Walking Bass on Digital Piano

Posted by: SteveB

Walking Bass on Digital Piano - 03/09/01 06:36 PM

Can anyone instruct me how to set up for a "walking bass" on my Roland digital piano (KR-277)? I'm learning chords, and my music teacher suggested I use a "walking bass" for the left hand chords while I'm learning them with my right. Unfortunately, I can't find a thing about it in the Roland manual, and so far nothing I've tried even comes close.

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Posted by: Uncle Dave

Re: Walking Bass on Digital Piano - 03/10/01 12:12 AM

Walking bass is a style - not a setting. Is there a slpit point on your piano? Can you assign the left hand part of the keyboard to a bass tone? These are questions that must be answered before you can practice a walking bass.
The simplest pattern is a simple scale - played down from the root note. eg:
C - B -A - G ( repeat )
another easy and popular walking line is the boogie woogie. This is made up of the 5 tones of an arpeggiated Dominant 7th chord:
Try:
C - E - G - Bb - C - Bb - G - E - C (again)
After a while it will become second nature and you will have a ball creating your own "grooves" and "kicks" by syncing the left & right hand together in a tight rhythmic pattern. That's what I do most of the night. The arranger and the sequencer are about 30% of my material - the rest is "Me on bass! "
Posted by: Graham UK

Re: Walking Bass on Digital Piano - 03/10/01 02:11 AM

Hi Uncle Dave,
I am also trying to improve left hand technique, so your BASS Line tips are most useful. A Pro player takes these things for granted, but for most of us we are on the learning curve.
Any more general playing tips please keep throwing at us, we need the practice. HA!

Graham UK

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Posted by: SteveB

Re: Walking Bass on Digital Piano - 03/10/01 03:32 PM

Uncle Dave: THANKS...!!! Funny how sometimes what seems to be a mystery can be solved with just a bit of advice from a learned stranger... I'm already having fun using the boogie "technique" you mentioned, and it makes learning the chords following the circle of fifths actually enjoyable. Now I need to get my left hand to do its thing independently of the right but I know it will come with practice.

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