The Disco Baseline "Riff"

[hutchcsx]

I'm not sure if there's a name for it, so I just call it the disco baseline "riff" that was so common in late 70's disco. In technical terms, I'm talking about when the baseline goes down an octave and works its way back up. (I'm not a musician, so I know I probably sound like an idiot trying to describe it)

The best way for you to know what I'm talking about is to listen to it. It's at the very beggining of this song: YouTube - Spacesetters Orchestra - Frankie & Johnnie 1979

Off the top of my head, the earliest disco song I can think of that included this specific riff was Disco Inferno, in which it first occurs about 18 seconds into the song.

So is there a certain term for this baseline "riff" ?

[Disco Funk]

I'm not sure if there's a name for it, so I just call it the disco baseline "riff" that was so common in late 70's disco. In technical terms, I'm talking about when the baseline goes down an octave and works its way back up. (I'm not a musician, so I know I probably sound like an idiot trying to describe it)

The best way for you to know what I'm talking about is to listen to it. It's at the very beggining of this song: YouTube - Spacesetters Orchestra - Frankie & Johnnie 1979

Off the top of my head, the earliest disco song I can think of that included this specific riff was Disco Inferno, in which it first occurs about 18 seconds into the song.

So is there a certain term for this baseline "riff" ?

I've heard it in songs from as early as 1968. Larry Graham of Sly & The Family Stone played it on the track 'Fun' from the Love City album.

I thought it was called a 'walking bass', but I could be wrong.

Disco Funk

[hutchcsx]

Oh yeah, I think I have heard it called the "walking bass"....