Walking Bass

Walking a bass line with the left hand is a skill every jazz, rock, and pop pianist should know. The wonderful thing about it is that walking a basic bass line is not all that difficult once you learn a few simple steps.

Intervalic Bass Lines

The "intervalic" bass line is created from your knowledge of what notes make particular chords. The rules are very simple:

1. Start the bass line on the root of the chord
2. Play one chord tone per beat until the last beat of the measure or chord
3. On the last beat, play a passing tone to the root of the next chord

Let's begin the examples with a basic 2-5-1 chord that you mastered in Lesson 1.




Walking Bass Lines

Next, here is an example of F blues with an intervalic style bass line



Scales and Bass Lines

The next kind of bass line is a "scale" style bass line. The rules are very similar to the intervalic style, however it is your knowledge of how scales interact with chords instead of actual chord notes that build the bass line.

1. Start on the root of the chord
2. Play a note of the scale that is related to the chord or tonality of the chords you are dealing with until the last beat of the chord
3. On the last beat of the chord, play a passing tone to the root of the next chord

The first example is another 2-5-1 chord.



The next example is F blues with a mix of Scale and Interval style bass lines. A good blend of both styles of walking bass lines is what you would normally play in jazz. There are two choruses in the midi file for this one. The second chorus is not printed out, but you can listen to it and hear some of the principles of walking a bass line.

Read Note

In this lesson on piano notes identification we will take the mystery out of knowing what tones (notes) are represented by those "black dots" on and between the lines on a Treble Clef and Bass Clef. Have you ever looked at a piece of sheet music and wondered how the person playing knows what keys (piano notes) to play on the piano?

Before we begin, you need to know that a "full size" piano keyboard is comprised of 88 piano notes or keys. It (the keyboard) contains 7 octaves beginning with an A tone (note) on the lower end and ending with a C tone (note) on the high end. The seven octaves therefore begin on this lower A tone (note) and proceed to the next A tone (note) up the piano keyboard. This pattern is repeated 7 times. Actually, if you want to be "technical", the piano keyboard is 7 octaves plus the notes Bb, B, and C on the high end.

Now before we begin our piano notes identification on the treble clef, bass clef, and grand staff we will need to identify where "middle C" is on the piano keyboard. As the name implies middle C "splits" the keyboard down the middle. To find it begin on the lower A tone (note) we discussed earlier and count up 40 tones (notes), black and white piano notes. The 40th tone (note) is middle C.

By viewing the graphic you can see why I took the time to explain about middle C on the piano. If the piano notes are located on a Treble Clef, they will be played above middle C. If the piano notes are located on the Bass Clef, they will be played below middle C. While it looks like there should be more tones (notes) between the B located just above the last line on the Bass Clef and Middle C located just below the D tone (note) below the Treble Clef, these two tones (notes) are side by side on the piano keyboard.

In addition to learning how to identify piano notes, you also need to know what key signatures are. A key signature is all those sharps (#) and flats (b) you see following the treble clef and bass clef symbols either on or between the line(s). The number of sharps or flats tell you what "key" a piece of music is in.

For example, if there are no sharps or flats on the treble or bass clefs, the music piece is in the key of "C". You will remember from your study of piano scales that a C major scale is all white keys, no sharps or flats. On the graphic identifying our piano notes above, let's say that there was a sharp symbol (#) where the F & C notes are located. This would mean the music piece was in the key of "D". Again, refresh your memory on piano scales, the D major scale is composed of D, E, F#, G, A, B, C#, D (octave).

Modes

In music, modes are a "displaced scale played from root to root of a chord." What this means is that if you take the scale tone 7th chords of say C major and play the C major scale with each scale tone chord beginning with the root note of each scale tone chord, you will be playing the various modes of the scale of C major. The table below illustrates the modes which exist in the various keys.

Chord Displacement Mode
I Major 1 - 1 Ionian
II Minor 2 - 2 Dorian
III Minor 3 - 3 Phrygian
IV Major 4 - 4 Lydian
V Dominant 5 - 5 Mixolydian
VI Minor 6 - 6 Aeolian
VII Half Diminished 7 - 7 Locrian

Using this information we construct the following table which shows the various modes in the scale of C Major.

Chord Scale Displacement Mode
C Major 7th C Major C - C Ionian
D Minor 7th C Major D - D Dorian
E Minor 7th C Major E - E Phrygian
F Major 7th C Major F - F Lydian
G Dominant 7th C Major G - G Mixolydian
A Minor 7th C Major A - A Aeolian
B Half Diminished 7th C Major B - B Locrian

With this information you can see that a good exercise would be to play the scale tone 7th chords in your left hand while playing the corresponding modes in the right. Of course, you will as always do this with all 12 major scales and the scale tone chords which go with these scales. Learning these modes for the piano, along with the major scales and arpeggios, are very important in improvising on the piano. As you continue to practice you will see (hopefully) how combining these elements will improve your skill as not only a piano player...but as a student of music.

