Beginning Bass 18: Autumn Leaves, Part 4 Adding Chromatic Passing and Approach Tones
By Roy Vogt
Bass Instructor, Belmont University		 Print This Lesson
Roy We've come to our final embellishment to the Autumn Leaves bass line. To really get a smooth "jazzy" feel to the bass line, I've added chromatic notes (1/2 steps) that are not in the scale or chord.

With a little care, you can even play a major 3rd over a minor chord or vice versa. The trick is that any chromatic tone needs to resolve to a stronger chord tone or it will sound like a mistake.

When you play R-2-b3-3 against a major chord the b3 is a chromatic passing tone that leads to the strong sound of a major 3rd.

When you play the same pattern against a minor chord it will work IF the next chord is a 4th away as occurs often in Autumn Leaves. In that instance the major 3rd is heard as a leading tone into the new Root of the next chord.

Notice that the bass line has taken on the character of a sine wave and smoothly rises and falls. This is a good idea for a walking bass line in that it suggests motion but doesn't totally grab the ear like a more angular line. Try playing all of the lines from 15-18 and see how the line has transformed.

Peace and Low Notes,
Roy C. Vogt
Nashville Bassist
Bass Instructor, Belmont University, Nashville, TN

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