Common in"Hit the Road Jack" — Ray Charles · "Stairway to Heaven" — Led Zeppelin (intro) · "A Whiter Shade of Pale" — Procol Harum
Famous"Hit the Road Jack" — Ray Charles · "Stairway to Heaven" — Led Zeppelin (intro) · "A Whiter Shade of Pale" — Procol Harum
The plum and violet palette on this page is inspired by music-color synesthesia — descending bass lines maps to plum and violet, reflecting its gravity, lament, and inevitable descent.
About Descending Bass Lines
Baroque laments, minor line clichés, chromatic descents, and why Pachelbel is everywhere.
Variations
Variation
Another way the pattern shows up in real music.
i›Cm
80 BPM
Sounds a little stiff and jumpy? There’s a reason —
Variation
Another way the pattern shows up in real music.
i›Cm
70 BPM
Sounds a little stiff and jumpy? There’s a reason —
Variation
Another way the pattern shows up in real music.
I›C
80 BPM
Sounds a little stiff and jumpy? There’s a reason —
Famous songs & pieces
"Hit the Road Jack" — Ray Charles
"Stairway to Heaven" — Led Zeppelin (intro)
"A Whiter Shade of Pale" — Procol Harum
Frequently asked questions
What is a descending bass lines progression?
Baroque laments, minor line clichés, chromatic descents, and why Pachelbel is everywhere.
How do I use this on the piano?
Start with the player above in C. Once the pattern is in your ear, transpose to the keys you actually play in. The Roman numerals stay the same; only the chord names change.