Super Simple Piano

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Walking Bass on Piano

A walking bass moves one note on every beat, stepping through the notes of the chord and the notes between them, as a jazz bass player does. Walk-ups and walk-downs are the short version: three or four steps at the end of a bar that lead the left hand into the next chord, heard in country, gospel and pop. Start with a walk-up of three notes into the next chord, then try the full walking bass.

Start with Jazz walk, the one most songs use.

Patterns

Jazz walk

One note per beat, strolling like a jazz bassist.

Waltz stairs down

Three notes step down to the root, one per waltz beat.

Waltz stairs up

Three notes step up, one per beat, leading into the next chord.

Stairs down

Four notes stepping down, one per beat, into the next chord.

Lazy stairs up

A long root, then two steps up on beats 3 and 4.

Lazy stairs down

A long root, then two steps down on beats 3 and 4.

Lilting stairs up

A long root, then two quick steps up in a gentle sway.

Racing stairs up

Quick steps up, then two hops all the way to the octave.

Patient stairs up

Root twice, then two steps up into the next chord.

Skippy stairs up

Three steps up, then a small hop higher, into the next chord.

Peek-up stairs

Three steps up, then back home, ready to start again.

Dip-and-climb up

Root, a drop down, then three steps climbing back up to the next chord.

Basement stairs up

A jump down to the low root, then three steps up to the next chord.

Climb-and-wait stairs

Up two steps, then wait on the top step for the next chord.

Patient stairs down

Root twice, then two steps down into the next chord.

Sunset stairs down

From the root, three steps sinking down: a bittersweet slide.

Bounce-and-climb

Bounces on the root, then two quick steps up at the very end.

Leap-up stairs

Root, a leap up, then two steps climbing into the next chord.

Rocking stairs up

Root twice in a lilting sway, then two quick steps up.

Up-and-back stairs

Two steps up, then one step back, gently leading on.

Waltz slide down

Three notes slide down from the top, one per waltz beat.

Bump-and-slide down

A quick double on the root, then three steps sliding down.

Elevator stairs up

A jump up an octave, then two steps climbing even higher.

Jump-up slide down

A jump up an octave, then two steps sliding back down.

Coming-home slide

Three notes step down to the root, then rest at home.

Springboard stairs

From the fifth, a jump to the root, then two steps up.

Midway stairs up

Starts in the middle of the chord and steps up one note per beat, in three.

Parachute down

A leap up high, then three steps floating back down.

Waltz drift down

Three notes drift down to the fifth, one per beat, in three.

Moonlight slide down

Three close notes gliding down through the root, soft and wistful.

Wobble-up stairs

A dip one step down, then back up and one step higher.

Waltz ladder

Three notes step up toward the next root, one per waltz beat.

Blues stairs down

A bluesy note stepping down, then a little skip lower.

Full ladder up

Four steps up from the fifth, arriving right on the next root.

Waterslide

Four steps sliding down from up high, through the root.

Ladder home

A low chord, then three steps climbing up to the octave.

Hymn stairs down

Three notes step down the middle of the chord, calm as a hymn.

Bounce-down home

A hop up to the third, then two steps back down home.

Tiptoe stairs up

Three close steps rising through the root, in three.

Late slide down

Waits a beat, then three steps sliding down to the fifth.

Stairs-and-leap

Two steps up, then a big leap to the octave.

Dive-and-rise stairs

A drop to the low root, then quick steps up in a rocking feel.

Up-and-drop stairs

Two steps up, then a drop down to the fifth.

Escalator

A quick run: root, a leap, then steps gliding up to the octave.

Slide-home stairs

From the fifth, a skip and two steps all the way down home.

Almost-there stairs

Steps up from the fifth and waits just below the next root.

Tumbling stairs down

A long root, a jump up, then quick steps tumbling down.

Late-start stairs up

Waits a beat, then three steps up into the next chord.

Feather-fall down

A big leap to the top, then three steps settling down on the octave.

Step-back stairs up

Starts on the third, drops to the root, then steps back up.

Late ladder up

Waits a beat, then climbs three steps toward the next root.

Peek-and-slide down

A peek one step up, then two steps sliding down.

Questions

What is a walking bass on piano?

A left-hand line of one note on every beat that walks up and down, using the notes of the chord and the notes between them. It comes from jazz and the blues.

What is a walk-up or a walk-down?

A few notes that step up or down the scale at the end of a bar, leading into the next chord: C, D and E stepping up to an F chord, or C, B and A stepping down to G.

Which songs use walking bass?

Jingle Bells by Glee Cast, Creep by Radiohead and Blackbird by The Beatles use walking bass. The songs on this page all use it, the most played first.