Arpeggios Technic

Arpeggios are the notes of a chord played independently rather than together. This means simply that the chord is "broken" and the notes are played moving in alternate steps...just like playing a major (or minor) scale. The difference being of course that when playing or practicing arpeggios, you play the notes of the chord or chords. Check out the graphic below for the arpeggios of C Major 7th and F Major 7th chords.


You should now review the sections of this site entitled "Piano Chords" and "Chord Inversions" and practice the arpreggios of the chords you have learned and their inversions. When practicing remember to "run" or play the arpeggios both ascending (going up the piano keyboard) and descending (going down the piano keyboard).
Please Do Not underestimate the value of learning and practicing arpeggios. Learning them will solidify your knowledge of the notes used to create a chord, help in increasing your finger independence and dexterity, and along with scales will give you the basics for improvising on the piano.

Exotic Scale

C Algerian Scale
intervals: 1,2,b3,4,#4,5,b6,7
half-steps: 2-1-2-1-1-1-3-1
notes: C,D,Eb,F,F#,G,Ab,B

C Arabian (a) Scale
intervals: 1,2,b3,4,#4,#5,6,7
half-steps: 2-1-2-1-2-1-2-1
notes: C,D,Eb,F,F#,G#,A,B

C Arabian (b) Scale
intervals: 1,2,3,4,#4,#5,b7
half-steps: 2-2-1-1-2-2-2
notes: C,D,E,F,F#,G#,Bb

C Auxiliary Diminished Scale
intervals: 1,2,b3,4,#4,#5,6,7
half-steps: 2-1-2-1-2-1-2-1
notes: C,D,Eb,F,F#,G#,A,B

C Auxiliary Augmented Scale
intervals: 1,2,3,#4,#5,#6
half-steps: 2-2-2-2-2-2
notes: C,D,E,F#,G#,A#

C Auxiliary Diminished Blues Scale
intervals: 1,b2,b3,3,b5,5,6,b7
half-steps: 1-2-1-2-1-2-1-2
notes: C,Db,Eb,E,Gb,G,A,Bb

C Balinese Scale
intervals: 1,b2,b3,5,b6
half-steps: 1-2-4-1-4
notes: C,Db,Eb,G,Ab

C Blues Scale
intervals: 1,b3,4,#4,5,b7
half-steps: 3-2-1-1-3-2
notes: C,Eb,F,F#,G,Bb

C Byzantine Scale
intervals: 1,b2,3,4,5,b6,7
half-steps: 1-3-1-2-1-3-1
notes: C,Db,E,F,G,Ab,B

C Chinese Scale
intervals: 1,3,#4,5,7
half-steps: 4-2-1-4-1
notes: C,E,F#,G,B

C Chinese Mongolian Scale
intervals: 1,2,3,5,6
half-steps: 2-2-3-2-3
notes: C,D,E,G,A

C Egyptian Scale
intervals: 1,2,4,5,b7
half-steps: 2-3-2-3-2
notes: C,D,F,G,Bb

C Eight Tone Spanish Scale
intervals: 1,b2,#2,3,4,b5,b6,b7
half-steps: 1-2-1-1-1-2-2-2
notes: C,Db,D#,E,F,Gb,Ab,Bb

C Hawaiian Scale
intervals: 1,2,b3,4,5,6,7
half-steps: 2-1-2-2-2-2-1
notes: C,D,Eb,F,G,A,B

C Hindu Scale
intervals: 1,2,3,4,5,b6,b7
half-steps: 2-2-1-2-1-2-2
notes: C,D,E,F,G,Ab,Bb

C Hindustan Scale
intervals: 1,2,3,4,5,b6,b7
half-steps: 2-2-1-2-1-2-2
notes: C,D,E,F,G,Ab,Bb

C Hirajoshi Scale
intervals: 1,2,b3,5,b6
half-steps: 2-1-4-1-4
notes: C,D,Eb,G,Ab

C Hungarian Major Scale
intervals: 1,#2,3,#4,5,6,b7
half-steps: 3-1-2-1-2-1-2
notes: C,D#,E,F#,G,A,Bb

C Hungarian Gypsy Scale
intervals: 1,2,b3,#4,5,b6,7
half-steps: 2-1-3-1-1-3-1
notes: C,D,Eb,F#,G,Ab,B

C Hungarian Gypsy Persian Scale
intervals: 1,b2,3,4,5,b6,7
half-steps: 1-3-1-2-1-3-1
notes: C,Db,E,F,G,Ab,B

C Japanese (A) Scale
intervals: 1,b2,4,5,b6
half-steps: 1-4-2-1-4
notes: C,Db,F,G,Ab

C Japanese (B) Scale
intervals: 1,2,4,5,b6
half-steps: 2-3-2-1-4
notes: C,D,F,G,Ab

