Walk Down in C
Lesson Goals:
♦ Determine relative minor of C major
♦ Learn walk down from C to Am
♦ Play a walk down chord progression
A walk down is simply what the name implies. You start on one chord and "walk down" to another chord by way of a "passing" note. This passing note is usually a "bass" note that is in between the root notes of the two chords.
Quite often you will hear a walk down that goes from a major chord, down to its "relative minor" chord. This is extremely common so you will need to know how to do it.
Over the next several lessons we will learn some of the most common walk downs. We go introduce you to walk downs based on all of the C-A-G-E-D chords so that you will be well prepared for any of them.
First let's work on a walk down in the key of C, which will, of course, start with the C major chord.
The first thing we want to do is figure out what the relative minor is of C major.
We can either use the major scale "pattern" to count the notes, or, we can just start on a C note on the guitar, and count down 3 frets.
Either way we will see that the root note for the relative minor of "C" is "A", so our relative minor chord for C major is A minor!
An easy way to play a walk down from C to Am minor is to play an open C chord first, then play the next note down from the C root note (by lifting the 3rd finger and playing the note on the 2nd fret of the 5th string with the 2nd finger), then resolving on the Am chord.
It's much easier to do than it sounds! Take a look:
Here are two other fingering patterns you can use to do the same walk down.
Now let's look at a chord progression you could play that incorporates a C walk down.
Try playing these using strumming with your pick, then also do them finger style.