Bb Blues - Walking Bass Line Construction

This book is dedicated to helping you develop walking bass lines. It is designed for those with potentially limited knowledge of how to spell chords and/or limited experience with a bass, but advanced players may find it useful as well. All the exercises in this SmartMusic book have a limited range—low E to middle C on the staff with a few exceptions. For 4 string traditional tuning electric bass players this means the exercises stay mostly within the first five frets. By no means, is this method complete, but it is an efficient way to create bass lines without a mastery of playing or theory.

Playing these exercises correctly is a start. Internalizing and integrating these bass lines so you can apply them to other tunes is the goal. Strive to understand the underlying concepts of each exercise. Make them part of your musical vocabulary.

As useful as these exercises might be, the best way to learn bass lines is to emulate aspects of masterful bass lines you hear on recordings. Have fun and play with confidence and joy.

Click on the links below for
​Inspiration, Education and Fun! 

Bb Blues

Some Awesome Walking Jazz Bass Players

Walking Jazz Bass Line Info

Foundational Links

Aspirational Links