Walking Bass Midis

[Jacqui]

Sorry if this is a daft question
Just hoping someone can explain something to me about songs with Walking Bass, as assume it's to do with the Bass Guitar, but in what way.
I see on Derry Music Midis(formerly oneoffmidi) some midis say Walking Bass arrangement, I have a few songs that I have been told are Walking Bass, My Shoes Keep Walking Back To You, and Blackboard Of My Heart, I hear how they sound similar, but don't really understand why it's called that? or what defines a song as having it? are they standard set tunes or can any song have it, what would be other known ones?
Thanks Jacqui

[JohnG]

No question's daft if you don't know.

A walking bass line is simply a bass line that kinda goes at a walking pace.
Regular beats, evenly spaced. Usually up and then back down again, repeated in whatever key the tune is in at the moment.

Think of the left hand in boogie woogie or the double bass in early rock 'n roll, often just going up and down five notes of a scale. Usually it's in quarter notes but sometimes in eighths.

It's been around for donkey's years, e.g. Bach used it back in the baroque period from time to time. I understand McCartney used to learn from Bach bass lines.

As I recall "whiter shade of pale" has a walking bass line (taken directly from Bach), maybe "air on a G string" too, you know the old advert for cigars?

Any help?
JohnG.

[Jacqui]

Hi John
Thanks for that explanation, I see now.
Does anyone know any
other good Country songs with that tempo?

Jacqui

[themd21]

Hi Jacqui
You could try Patsy Cline's "Walkin After Midnight".
Some versions of "King of the Road" use a walking bass.
And then theres Presley's "Good Luck Charm".

Thats a start
Jimmy

[doricvision]

the first record I remember having a walking bass was the middle eight of Best Part of Breaking Up Is When You're Making Up by The Symbols [1960s] and I think the original was by The Shirelles or The Ronettes
Bigmike

[frankie]

Most of Fats Domino tracks.

[Jacqui]

Good tips guys, if you think of anymore tunes please post them here.
Thanks

Jacqui