The 5 Simplest Walking Bass Formulas - Exactly Where to Start

Interested in walking bass? James will show you 5 of the simplest walking bass formulas to get you groovin' in no time!
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About eBassGuitar
Hi, I’m James Eager, a professional musician & online instructor. Over the past 15 years, I’ve taught 1000s of students.
eBassGuitar is the only video bass guitar lessons website dedicated to helping startup & aspiring bassists develop into the musician of their dreams.
#eBassGuitar #walkingbass #walkingbassformulas
www.ebassguitar.com

[@hilarytoussaint3359]

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

[@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 :-)

[@robertgreen3702]

Great lesson!!! Thabk you

[@AdamZuk1982]

Great lesson , thank You!

[@Jill-ni8fe]

Great lesson ❤

[@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.

[@rogerdshrubber6557]

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

[@ebassguitar]

Thank you so much roger!

[@fastmarket]

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

[@michaelgalietta5623]

Very helpful and clearly explained..thank you

[@ebassguitar]

My pleasure Michael! You're very welcome!

[@Roberto47664]

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

[@ebassguitar]

My pleasure

[@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!

[@sidgriffith1213]

I love this. Thank You!

[@ebassguitar]

You're very welcome, Sid! Cheers!

[@steveleeatfullmeasure]

Have recently started double bass. I just love the sound.

[@ebassguitar]

That is great, Steve! Let us know how are you getting on with it! Bes of luck to your bass playing!

[@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!

[@Nejhlaa]

thanks a lot

[@tabonejohann]

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

[@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!

[@frankmezquita7643]

great teacher

[@ebassguitar]

Thank you Frank!

[@davepottage2369]

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

[@ebassguitar]

I’d go for it…

[@stevenerwin6202]

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

[@tiaanpretorius3375]

Definitely want to learn Double Bass!

[@ebassguitar]

Do it!

[@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 :)

[@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!

[@JohnJohnson-qo3dy]

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

[@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!

[@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!

[@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!

[@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!

[@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.

[@patrickblay7684]

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

[@ebassguitar]

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

[@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!

[@rafaelhartvigmanhaes6915]

Grato.

[@ebassguitar]

Grate!

[@rafaelhartvigmanhaes6915]

Its tanks... in portuguese.

[@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

[@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.

[@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!

[@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

[@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.

[@jewel2916]

Would love to learn upright bass

[@ebassguitar]

Go for it! Wish you the best!

[@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?

[@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 !

[@andrewgreen5986]

I would love to learn upright bass

[@ebassguitar]

Do it!

[@brunodanner7777]

Where can I find the backing tracks?

[@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. :-)

[@SweetSixx]

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

[@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.

[@sonnywhitlock6220]

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

[@ebassguitar]

Why stay away from flats?

[@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.

[@carls.8408]

Are you using flat wounds? Sounds really mellow.

[@ebassguitar]

Absolutely!

[@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!

[@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?

[@HarleyBreakoutGuy]

I only like electric 4 strings and 5 strings bass.

[@ebassguitar]

That’s all I’ve every really played!

[@mikeedwards5012]

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

[@ebassguitar]

Let me know how you get on mike

[@stephanegascon9722]

Would like to play doublebass …

[@ebassguitar]

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

[@shooz4unme]

I’ve always played double bass.

[@ebassguitar]

Great isn’t is!

[@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.

[@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!

[@prod.felipe8277]

This the Gordon Ramsay of bass ✍🏾🤔

[@ebassguitar]

Gordon knows how to cook that’s for sure!

[@helene-music4me]

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

[@ebassguitar]

Thanks for sharing that, Helene! Cheers!

[@andydepaule3296]

The Dog House Bass (-:

[@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!

[@dernicolas6281]

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

[@ebassguitar]

Thanks Der! :)

[@danplaysbass6294]

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

[@ebassguitar]

It’s never too late…

[@patrickpeterson2174]

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

[@ebassguitar]

This formula with work from one to four :-)

[@ledaronrouge4927]

La grand mère !

[@jameshelle3753]

Doghouse

[@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?

[@kaysullivan7626]

Doghouse bass

[@pondlogic3041]

LIAR DONT GIVE THIS GUY MONEY ITS A SCAM

[@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

[@jackofalltrades70]

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