What is a chord 'walk-down' or 'walk-up' and what is 'cascading?'

Question

One feature in song-writing is nicknamed 'walking down' (or up) depending on the effect you want. Walk-downs often express a saddening state, while -ups are happier, confident. What is this feature in terms of writing and noting?

Answer 1

For bass lines, a walk up or walk down is a series of notes between one chord and the following chord, usually landing on the root of the second chord. There are many strategies you can use to create walk ups and walk downs, and you can include both chord tones and non-chord tones in them.