How To Play Boogie Woogie Piano - The Walking Bass Line - Everything you need to know

Everything you need to know to construct, practice and implement a walking boogie woogie bass line.
Private lessons available at www.schoolofboogie.com
"How to Play Boogie Woogie Piano" - by Arthur Migliazza - Page 25.
Purchase book here: amzn.to/1Ri43TT
This video covers:
Learn the notes 0:22
How to practice 1:06
Blues Progressions 2:07
Octave blocking 2:35
2 or more octaves in both directions 3:17
Break up octaves 4:13
Transitions to IV chord 6:00
Transitions to V chord 8:55
Half Step Transitions 9:47
Walking a II-V-I progression 11:03
Turnarounds 12:10
Putting it all together 13:06

[@ArtRodent]

Been through the early stages of the book (ex Amazon), working on the bass line timings in a few different keys, but, then for fun, making up my own right hand riff runs over the top, so not being confined to a very rigid learning process has made it more interesting. A little story - When I was 11 and a disruptive influence, my music teacher endorsed my end of year report "This boy is an idiot". I got 5% in the music theory exam. He was right, too ! Ended up playing punk rock guitar rackets at 17. Now in my late 50's i'm fascinated by music theory and the way it's taught. Thanks Arthur for your patience with this idiot. Happy 2019 !

[@Anthony-od4ou]

very helpful, better than any of Brendan Kavanagh's videos

[@jamesthompson6673]

Bought this book at Xmas it’s one of the .best tutorials ever

[@thearthurmigliazza]

Wow thank you so much! Be sure to check out www.schoolofboogie.com where all these videos are organized into "courses". All free

[@scottyadams7820]

gosh a great way to teach music !! very inspired scotty !

[@kahp23]

Thanks for your Course. It helps me a lot. Greetings from AUSTRIA

[@clausfrom]

Very helpful. Thank you.

[@Notmehimorthem]

Really useful stuff very well explained

[@boldcautionproductions9203]

Your book showed up today - looking forward to some good learnin'. Great teaching method.

[@thearthurmigliazza]

Great! Thank you! Lots of videos on here and schoolofboogie.com that accompany lessons in the book. Hope they are helpful

[@jasper007s5]

great stuff. thank you.

[@clairedubery1056]

Woohoo loove this .THANKS

[@thearthurmigliazza]

Thank you Claire!

[@JS-lr8nj]

that was great! Thanks!!!

[@davidkean5680]

My father played by ear. Now in my sixties i want to play like him albeit without the talent. Arthur you have helped so much. Just terrific pal

[@thearthurmigliazza]

That’s great David happy to hear it. Thank you!

[@DavetheIV]

Thank you Arthur, I've got your book & being a complete piano newbie have been a little overwhelmed by its content feeling it a liitle too advanced for me at this stage. However this visual support is most helpful, I do hope there's intended to be a small series of follow up YT videos, like this one, as I know I'll certainly really be encouraged to add boogie study into my learning routine, a lot earlier than I was intending. I personally find visual support most valuable.

[@thearthurmigliazza]

Dave, thank you. Yes I am in the process of making more videos to supplement the book! Make sure you read the "how to use this book" section at the beginning. The book is designed for all skill levels. Starting with Lick #1, just learn the first section of each of the lick chapters. Don't do the "variations on a theme" or "In the style of" sections. Go through all 8 licks with the shuffle bass line as is presented in the book. I appreciate your feedback and will work to get those videos out quickly. Thank you!

[@scottyadams7820]

i am with davetheiv

[@andys9337]

Good teaching ...!!!

[@andys9337]

I meant good teaching method...very useful stuff..!!!

[@thearthurmigliazza]

Thank you Andy!

[@danielfreitasdejesus7500]

Eu me inscrevi no site!!! Show!!

[@MarcelMangnus]

Very helpful and informative video with everything explained clearly! After seeing it, i ordered the book.

[@thearthurmigliazza]

Thank you Marcel

[@MarcelMangnus]

Dear Arthur, last week your book finally arrived! I've now studied it intensively for over a week. My conclusion: a phenomal study book! I've already learned so much in such a short period of time. Many thanks for writing this masterpiece, which is constructed very thoroughly. Step-by-step explanation and exercise development. I'm a classic musician, so i didn't know much about boogie woogie. Your book opened a complete new world for me which is so much fun and entertainment. But also very hard work and practise, just like classic music. Many thanks Arthur!

[@boldcautionproductions9203]

So much in here - I'll be working for a while.

[@alfredfx0]

awesome, please show us how to play your version of the St. Louis blues!

[@thearthurmigliazza]

Haha, that would be like a 15 part video series. I'll think about it!

[@lenardsalus1765]

Do it for us please!

[@Robertlavigne1]

You gotta take this one slow. Been working on it for a week now. Started with 30 mins a day but had to switch to 10 minutes a few times a day or I was starting to get a really sore hand/wrist. Feels like its gonna take a long time to get down but after investing 3 months into the Albert Ammons left hand and getting pretty competent at it I feel encouraged its possible if I stick with it.

