting on with it. I would be happy to hear about it and see if there's something I can help. Cheers!

[@stevenerwin6202]

Those eye brows tho 😂 anyways thanks for the lessons james your the real deal Holifield

[@henryfreeman7748]

The eyebrows are his perfect personalitys which make him a most awesome bassist (don't ya know)👍🤩🤩😎😎

[@boikhutsoponatshego9941]

Beautiful stuff

[@ebassguitar]

Glad you liked it! How'd you get on with the Walking Bass Formulas?

[@boikhutsoponatshego9941]

@@ebassguitar Not a bass player though but very informative for a piano player too.

[@ebassguitar]

​@UCuutUhW9zIHJaNcssBkII_Q I see. Happy to know this has helped you in some way :)

[@remco2777]

On formula #5 what exactly do you mean with using the G7 scale over the G7 chord instead of the parent Bb major scale? i.e. why does playing an E instead of the Eb (from that Bb scale) work?

[@carls.8408]

Are you using flat wounds? Sounds really mellow.

[@ebassguitar]

Absolutely!

[@Lutemann]

This is a great bass lesson, but ultimately you must learn all the notes on the bass neck, scales and elementary music theory. The good news is that even beginning bass players learn the notes on the notes on the 3rd and 4th strings because if you don't know those, you can't play anything.

[@petermanley7525]

Yep the ‘wardrobe’ !

[@TheWaveydee]

OK an interesting lesson - but whilst the patterns are established there is not much in the way of explanation relative to the scale; Do you have anything available that fills in the gaps so to speak in relation to your pattern notes from within the scale/chord? I have subscribed. I like your informed teaching style.

[@akfisher7138]

super

[@KevinBuck-sx4eg]

I would like to learn the walking bass

[@brunodanner7777]

Where can I find the backing tracks?

[@SweetSixx]

the link to the The 5 Simplest Walking Bass Formulas - YT197 is not working. HELP I would love the PDF.

[@KaltOhm]

I‘d love to learn to play double bass. I can play just a few basic things but that‘s it.

[@ebassguitar]

Why don’t you give it a shot?

[@rafaelhartvigmanhaes6915]

Grato.

[@ebassguitar]

Grate!

[@rafaelhartvigmanhaes6915]

Its tanks... in portuguese.

[@damnyankeex1]

I would love to learn to play an upright. I would also like to get a fretless P or J bass but not with phoney fret markers. More like a Warwick that Jack Bruce used to play. I’m wondering if, although they’re two different creatures, it’s easier to learn to play an upright then go into a fretless bass guitar or learn to play on a fretless then go into an upright.

[@ebassguitar]

It’s best to treat them as separate animals… the transition from fretted to fretless is pretty straight forward.

[@jonparker6537]

I would like to plat double bass !

[@gregcharles6528]

I might like to play the double bass, but I would hate to carry it about.

[@phil-wallace-braveheartz]

Great information. Shame that the backing pieces are so fast. could you do slower ones to start with then speed up. Struggling to play along

[@ebassguitar]

You can slow down the video in the settings…

[@andrewgreen5986]

I would love to learn upright bass

[@ebassguitar]

Do it!

[@jewel2916]

Would love to learn upright bass

[@ebassguitar]

Go for it! Wish you the best!

[@mikeedwards5012]

I am currently learning “double bass” with a private teacher. Fun but difficult.

[@ebassguitar]

Let me know how you get on mike

[@jimcaldwell9357]

Nice, but didn’t see PDF link?

[@ebassguitar]

Hey, Jim! t's in the description box :-)

[@jimcaldwell9357]

@@ebassguitar Thank you, I'll look there! This is a great lesson!

[@ebassguitar]

@@jimcaldwell9357 Glad you like it! All the best!

[@boikhutsoponatshego9941]

Hope the same concept applies to Minor 251 too ?

[@ebassguitar]

With a few note tweak yes :-)

[@boikhutsoponatshego9941]

@@ebassguitar b5ths for 2 and minor 3rds or minor major for the 1 i hope.

[@sonnywhitlock6220]

Can you show more bass lines like thisiwas told to stay away from playing with flat's

[@ebassguitar]

Why stay away from flats?

[@gmtgsong4635]

Thanks, James! One question about the descending G7 scale approach at the end - I hear and seem to prefer an Eb as an alternative to the E natural and seem to prefer it. Any thoughts on this?

