Ascending Bass Lines

Ascending bass line progressions are a type of moving bass line progression where the bass notes of
each chord in the progression move higher typically following the "1-2-3-4," "2-3-4-5," "1-2-4-5", or "1-3-4-
5," "1-#1-2-#2," "1-#1-2-5," and "1-2-b3-3" note bass lines. Ascending bass line progressions are popular
with songwriters wishing to create a bright sound. Scott Joplin and other Ragtime writers frequently used
the "IV-#IVo-V7" progression to brighten their songs. Some great popular music of the last century has
been written around ascending bass line progressions such as Ain't She Sweet (1927), Ain't Misbehavin'
(1929), Stormy Weather (1933), Oh What A Beautiful Morning (1943), I'm Gonna Wash That Man Right
Outa My Hair (1949), Like A Rolling Stone (1965), As Tears Go By (1966), I'm Not Your Steppin' Stone
(1967), Love Is All Around (1968), Bend Me Shape Me (1968), Lean On Me (1972), Live And Let Die
(1973), Slow Dancin' (1977), With A Little Luck (1978), My Life (1979), Key Largo (1982), Have I Told You
Lately (1989), and Heart Of The Matter (1990). Three great examples of ascending bass lines are shown
below in the key of C.

Ain't Misbehavin' (Fats Waller - 1929) opening A section progression

[1-#1-2-#2 chromatic pattern]

C / C#o7 / Dm7 / D#o7 / C/E / E7#5 / F6 / Fm6 /

Like A Rolling Stone (Bob Dylan - 1965) opening verse progression

[1-2-3-4-5 diatonic pattern]

C / Dm / Em / F / G/// ////

Somewhere Out There (Linda Ronstadt & James Ingram - 1987) opening verse progression
[1-3-4-5 diatonic pattern]

Cadd9 / Cmaj7/E / Fmaj7 / G11 /

Hear a midi of the I-ii-iii-IV diatonic chord stream by clicking here. The Beatles used this progression to
create the verse for their Here, There, and Everywhere.

Click below for the best in free Ascending Bass Lines lessons available on the web as well as links to
various song examples.

Lessons

Ascending Augmented I-I+-I6-I7 Progressions (MoneyChords)

Chord Stream - I-ii-iii Progression (Olav Torvund)
Chord Stream - I-ii-iii-IV Progression (Olav Torvund)
The "Creep" Chord Progression (PSR Tutorial)
Diminished Cliche I-#Io-IV-V Progressions (MoneyChords)
Rock Ballad I-iii-IV-V Progressions (MoneyChords)