Bass soloing

[Bassman Brad]

Well, although I've been playing bass for about 30 years, I can honestly say that I didn't learn to play decent bass solos until just a few years ago, when I started to seriously apply myself to the study of jazz and music theory. That made all the difference in the world to me.

What I did, specifically, was to join an "Improvisational Jazz Combo." Althought the group rehearsed at the local college, and was led by one of the music faculty, and could even be taken for credit by the students at the college, it was still open to members of the community. It was presented as a combination of classroom instruction and playing charts. At the beginning of the semester, most of the time was spent in the classroom, reviewing scales and modes and such. There would be homework assignments every week, which usually was something along the lines of "study this new scale pattern and develop a melody line or solo riff on your instrument." We were expected to practice EVERYTHING in all keys. You would be expected to be able to play a riff based on any pattern that we had studied, in any key, on demand. The director also felt that it was very important for bass players to write out many of the bass lines to songs, in order to help you start to see, on an intellectual level, WHY certain notes work and others do not.

This did the trick for me. I was with that combo for about three years, and spent another year playing in the jazz big band at the college. My bass solos have definitely improved by several orders of magnitude. I've received many compliments on my solos since that time. In fact, the guys in my electric blues/rock band insist that I am the ONLY bass player that they've ever worked with who could play solos that were worth listening to. And it certainly helps your band to have more tonal diversity if you have a variety of instruments that can solo, rather than just one or two.

 

[greezyc]

Anybody been there and overcome the obstacles? How did ya do it?

Remove the G string from your bass and play the song...

 

[frankieballsss]

a lot of the bass solo's i like have a tight rythmn and play around with like pauses in the beat and stuff... you need a good rythmn and a good melody.

for example, listen to Red Hot Chili Pepper's song "Aeroplane" great bass soloing there.

Kill yourself. Thats the best example of bass soloing you can site?

Most of you people seem to have been beaten down psychologically by guitarists or other musicians into thinking that the bass is an inferior instrument. Its the best of both worlds, a strong control of the rhythm section and the harmony, at the same time.

These days, some basses are built for fast solo playing and can sound just as "present" as a guitar. The facility of getting around a bass to solo has never been easier. Nothing gets a chick wet like a good bass solo. Rock guitar soloing is played out.

 

[EddieRay]

Well, although I've been playing bass for about 30 years, I can honestly say that I didn't learn to play decent bass solos until just a few years ago, when I started to seriously apply myself to the study of jazz and music theory. That made all the difference in the world to me.

What I did, specifically, was to join an "Improvisational Jazz Combo." Althought the group rehearsed at the local college, and was led by one of the music faculty, and could even be taken for credit by the students at the college, it was still open to members of the community. It was presented as a combination of classroom instruction and playing charts. At the beginning of the semester, most of the time was spent in the classroom, reviewing scales and modes and such. There would be homework assignments every week, which usually was something along the lines of "study this new scale pattern and develop a melody line or solo riff on your instrument." We were expected to practice EVERYTHING in all keys. You would be expected to be able to play a riff based on any pattern that we had studied, in any key, on demand. The director also felt that it was very important for bass players to write out many of the bass lines to songs, in order to help you start to see, on an intellectual level, WHY certain notes work and others do not.

This did the trick for me. I was with that combo for about three years, and spent another year playing in the jazz big band at the college. My bass solos have definitely improved by several orders of magnitude. I've received many compliments on my solos since that time. In fact, the guys in my electric blues/rock band insist that I am the ONLY bass player that they've ever worked with who could play solos that were worth listening to. And it certainly helps your band to have more tonal diversity if you have a variety of instruments that can solo, rather than just one or two.

Okay, my NYE resolution is to get serious about this. It does seem to me that the few bass solos I like have a basis in jazz. Any suggestions for study material?

 

[EddieRay]

what the hell are you talking about?...what is this obstacle you speak of?....that you can't play a solo?

When it comes time to solo, I still think like a bassist. I cannot suppress the urge to hit the roots of the chords in the pattern. My so-called "solos" consist of playing pretty much what I was gonna play in support of the song.

 

[metalj]

Most people who dont solo on any instrument usually dont solo because they cant, or havent tried. It takes practice to take your intrument to that next level. PUt the time in and learn a few scales. picking or fingering techniques, or slap techniques.

I dont know too many people that have the skill and know how and then just not want to do it.

I think your innerself is speaking to you to start arpeggiating !!!!!!!!!!!

go for it !!!!!!!

 

[ScreamingHead69]

Kill yourself. Thats the best example of bass soloing you can site?

Most of you people seem to have been beaten down psychologically by guitarists or other musicians into thinking that the bass is an inferior instrument. Its the best of both worlds, a strong control of the rhythm section and the harmony, at the same time.

These days, some basses are built for fast solo playing and can sound just as "present" as a guitar. The facility of getting around a bass to solo has never been easier. Nothing gets a chick wet like a good bass solo. Rock guitar soloing is played out.

This guy is right. I can't tell you how many bands I've been in with guitar players (and in one case a really egotistical lead singer who would always try to write my basslines for me, asshole) who would get all big headed and yell at me every time I threw in a few higher octives or a fith here and there to spice things up. Sure bass solos can be over done, so can everyhting else. Bass players have been sidelined by their bandmates for years, but if you move off the Goddamn root notes every once in awhile you can actually bring a song to a whole new level, even if it's somthing as subtle as a simple octive jump for a few bars.

Right now I'm in a band that is one guitar, bass and a drum machine. We have at least three songs with bass solos and we're a hell of a lot more popular then any band either of us has ever been in because people like that we're differant. Take a note: music is to be played with feeling and emotion, not to a list of rules that everyone has to follow to "do their part."

 

[EddieRay]

This guy is right. I can't tell you how many bands I've been in with guitar players (and in one case a really egotistical lead singer who would always try to write my basslines for me, asshole) who would get all big headed and yell at me every time I threw in a few higher octives or a fith here and there to spice things up. Sure bass solos can be over done, so can everyhting else. Bass players have been sidelined by their bandmates for years, but if you move off the Goddamn root notes every once in awhile you can actually bring a song to a whole new level, even if it's somthing as subtle as a simple octive jump for a few bars.

Right now I'm in a band that is one guitar, bass and a drum machine. We have at least three songs with bass solos and we're a hell of a lot more popular then any band either of us has ever been in because people like that we're differant. Take a note: music is to be played with feeling and emotion, not to a list of rules that everyone has to follow to "do their part."

I think for a 3-piece (or in your case a 2 + 1/2 piece) the bass can and should take the spotlight often. As for the comments about sticking to the expected lines and bass being sidelined, fortunately I've never played in a band that had those attitudes.

My own philosophy is that:
1) a good solid bassist trumps a flashy, overplaying bassist. The former will get more calls from guitarists and drummers than the latter.
2) solid bass - the kind that establishes the groove - legitimizes anything the rest of the band does.
3) the bass is the band's compass. Are you lost in the song? Then listen to the bass and you will find your way.
4) if the bass is going to take a solo, it should not disappoint.

I have an abundance of self-confidence in the first 3 but not 4.