walking bass
A bass line that moves in steady quarter notes, stepping through chord tones and passing tones.
In Depth
Walking bass is the rhythmic and harmonic foundation of swing jazz, blues, and early rock and roll. The bassist walks through each chord by playing root, third, fifth, and chromatic or diatonic passing tones, creating a smooth flowing line that outlines the harmony while propelling the rhythm forward. Great walking bass lines have melodic logic, with each note leading naturally to the next.
Ray Brown, Oscar Peterson's bassist, could walk bass lines so melodic that audiences would hum along with them, an almost unheard-of feat for a bass player.