Killer Walking Bass (Volume 2): Melodic Lines for the Modern Jazz Bassist

Your search for the perfect walking line never ends. What makes a killer walking bass line? Of course, harmonic clarity and an impeccable rhythmic feel are essential. But we believe that having a keen melodic sense is what will make your walking style stand out. For more details about our melodic walking bass approach, including principles and examples, see KWB Vol. 1 and our blog: http://blog.killerwalkingbass.com.

In this volume, you'll get just the lines. In KWB Vol. 2, we included more tunes overall and chose songs with challenging chord changes. As with Vol. 1, the lines are conceived to be played behind the soloist. While walking over the head of the tune is important, most of the time you'll be supporting soloists.

A vast majority of these lines rely only a quarter notes, a staple of walking bass. However, in Vol. 2 we've added embellishments. For the last tune in the book, "Dolphin Song" (like "Dolphin Dance"), we even provide two choruses without embellishments and then with them. We encourage you to think of how you'll enhance all of these lines on your flair. No tempos are given. Learn each piece slowly at first, but eventually move to a more suitable, standard tempo appropriate for the tune. In some cases, such as with "Expressions" (like "Impressions"), a very fast tempo may hinder your ability to play all of the embellishments. Adjust accordingly.

Finally, we've included notes that can only be played on five-string basses or with bass extensions. These are indicated with smaller note heads as alternatives to notes available for four-string basses. We hope this collection helps in your quest to find the perfect walking line! Take your lines to the next level.