C Japanese (Ichikosucho) Scale
intervals: 1,2,3,4,#4,5,6,7
half-steps: 2-2-1-1-1-2-2-1
notes: C,D,E,F,F#,G,A,B

C Japanese (Taishikicho) Scale
intervals: 1,2,3,4,#4,5,6,#6,7
half-steps: 2-2-1-1-1-2-1-1-1
notes: C,D,E,F,F#,G,A,A#,B

C Javaneese Scale
intervals: 1,b2,b3,4,5,6,b7
half-steps: 1-2-2-2-2-1-2
notes: C,Db,Eb,F,G,A,Bb

C Oriental (a) Scale
intervals: 1,b2,3,4,b5,b6,b7
half-steps: 1-3-1-1-2-2-2
notes: C,Db,E,F,Gb,Ab,Bb

C Oriental (b) Scale
intervals: 1,b2,3,4,b5,6,b7
half-steps: 1-3-1-1-3-1-2
notes: C,Db,E,F,Gb,A,Bb

C Overtone Scale
intervals: 1,2,3,#4,5,6,b7
half-steps: 2-2-2-1-2-1-2
notes: C,D,E,F#,G,A,Bb

C Pelog Scale
intervals: 1,b2,b3,5,b6
half-steps: 1-2-4-1-4
notes: C,Db,Eb,G,Ab

C Persian Scale
intervals: 1,b2,3,4,b5,b6,7
half-steps: 1-3-1-1-2-3-1
notes: C,Db,E,F,Gb,Ab,B

C Roumanian Minor Scale
intervals: 1,2,b3,#4,5,6,b7
half-steps: 2-1-3-1-2-1-2
notes: C,D,Eb,F#,G,A,Bb

C Spanish Gypsy Scale
intervals: 1,b2,3,4,5,b6,b7
half-steps: 1-3-1-2-1-2-2
notes: C,Db,E,F,G,Ab,Bb

Scale

C Major Scale
intervals: 1,2,3,4,5,6,7
half-steps: 2-2-1-2-2-2-1
notes: C,D,E,F,G,A,B

C Harmonic Minor Scale
intervals: 1,2,b3,4,5,b6,7
half-steps: 2-1-2-2-1-3-1
notes: C,D,Eb,F,G,Ab,B

C Melodic Minor (Ascending) Scale
intervals: 1,2,b3,4,5,6,7
half-steps: 2-1-2-2-2-2-1
notes: C,D,Eb,F,G,A,B

C Melodic Minor (Descending) Scale
a.k.a.: C Natural Minor, C Relative Minor
intervals: 1,2,b3,4,5,b6,b7
half-steps: 2-1-2-2-1-2-2
notes: C,D,Eb,F,G,Ab,Bb

C Chromatic Scale
intervals: 1,b2,2,b3,3,4,b5,5,#5,6,b7,7
half-steps: 1-1-1-1-1-1-1-1-1-1-1-1
notes: C,Db,D,Eb,E,F,Gb,G,G#,A,Bb,B

C Whole Tone Scale
intervals: 1,2,3,#4,#5,b7
half-steps: 2-2-2-2-2-2
notes: C,D,E,F#,G#,Bb

C Pentatonic Major Scale
intervals: 1,2,3,5,6
half-steps: 2-2-3-2-3
notes: C,D,E,G,A

C Pentatonic Minor Scale
intervals: 1,b3,4,5,b7
half-steps: 3-2-2-3-2
notes: C,Eb,F,G,Bb

C Pentatonic Blues Scale
intervals: 1,b3,4,b5,5,b7
half-steps: 3-2-1-1-3-2
notes: C,Eb,F,Gb,G,Bb

C Ionian Scale
a.k.a.: C Major
intervals: 1,2,3,4,5,6,7
half-steps: 2-2-1-2-2-2-1
notes: C,D,E,F,G,A,B

C Dorian Scale
intervals: 1,2,b3,4,5,6,b7
half-steps: 2-1-2-2-2-1-2
notes: C,D,Eb,F,G,A,Bb

C Phrygian Scale
intervals: 1,b2,b3,4,5,b6,b7
half-steps: 1-2-2-2-1-2-2
notes: C,Db,Eb,F,G,Ab,Bb

C Lydian Scale
intervals: 1,2,3,#4,5,6,7
half-steps: 2-2-2-1-2-2-1
notes: C,D,E,F#,G,A,B

C Mixolydian Scale
intervals: 1,2,3,4,5,6,b7
half-steps: 2-2-1-2-2-1-2
notes: C,D,E,F,G,A,Bb

C Aeolian Scale
intervals: 1,2,b3,4,5,b6,b7
half-steps: 2-1-2-2-1-2-2
notes: C,D,Eb,F,G,Ab,Bb

C Locrian Scale
intervals: 1,b2,b3,4,b5,b6,b7
half-steps: 1-2-2-1-2-2-2
notes: C,Db,Eb,F,Gb,Ab,Bb