The best walking bass lines, in our opinion, strike a decent mix between originality and straightforwardness.
Keeping things too basic can easily become monotonous, yet a bassline that is overly complicated might begin to dominate a song. However, the best walking basslines always manage to straddle the line, whatever the style of music it be.
As a result, we made this list to highlight some of the best walking bass lines in recorded music history.
By including songs from various musical eras and genres, we tried to keep it as diverse as possible. By doing so, we hope to demonstrate how effective walking bass lines can be in enhancing a variety of tunes and why this form of playing has endured through the years.
This list is no particular order, so let’s jump right into it!
Miles Davis - Solar
The first song on our list is a no brainer. On “Solar,” Percy Heath’s silky bassline provides the ideal support for Davis to soar above the chord changes flawlessly. He gives the music a sense of movement by making use of the entire bass’s range. He keeps things interesting while never breaking from the strict quarter-note pattern by doing it sparingly and at the appropriate times.
Thus, without ever having to modify its rhythm, this song is the ideal illustration of how lively a walking bassline can sound.
Queen - Crazy Little Thing Called Love
Walking bass lines are not only found in straight ahead jazz tunes, it can also be the driving force of a rock’n’roll tune. The brains behind several of Queen’s biggest hits was John Deacon. This guy was a hit maker, from the infectious groove in “Under Pressure” to the well-known bassline in “Another One Bites The Dust.”
He changes things up on “Crazy Little Thing Called Love” and plays a wandering walking bassline. The song is incredibly danceable because it begins with strolling quarter notes and slightly veers from the beat.
Additionally, there are a few intriguing musical passages where the bass deviates from the main walking rhythm. The strolling bass, one of Queen’s strongest basslines, always immediately returns and continues to be the song’s driving force.
Glenn Miller - In The Mood
The next song on our list is a true classic instrumental piece. The driving beat is provided by a bouncy strolling bass line. When necessary, the bass doesn’t hesitate to move around the fretboard and switch things up.
Due to this, the line has a wide range, which perfectly complements the upbeat mood of this timeless song.
Van Morrison - Moondance
John Klingberg’s bass line in “Moondance” effectively captures the mood of the song. It differs significantly from the majority of the basslines on this list, though.
There is relatively little harmonic movement in the walking bassline. But by doing so, it generates a tight atmosphere that complements the verse’s mood and adds to the sense of resolution when we go to the chorus. It also demonstrates the significance of the chromatic scale as a jazz bass scale and how effective it can be when used appropriately.
Bill Evans - Autumn Leaves
Scott LaFaro’s bass line and solo on “Autumn Leave” which is maybe the smoothest and most advanced walking bass line on our list, demonstrates the importance of the bottom end in a trio with flawless synchronicity.
Together with the drums, it maintains a steady rhythm while introducing a different way to approach walking bass. Scott’s way of playing walking bass line in counterpoint with the piano was something that was never before heard at that time. When necessary, the bass line shifts up and down the neck to match the piano’s intensity.
Because of this, the bassline always sounds like it belongs with the band as a whole and serves to both ground and elevate the song.
