Mel Bay's Creative Keyboard | Bob Hinz - Creating Bass Lines

In this issue: Creating Bass Lines |
The Inspiration and Improvisation of Chopin’s Music | Sonatina in C

Print this Article (PDF) Email Article to a Friend

Creating Bass Lines

by Bob Hinz

There are a number of common techniques that you can use to create a bass line for a chord progression. These include the following:

1. Arpeggiate the chord.

2. Connect chord tones with diatonic passing tones. Diatonic passing tones are tones of the scale that works with the given chord progression. Usually your ear will reveal these tones (in the context of the progression and your knowledge of the tune), but sometimes an examination of the chord progression (and the individual chords within it) will suggest various possibilities.

3. Chromatic tones may also be used to connect chord tones and any diatonic tones.

4. In general, in each of the above instances, the more stable the tone (such as the root and 5th), the more likely that tone will appear on the stronger beats of the measure (beats one and three). For example, a common approach to the first four chords of “All the Things You Are” appears with roots on all of the downbeats of the measure (beat one). Thirds and passing tones appear on the weaker beats (beats two and four):

5. Two other common patterns that appear in walking bass lines are the root, second, third, and fifth of the triad (1-2-3-5; the second that is use depends on the mode), and 1-2-b3-3:

6. Most often, the root of a chord is approached by a note that is a half step below it, and functions as a leading tone to the root. The root of a chord is also often approached by a note which is a half step above. This suggests (or occurs along with) a tritone substitution.

7. In static chord progressions (where the same chord appears for one or more measures), the bass often appears as an alternating pattern of root and fifth.

8. Pedal Point. A sustained tone may appear underneath a series of changing chords. The tone would be played in a manner rhythmically appropriate to the piece.

About the Author

A jazz pianist and composer, Bob Hinz received his Bachelors degree in Music Theory from SUNY Stony Brook, his Masters in Music Education from the Eastman School of Music, and his Doctorate in Jazz Studies from New York University. He has recorded two albums as a leader: Instead of Words and Flying Colors. His composition, "Chemistry," from the recording Flying Colors, was selected for the 1998 National Association of Recording Merchandisers jazz sampler compact disc. This recording appeared and remained at number one on the Billboard jazz chart in the summer of 1998. In December of 2000, Bob was featured in full length Sunday New York Times Article titled "Jazzman Sets Tin Ears Ringing". In June of 2001, he was a featured Guest on Marian McPartland's Piano Jazz, a National Public Radio Broadcast.

Active as an author and educator, his books of jazz piano transcriptions, The Artistry of Bill Evans, Vol. 2 and The Artistry of George Shearing are published by Warner Bros. Upcoming books that are currently completed-though unpublished-include The Improviser's Guide to Melodic Embellishment (a collection of studies that immerse the jazz musician in vocabulary for improvising melodies and introduce the player to the concept of embellishment), The Jazz Compositions of Bud Powell (a collection of 46 Bud Powell originals arranged in lead sheet format and transcribed directly from Powell's recordings), and Studies in Technique for the Jazz Pianist (a collection of exercises that orient the jazz pianist in techniques that necessary and appropriate for playing jazz piano). Currently, Bob is working on another CD, Send It In, eleven original compositions for jazz quintet.

Bob's articles have been published in Clavier, Music Educators Journal, Jazz Educators Journal, and Teaching Music. He has taught piano, music theory, and jazz improvisation at the State University of New York, and has been teaching piano since 1975. He also works as a pianist performing solo and with his trio in the New York area.