[@thearthurmigliazza]

Thanks for sharing Robert! The trick to this one is to experiment with hand positions that put as little tension on your hand as possible (i.e. don't make your hand sore). It definitely is a very demanding position to maintain (the octave distance). That being said, it does also require a little development of strength, so it is totally natural to feel that burning sensation in the forearm and pinky side of your hand after a few minutes of playing it for the first few weeks. It's a gradual process of building the necessary strength and finding an efficient and relaxed hand position that works for you. If at any time it feels painful or like something isn't right, take a break for a day or two and come back to it later. That's probably the best advice I can give without seeing you. For personal feedback, consider posting a video of you playing it in the video section of the forum page on the School of Boogie website. Keep up the good work.

[@mustie1980]

I love how you play. Can you give me advices To put the right hand ? I can t play hands together. Son hard for me

[@thearthurmigliazza]

Sure! Please watch my video about hand independence.

[@mustie1980]

Arthur Migliazza thank youuu..i do that 😉

[@paultotten989]

Do you have to be able to read sheet music to understand the book, or is learning sheet music part of what is taught in the book?? I'm just trying to learn piano from watching the video's which are excellent ...

[@thearthurmigliazza]

Thank you Paul! Yes reading sheet music is required for using the book. It does not teach how to read.

[@krzysztofbozalek6914]

What right hand lick you would you recommend to pactice?

[@thearthurmigliazza]

You can take your pick but I would start with lick #1 and then move onto some of its variations.. if you go to my channel I have a playlist called 8 Right Hand Licks. Hope that helps!

[@raquelchicajazz121]

thanks again, do the octave basslines have to be super legato or no?

[@thearthurmigliazza]

That’s usually dictated by tempo but, whatever sounds best to you 😊

[@not_name7421]

Arthur, Amazon says the product is 'Book/Audio'. Does that mean there are no visual lessons like I see here on KZbin? I'm better at visual-learning than reading a book.

[@thearthurmigliazza]

Hi Terry, you are correct. The book just has the accompanying audio. I am in the process of making the rest of the videos to accompany the book. Hopefully I will have them all up by the end of May. Please subscribe (if you haven't already) so you can stay in the loop as I post them. Thank you!

[@not_name7421]

Will do (have already). Btw, got the book!

[@thearthurmigliazza]

Excellent! Let me know if you have any questions. Good luck with the playing!

[@rae0521]

Bought the book and so far it looks great. But be warned... the information is quite condensed. I'm still learning/practicing basic major and minor scales & chords. I would say this book ASSUMES you have some competency at that level. For example, in Chapter 1, Major Chords (triads), Dominant 7th Chords, 9th Chords and Major 6th Chords are covered on, essentially, ONE PAGE. You could easily spend WEEKS if not MONTHS just learning these well enough to continue. I've had the book about a month and I'm on Page 16 which is just the 5th page of Ch 1. There's enough info on one line to keep you busy for weeks.

[@thearthurmigliazza]

Yes that is exactly right! It's not meant to be an "easy read". There are no more books after this, like there would be in a series. So you are correct, the key is to take your time. But please read "how to use this book" first. Don't get hung up on Chapter 1, that is more for reference. Start with Chapter 3, hand independence.

[@rae0521]

I greatly appreciate that you've taken the time to read and respond to my posting, and for your tip to dive headlong into Chapter 3. As I enter my 80th year I've challenged myself to learn "How to Play Boogie Woogie Piano" and so far it's been a hoot. The touch of arthritis at the base of my left thumb makes the experience even more "amusing." Thanks again for your helpful book.Richard in Canada

[@mick947]

Practice for two days aye? I may need a little longer!

[@thearthurmigliazza]

Haha take as much time as you need. As you get more techniques under your fingers, the time to acquire new things will shorten. Have fun and be patient. It will come to you!

[@davidkean5680]

What book ?

[@calderart]

In practicing this I noticed something strange. For the most part these are octaves but coming down you're actually stretching tenths except for the 5th and 6th. So practicing the solid octaves does not help with that so much. Also something I struggle with is to maintain the swing in the left hand with complicated rhythms in the right hand. Without that swing pattern in the left hand it's impossible to synchronize the two hands.

[@thearthurmigliazza]

Yes, you are correct with the stretch to jump down. But then you need to still play an octave from 5th to thumb finger. Solid octaves with help teach your hand to judge that distance. But... if you don't want to practice it you don't have to ;-) LOL For getting the swing rhythm independently, keep your hand in one place and rock back and forth. In other words, there are 2 main components (at least) to the walking pattern, the lateral movement, and the rocking motion. You can break those up or just go for it. When i learned it I didn't have detailed instruction on how to practice so I just "went for it" and refined it over the years as I figured out what worked and what didn't. Keep up the diligent practice and you'll get there either way. :-)

[@calderart]

To clarify swing rhythm synchronizing practice, you meant the left hand just stays put on 'C' to 'C' (for example) while practicing the right rhythm and then add the walk? Also, I think I've observed once the left gets REALLY fast there's not any swing happening. Correct?

[@thearthurmigliazza]

@@calderartyes you are correct on both statements 👍

[@oscarluja1002]

"easy?" 😥😥😥

[@charletteellis1540]

Gotta take this one a little slower,please.