[@bassonthemark8191]

I too feel like the Eb is a better “fit”. I am curious as to James’s thoughts on this as well.

[@gmtgsong4635]

@@bassonthemark8191 Thanks for commenting. I imagine he would say both are acceptable and it just depends which sound you're going for.

[@ebassguitar]

I agree… both work fine!

[@tonyjohnson750]

The E natural sets up a dissonance in my mind. I prefer the EB also.

[@majoriveira]

I think Eb works better because 9 and b13 are the available tensions on V7/II, which is the G7 chord in this tonallity, so Eb is the b13 of the G7 chord.

[@goranstojanov3988]

Double bass

[@HarleyBreakoutGuy]

I only like electric 4 strings and 5 strings bass.

[@ebassguitar]

That’s all I’ve every really played!

[@timringgenberg2844]

Great lesson but might I suggest keeping the tab up on the screen when playing with the backing track. Great job and have learned a lot form your videos.

[@ebassguitar]

Hey Tim. Thank you for the suggestion! Happy to know you've learned a lot.

[@shooz4unme]

I’ve always played double bass.

[@ebassguitar]

Great isn’t is!

[@stephanegascon9722]

Would like to play doublebass …

[@ebassguitar]

It's never too late! Go for it! All the best!

[@MrOhmikey]

no double bass

[@yongchaozhao1437]

I am a total beginner.

[@ebassguitar]

How's your bass playing? Let me know and maybe there's something I can help! Best of luck with your bass playing!

[@Helene-aka-MLadyX]

No I don't play double bass - I have a Uke Bass and 3/4 electric Bass

[@ebassguitar]

Thanks for sharing that, Helene! Cheers!

[@dernicolas6281]

Zero interest in playing double bass. However great video. :)

[@ebassguitar]

Thanks Der! :)

[@prod.felipe8277]

This the Gordon Ramsay of bass ✍🏾🤔

[@ebassguitar]

Gordon knows how to cook that’s for sure!

[@andydepaule3296]

The Dog House Bass (-:

[@wretch1]

Good luck finding a backing track with those chords

[@ebassguitar]

All the backing tracks are over in my backing track vault in the bass Lab plus EBassGuitar.com/trial

[@johnclement7473]

Yes yes yes oh yes no I don't play already I don't even own one but I want one so so so so ( BAD). I can't afford one at this time and I don't have the right place for one.

[@ebassguitar]

It's never too late, John! All the best!

[@patrickpeterson2174]

Wish you would have used a SIMPLE ONE FOUR FIVE instead!

[@ebassguitar]

This formula with work from one to four :-)

[@danplaysbass6294]

I would love to play the double bass. Cost and my age keep me from doing this...

[@ebassguitar]

It’s never too late…

[@ledaronrouge4927]

La grand mère !

[@MikeBraley]

get rid of your political ads when the lesson boots!

[@ebassguitar]

Political ads? Are you saying you’re getting advertising for something to do with politics? Interesting. The ads are tailored to the viewer, not chosen by us… however I will keep an eye out things…

[@lesd2633]

Not sure about your formula for walking bass but your ratio of eyebrow to face size is killler.

[@ebassguitar]

Thanks Les - I love my eyebrows. Even gave them a trim a couple of days back. What aren’t you sure about?

[@jameshelle3753]

Doghouse

[@pondlogic3041]

LIAR DONT GIVE THIS GUY MONEY ITS A SCAM

[@ebassguitar]

I’ve just seen this comment… I’m curious why you think I’m liar and this is some sort of scam?

[@kaysullivan7626]

Doghouse bass

[@charleswilkinson8086]

Helps me understand walking bass much better. Thank you very much. Charles.

[@jackofalltrades70]

Blablabla.. play and do not talk so much...

[@ebassguitar]

So less teaching more playing?

[@HarleyBreakoutGuy]

your intonations are off

[@ebassguitar]

What do you mean?

[@HarleyBreakoutGuy]

@@ebassguitar check your intonation mate they need to be sharpened.

[@HarleyBreakoutGuy]

@@ebassguitar i have perfect pitch ear sorry mate i can hear if someone's intonations are out.

[@ebassguitar]

Are you talking about the tuning or the intonation which is adjusted at the saddle?

[@HarleyBreakoutGuy]

@@ebassguitar yes sir

[@Yosemite-George-61]

Awesome! Thanks!