Descending Bass Lines

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Descending Bass Lines

Descending Bass Line Progressions are a type of Moving Bass Line Progression where the bass notes of each chord in the progression move lower generally in half or whole steps typically following the "8-7-6-5" and "8-7-b7-6" bass note patterns. Descednding Bass Line Progressions are popular with songwriters to create a romantic mood. Some of the best popular music of the last century were written around a Descending Bass Line Progression such as Georgia On My Mind (1930), Night And Day (1932), Let It Be Me (1960), One Note Samba (1961), Whiter Shade of Pale (1967), Ain't No Mountain High Enough (1967), My Way (1969), I'll Be There (1970), Mr. Bojangles (1971), Until It's Time For You To Go (1972), Reelin' In The Years (1973), Piano Man (1974), Three Times A Lady (1978), How Am I Supposed To Live Without You (1990), Tears In Heaven (1992), and Can You Feel The Love Tonight (1994). A great example of a descending bass line is shown below in the key of C.