Tips & Techniques
Walking up & down between the E, A, and B7 (bass note transitions)
Lesson #49
Video Overview
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Editorβs notes
In this lesson, I show a practice tip on how you can transition between the chords of E, A, and B7 β specifically by playing bass notes that walk up and down between these chords. This is a very common technique youβll find in lots of country music, especially from artists like Johnny Cash (e.g., Walk the Line) and Willie Nelson (e.g., Angel Flying Too Close to the Ground). Iβll show you the basics of how to play the chords used (E, A, and B7 β including tabs) and then break down the fundamentals of this technique.
The core walk-ups and walk-downs of this lesson
In this lesson, Iβll show you how to walk up from E to A, from A to B7, and from B7 back down to A and E. In my video portion of the lesson, hereβs the quick demo I play at the beginning where I preview this simple technique.
E ββββββ0βββββ0βββββ0βββββββββββ0βββββ0βββββ0ββββββββ|β
B ββββββ0βββββ0βββββ0βββββββββββ2βββββ2βββββ2ββββββββ|β
G ββββββ1βββββ1βββββ1βββββββββββ2βββββ2βββββ2ββββββββ|β
D ββββββ2βββββ2βββββ2βββββββββββ2βββββ2βββββ2ββββββββ|β
A ββββββ2βββββ2βββββ2ββββββββ0ββ0ββ0ββ0ββ0ββ0ββ0ββ1ββ|β
E βββ0ββ0ββ0ββ0ββ0ββ0ββ2ββ4ββββββββββββββββββββββββββ|β
E A
E β|ββββ2βββββ2βββββ2βββββββββββ0βββββ0ββββ0βββββββββ||
B β|ββββ0βββββ0βββββ0βββββββββββ0βββββ0ββββ3βββββββββ||
G β|ββββ2βββββ2βββββ2βββββββββββ1βββββ1ββββ1βββββββββ||
D β|ββββ1βββββ1βββββ1βββββββββββ2βββββ2ββββ2βββββββββ||
A β|β2ββ2ββ2ββ2ββ2ββ2βββββββββββ2βββββ2ββββ2βββββββββ||
E β|βββββββββββββββββββ4ββ2ββ0ββ0ββ0ββ0ββββ0βββββββββ||
B7 E E7
For a very simple deconstruction of whatβs going on here, refer to this tab. Note the bass notes between the chords! Thatβs what I want to focus on β these transitional bass notes.
E ββ0βββββββββββ0βββββββββββ2ββββββββ0βββββββββββ0ββ
B ββ0βββββββββββ2βββββββββββ0ββββββββ2βββββββββββ0ββ
G ββ1βββββββββββ2βββββββββββ2ββββββββ2βββββββββββ1ββ
D ββ2βββββββββββ2βββββββββββ1ββββββββ2βββββββββββ2ββ
A ββ2βββββββββββ0ββ0ββ1ββ2ββ2ββ2ββ1ββ0ββ0ββββββββ2ββ
E ββ0ββ0ββ2ββ4βββββββββββββββββββββββββββββ4ββ2ββ0ββ
E A B7 A E
Chords being used
By the way, if you need to worry about learning the chords Iβm using here, refer to these tabs. In the right-hand version, I show a few barre chord voicings for the B-major chord (which Iβm not using in this lesson, but wanted to include for reference & context).
E ββββ0βββββββ0ββββββ2βββββ E βββββββββ7ββββ
B ββββ0βββββββ2ββββββ0βββββ B ββββ4ββββ7ββββ
G ββββ1βββββββ2ββββββ2βββββ G ββββ4ββββ8ββββ
D ββββ2βββββββ2ββββββ1βββββ D ββββ4ββββ9ββββ
A ββββ2βββββββ0ββββββ2βββββ A ββββ2ββββ9ββββ
E ββββ0ββββββββββββββββββββ E βββββββββ7ββββ
E A B7 B B
How to learn and practice this
If youβre just getting started with this run, first worry about E and A (donβt bring in B7 yet). Repeat this sequence, going from E to A and back down to E. Repeat.
E βββββ0βββββ0βββββ0βββββββββββ0βββββ0βββββ0ββββββββ
B βββββ0βββββ0βββββ0βββββββββββ2βββββ2βββββ2ββββββββ
G βββββ1βββββ1βββββ1βββββββββββ2βββββ2βββββ2ββββββββ
D βββββ2βββββ2βββββ2βββββββββββ2βββββ2βββββ2ββββββββ
A βββββ2βββββ2βββββ2ββββββββ0ββ0ββ0ββ0ββ0ββ0ββββββββ
E ββ0ββ0ββ0ββ0ββ0ββ0ββ2ββ4ββββββββββββββββββββ4ββ2ββ
E A
Then, worry about going from A to B7 and back to A. Repeat.
E βββββ0βββββ0βββββ0βββββββββββ2βββββ2βββββ2ββββββββ
B βββββ2βββββ2βββββ2βββββββββββ0βββββ0βββββ0ββββββββ
G βββββ2βββββ2βββββ2βββββββββββ2βββββ2βββββ2ββββββββ
D βββββ2βββββ2βββββ2βββββββββββ1βββββ1βββββ1ββββββββ
A ββ0ββ0ββ0ββ0ββ0ββ0ββ0ββ1ββ2ββ2ββ2ββ2ββ2ββ2ββ2ββ1ββ
E ββββββββββββββββββββββββββββββββββββββββββββββββββ
A B7
When youβve mastered these two transitions, you can do the full E to A to B7 back down to A and E.
Having trouble with the middle and ring fingers?
When playing the bass notes, I strongly recommend using your middle and ring fingers (in addition to your index finger). While you technically can pull this off using only your index finger, itβs a bad habit that I suggest avoiding. You need to train your weaker fingers (middle, ring, pinky) β and though it can be frustrating at first it pays off later.
Hereβs a simple exercise I suggest:
E βββββββββββββββββββββββββββββ
B βββββββββββββββββββββββββββββ
G βββββββββββββββββββββββββββββ 2nd fret = index finger
D βββββββββββββββββββββββββββββ ...repeat 3rd fret = middle finger
A βββββββββββββββββββββββββββββ 4th fret = ring finger
E βββ2ββ3ββ4ββ3ββ2ββ3ββ4ββ3ββββ
Songs that use this sort of transition
βWalk the Lineβ by Johnny Cash is a powerhouse example of this technique used a ton. Hereβs the first few measures. See my full lesson on this song if you want to learn it in full.
E βββββββββββ0βββ0ββββββββββββ2βββ2ββββββββββββ0ββββ
B βββββββββββ2βββ2ββββββββββββ3βββ3ββββββββββββ2ββββ
G βββββββββββ2βββ2ββββββββββββ2βββ2ββββββββββββ2ββββ
D βββββββββββ2βββ2βββββββββ0ββββββββ0β0ββββββββ2ββββ
A ββββββββ0ββββββββ0β0β2β4ββββββ0βββββββ4β2β0ββ0ββββ
E ββ0β2β4ββββββ0ββββββββββββββββββββββββββββββββββββ
A D A
βAngel Flying Too Close to the Groundβ by Willie Nelson has a similar run with these notes.
E βββ0ββββββββββββββββββββββββ0ββββ
B βββ0ββββββββββββββββββββββββ2ββββ
G βββ1ββββββββββββββββββββββββ2ββββ
D βββ2ββββββββββββββββββββββββ2ββββ
A βββ2βββββββββββββββββββ0ββββ0ββββ
E βββ0βββ0βββ1βββ2βββ4βββββββββββββ
E A
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