[Overview] [Ragtime Form] [Syllabus]
A walking bass line consists of single notes, usually of equal duration. The notes of the walking bass line are usually chord notes from the chord used in that measure. The walking bass line connects smoothly from measure to measure.
We'll create the "walking bass" line by selecting two chord tones (root, third or fifth) from the block chords used in each measure.
The original chord progression is shown in the top staff, the walking bass is shown in the bottom staff.
Here's the melody and the walking bass line combined. Note the eighth note runs in measures 4, 8 and 12 that connect the root of chord in those measures to the root of the chord in the next measure.
[Overview] [Ragtime Form] [Syllabus]
Revised by John Ellinger, Spring 2012.