BazzLow
ENIT
Module 9 · Lesson 5

Walk-ups and walk-downs

Connect two chords with a short scale run.

Before this lesson: 9.4 Passing and approach notes

Sometimes two chords are far enough apart that a jump sounds abrupt. A short run of notes between them can make the change smooth, and add a little energy.

Walk-ups and walk-downs

A walk-up (ascending) or walk-down (descending) is a run of scale notes, sometimes chromatic, that leads from one chord’s root to the next one’s. It usually fills the last beats of the bar before the change. It is a kind of fill. The run uses the scale of the key, plus chromatic steps where useful. Its length decides when it must start: two notes start on beat 3, three notes on beat 2.

Examples in C, in 4/4

Bass clef staffC to F (I→IV), a walk-up: C on beats 1–2, then D E on beats 3–4, arriving on F. Positions: C fret 3 on the A string, D fret 5, E fret 2 on the D string, F fret 3 on the D string.44
C to F (I→IV), a walk-up: C on beats 1–2, then D E on beats 3–4, arriving on F. Positions: C fret 3 on the A string, D fret 5, E fret 2 on the D string, F fret 3 on the D string.
Bass clef staffC to G (I→V), a walk-down: C, then B A, arriving on G. Positions: C fret 3, B fret 2, A open on the A string, G fret 3 on the E string.44
C to G (I→V), a walk-down: C, then B A, arriving on G. Positions: C fret 3, B fret 2, A open on the A string, G fret 3 on the E string.
Bass clef staffC to Am (I→vi), a walk-down: C, then B on beat 4, arriving on A.44
C to Am (I→vi), a walk-down: C, then B on beat 4, arriving on A.
Bass clef staffC to Dm (I→ii), chromatic: C, then C♯ on beat 4, arriving on D.44♯
C to Dm (I→ii), chromatic: C, then C♯ on beat 4, arriving on D.

Walk-ups and walk-downs add movement without changing the harmony. Use them at section changes, not on every chord.

Try it

Play C F C G (one bar each) with roots only. Then add a walk-up into F and a walk-down into G.

New terms