In part 2 we’ll take a look at another common pattern for rock or blues/walking bass and some examples for putting it to use.
Continuing from the last article here is another common pattern used by bass players in blues and rock songs. As with blues in general, the tonality of this pattern is a little vague. It could be used over both Dominant 7th chords (1-3-5-b7), or minor and minor 7th chords (1-b3-5-b7). This is another movable pattern that can be used in any key.
1-5-b7-8 blues box:
By omiting the 3rd of the chord from the pattern none of its notes clash with either dominant 7th or minor and minor 7th chords. It can also work over major triads played in a blues or rock style.
Patterns based on this set of usually don’t ‘walk’ in the same way the 1-3-5-6 pattern does. Often it’s played with varied rhythms and doesn’t just go up ad down through the sequence of notes. Here is a 4 bar sample with straight 8th notes. It has a very driving, urgent feel. This is a good one for punk rock, too.
Here is the same line played in 12/8 (a similar feel if you play the above example in a 4/4 shuffle).
And for something a little tricky, here is a 2 bar turn around in 12/8. Even though the chords move chromatically the bass line still uses only notes from the box pattern.
There are endless variations to this pattern. You can add chromatic passing notes to transition to new chords. You can mix this with the 1-3-5-6 walking pattern. It would be useful to point out that both patterns can be found in the mixolydian mode, 1-2-3-4-5-6-b7. These patterns are a way to grab a few notes that will always work while avoiding those that might not if placed wrong. But don’t be afraid to experiment and work outside the “box.”
more articles by Sean Gill
