Mike Richmond

Walking Bass Techniques

used with permission of...
by Mike Richmond • Bass Player, September/October 1994
The following musical examples are reprinted from Mike Richmond’s book Modern Walking Bass Technique, with permission from Ped Xing Music.

Ex. 1
Quarter Note Bass Line
C7 E m7 A7 D m7 G7
3 2 2 0
2 3 2 1 0 2 3
3 5 5 2
3

Ex. 1B
12 Bar Blues in C using
Quarter Note Bass Line
C7 G m7 C7 F7 F #dim
2 1 0 2
2 2 3 1 2 3 3 4
3 0 2 3 4 3 3
0 1 2 3 4

C7 E m7 A 7 D m7 G7 C7 A7 D m7 G 7 C7
3 2 2 0 2
5 2 3 0 2 1 0 2 3 1 0 5
5 2 3 1 0 2 3
3

Ex. 2
Skips
C7 E m7 A7 D m7 G7
0
3 1 0
3 1 0 3 0 0 0 2
1 0 3 1 4 3 4

Ex. 2B
12 Bar Blues in C using
Skips
C7 F7 C7 G m7 C7 F7
2 3 4 5 6 7 7 6
3 2 3 4 5 0 4 3
3 3 0 1 2 3 4 3
0 3 2 1

C7 E m7 A 7 D m7 G7 C7 A7 D m7 G 7 C7
5 9 10 8 99
87 7 0 2 3 4 5 0 2 0
6 0 2 3 1 0 4 50 2 3
3 43

Ex. 3
Ghost Skips
C7 E m7 A7 D m7 G7
2 4
5 X 2 3 0 2 3 2 5 3 X 5
0 4 5 X
0
© 1995-98 Notes On Call. www.notesoncall.com

Ex. 3B
12 Bar Blues in C using
Ghost Skips
C7 F7 C7 G m7 C7 F7 F #dim
2 3 X 7 8 7 5 0 3 X 2 0 2 5
X 2 3 X 1 4 X 4
3 4 3 0 3 X
0 1

C7 A7 D m7 G7 C7 D m7 G 7 C7
0 12 10 10 9 7 6 6 7 5 2
X 8 7 6 5 6 X 5 3 2 2 1 0 5 X
2 3

Walking Bass Techniques 1 2

 Ex. 4 Ex. 6 Ex. 7
Pull-Off Skips Ex. 5 Slurred Skips Syncopated Rhythms Ex. 8
5 3 2 1 0 0 0 0 2 3 3 4 0 2
4 3 3 2 0
3
0 1 2
Ex. 8A
12 Bar Blues in C using Pull-Off Skips,
Slurred Skips, and Syncopated Rhythms
C7 F7 C7 F7
3 2 0 0 2 0 0
2 5 2 3 2 4 3 1 0 0
3 3 0 1 2 3 3 3 1 0 0
3

C7 E m7 A 7
2
D m7
2 5
G7 C7 A7
99 877 6 5 0 2
D m7 G 7
1 0 0 7
C7
5
~~
2 1 0 3 1 0 0
0
3 3 1 0

Ex. 9
12 Bar Blues in C using
Triplets
C7 C #dim D m7 D #dim E m7 F #dim G m7 C7 F7 F #dim
2 2 0
2 5 2 0 3 1 4 2 5 4 4 0 0 0 10
3 4 4 1 4 3 0 3 3 0
3 2 1 1 2 2

C7 E m7 A 7 D m7 G7 C7 A7 D m7 G7 C7
3 20 2 9 8 7
5 3 1 2 2 3 4 5 6 7 9 10 7 7 0
4 5 8 0 2 3
3 4 3

12 Bar Blues in C using

A m7 A b7 D bm7 G b7
all techniques combined
C B m7 F7
X 7 5 0 X7 5 7 X7 8 7 6
0 0 2 2 1 4 3 0 3
3 3 3 2 1 0 X 3 4 4
10 3 2

C7 A 7 D b7 D m7 G7 C7 A m7 D m7 G 7
5 2 3 0 2 1 1 0 0 4
1 3 2 0 2 1 0 0
4 5 4 5 0 0 2 3 0
2 3 4

12 Bar Blues #2 in C using

© 1995-98 Notes On Call. www.notesoncall.com

all techniques combined.

C7 F7 F #dim C7 F7
5 2 2 0 252 0
X2 4 5 X 5 3 2 100 0 1 4 4 0 3
4 3 X 0 3 X 1
03 2 1 3 1

E m7 A 7
3 2
D m7 G7
2
C7 F7
1 25
C7
5 0
G7
3 4
C7
5
~~
2 X3 2 2 3 5 0 1 2 53
4 5 0 2 3

Walking Bass Techniques 1 2