(MED. SWING ♩=80)
19

Jazz Piano · Blues Comp Styles

Blues Walking Bass

LH quarter-note bass line, RH shells on the backbeats, twelve keys

The walking-bass comp lets the pianist be the bass player: four quarter notes per bar outlining the chord, while the RH lays shell chords on the off-beats (the "2 and 4" backbeat). Used in solo-piano blues and in piano trios when the bassist is laying out.

The simplest walking line just arpeggiates 1-3-5-♭7 of each chord, ascending. More advanced lines chromatic-approach into the next chord's root. Start here, ornament as your ear suggests.

LH

Ascending arpeggio 1-3-5-♭7 over each chord

Form

I⁷ IV⁷ I⁷ I⁷ | IV⁷ IV⁷ I⁷ I⁷ | V⁷ IV⁷ I⁷ V⁷

01

F blues

B 7 1 2 1 3 1 X 1 3 1 2 1 1 F 7 B 7 1 2 1 3 1 X 1 2 1 3 1 X B 7 F 7 1 3 1 2 1 1 F 7 1 3 1 2 1 1 F 7 1 3 1 2 1 1 1 2 1 3 1 X B 7 C 7 3 2 4 1 O O F 7 1 3 1 2 1 1 1 3 1 2 1 1 F 7 7 C 7 3 2 4 1 O O
02

B♭ blues

E 7 1 3 2 4 X X 1 2 1 3 1 X B 7 E 7 1 3 2 4 X X E 7 1 3 2 4 X X 1 2 1 3 1 X 1 2 1 3 1 X B 7 B 7 1 2 1 3 1 X B 7 1 3 2 4 X X E 7 F 7 1 3 1 2 1 1 B 7 1 2 1 3 1 X B 7 1 2 1 3 1 X 7 F 7 1 3 1 2 1 1
03

E♭ blues

A 7 1 3 1 2 1 1 4fr 1 3 2 4 X X E 7 1 3 1 2 1 1 4fr A 7 1 3 1 2 1 1 4fr A 7 1 3 2 4 X X E 7 1 3 2 4 X X E 7 1 3 2 4 X X E 7 A 7 1 3 1 2 1 1 4fr B 7 1 2 1 3 1 X 1 3 2 4 X X E 7 E 7 1 3 2 4 X X 7 B 7 1 2 1 3 1 X
04

A♭ blues

D 7 2 3 1 4 X X 1 3 1 2 1 1 4fr A 7 2 3 1 4 X X D 7 2 3 1 4 X X D 7 1 3 1 2 1 1 4fr A 7 1 3 1 2 1 1 4fr A 7 1 3 1 2 1 1 4fr A 7 D 7 2 3 1 4 X X 1 3 2 4 X X E 7 1 3 1 2 1 1 4fr A 7 A 7 1 3 1 2 1 1 4fr 7 E 7 1 3 2 4 X X
05

D♭ blues

G 7 1 3 1 2 1 1 2 3 1 4 X X D 7 1 3 1 2 1 1 G 7 1 3 1 2 1 1 G 7 2 3 1 4 X X D 7 D 7 2 3 1 4 X X D 7 2 3 1 4 X X 1 3 1 2 1 1 G 7 1 3 1 2 1 1 4fr A 7 2 3 1 4 X X D 7 D 7 2 3 1 4 X X 7 A 7 1 3 1 2 1 1 4fr
06

G♭ blues

C 7 X X 5fr 1 3 1 2 1 1 G 7 X X 5fr C 7 X X 5fr C 7 1 3 1 2 1 1 G 7 G 7 1 3 1 2 1 1 1 3 1 2 1 1 G 7 C 7 X X 5fr 2 3 1 4 X X D 7 1 3 1 2 1 1 G 7 1 3 1 2 1 1 G 7 7 2 3 1 4 X X D 7
07

B blues

E 7 2 1 O O O O 2 1 3 4 X O B 7 E 7 2 1 O O O O 2 1 O O O O E 7 B 7 2 1 3 4 X O B 7 2 1 3 4 X O B 7 2 1 3 4 X O 2 1 O O O O E 7 F 7 1 3 1 2 1 1 B 7 2 1 3 4 X O B 7 2 1 3 4 X O 7 F 7 1 3 1 2 1 1
08

E blues

A 7 1 3 X O O O E 7 2 1 O O O O A 7 1 3 X O O O 1 3 X O O O A 7 E 7 2 1 O O O O E 7 2 1 O O O O 2 1 O O O O E 7 A 7 1 3 X O O O B 7 2 1 3 4 X O 2 1 O O O O E 7 E 7 2 1 O O O O 7 B 7 2 1 3 4 X O
09

A blues

D 7 2 1 3 X X O A 7 1 3 X O O O D 7 2 1 3 X X O 2 1 3 X X O D 7 A 7 1 3 X O O O A 7 1 3 X O O O 1 3 X O O O A 7 D 7 2 1 3 X X O E 7 2 1 O O O O A 7 1 3 X O O O 1 3 X O O O A 7 7 E 7 2 1 O O O O
10

D blues

3 2 1 O O O G 7 D 7 2 1 3 X X O G 7 3 2 1 O O O G 7 3 2 1 O O O D 7 2 1 3 X X O D 7 2 1 3 X X O D 7 2 1 3 X X O G 7 3 2 1 O O O A 7 1 3 X O O O 2 1 3 X X O D 7 2 1 3 X X O D 7 7 1 3 X O O O A 7
11

G blues

C 7 3 2 4 1 O O G 7 3 2 1 O O O C 7 3 2 4 1 O O C 7 3 2 4 1 O O G 7 3 2 1 O O O G 7 3 2 1 O O O G 7 3 2 1 O O O C 7 3 2 4 1 O O D 7 2 1 3 X X O 3 2 1 O O O G 7 3 2 1 O O O G 7 7 D 7 2 1 3 X X O
12

C blues

F 7 1 3 1 2 1 1 C 7 3 2 4 1 O O F 7 1 3 1 2 1 1 1 3 1 2 1 1 F 7 C 7 3 2 4 1 O O 3 2 4 1 O O C 7 3 2 4 1 O O C 7 F 7 1 3 1 2 1 1 G 7 3 2 1 O O O 3 2 4 1 O O C 7 3 2 4 1 O O C 7 7 3 2 1 O O O G 7

Bass and chord, both in one hand. Solo-piano comping at its most useful.

80 bpm
Sound