Walking Bass Patterns EVERY Jazz Pianist Needs to Know

Download the lead sheet to follow along: jazz-library.c...
In this video, I show you how to walk a bassline over the jazz standard of The Days of Wine and Roses. You can use these same techniques to walk a bassline over just about any jazz standard.
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The Dave McKenna clip is a live performance of Nagasaki. Unfortunately, I don't know which performance this came from. If you know, please leave a comment so I can give full credit.
The lead sheet supplied is my own, based on The Days of Wine and Roses by Henry Mancini, which is in the public domain.

[@martynramsden]

Hi Josh, very clear and fun post on walking bass with those formulas. Loads of people are going to get a lot from this instruction. 😁🎹

[@drcedmusasaofficiel8396]

very useful

[@HaniyaRae]

Very informative, great job, Josh!

[@normalizedaudio2481]

I got to work to get into that low piano range. How you play down there is important too. Piano players get caught in a smaller range than the bass. They also play less linear because the move between those strings. Always check out Tony Monaco on organ and Dave Frank on piano. Look at the technique of the left hand. Monaco and Frank are different from each other in LH technique. Which to choose?

[@JoshWalshMusic]

Two solid options. I’m partial to Frank myself. Thanks for the great comment.

[@Brad4Ellis]

My mentors were Dave McKenna & Ray Santisi, and I’ve listened to a lot of Dick Hyman. McKenna swings hard, just his left hand was enough to rivet your attention (he was sometimes called “The Dave McKenna rhythm section”), though I never wanted to copy his habit of picking up the tempo gradually. Santisi developed a technique of walking AND playing mid range guide-tone hits on and-of-1 and and-of-3, creating an effect of two musicians with his left hand alone, and still freely soloing eighth, triplets, and 16ths on top. All three are worth listening to. EDIT: Hey! I just got to 6:00 where you discuss Dave! Cool!

[@JoshWalshMusic]

@@Brad4Ellis I am so inadequate to properly demonstrate McKennas left hand. It’s fun to play, and I’ve studied hard, but Dave is unmatched.

[@Brad4Ellis]

Small correction at 2:00 - with very few exceptions, an acoustic bass won’t walk below E, second octave below the bass clef. The low C’s you play as example are out of range. Of course, you can use those notes, but they should only be used for specific effect. EDIT: i’ve gotten five minutes in, and suggest that so far, these lines are too low and muddy. Tastes vary, but jazz bassists don’t spend much time on the lowest 4th of the instrument. Half the notes I’ve heard so far are below the range. On stage, this can get gimmicky very quickly, in my opinion. Beyond this, your teaching style is wonderful and your presentation is very clear - I appreciate your explanation of swinging by taking care of 2 & 4, and anticipation notes.

[@JoshWalshMusic]

Definitely true, the E is the bottom of the register, unless they have a low D extension. I rarely go below C, but it depends on the piano. Larger grands will let you go further. I just checked out the section you mentioned at 2:00, and it is a bit muddy. I think that’s the KZbin compression, because it’s not so muddy in the original. Thanks for the thoughtful comment.

[@Brad4Ellis]

@@JoshWalshMusic on more than one gig, the piano provided was a Bosendorfer that went down to a low F. I never played those notes, and people seldom do; they are mostly there just provide extra resonance and length of sustain for pedaling. That’s fine for Concerto work, but is really not helpful for jazz playing.

[@JoshWalshMusic]

@@Brad4Ellis look, if they give me the keys, I’ll find a reason to play them!

[@organist1982]

@@JoshWalshMusic Me, too! I want to try a Bosendorfer Imperial that goes down to C0!

[@organist1982]

Did jazz pianists ever try to avoid going below E1 in their walking bass lines since most double basses don't go lower than that?

[@JoshWalshMusic]

I do all the time. Sometimes it’s muddy, but it’s fun, so I do it anyway.

[@organist1982]

@@JoshWalshMusic Don't get me wrong, I LOVE low notes; I just wondered if there were ever any jazz pianists who tried to limit their walking bass lines to ONLY the notes that an actual double bass would play.

[@JoshWalshMusic]

@@organist1982 I’m sure there are. And honestly, I do most of the time. Not specifically because of that, but because they just get a bit growly down there.