Jump to content
Why become a member? ×

Soloing


BassicBass
 Share

Recommended Posts

Hopefully this is the right thread.
It sounds arrogant but I guess the easiest way to put it is I'm a proficient enough bassist to gig and jam but I still haven't cracked soloing. Occasionally when I get really into the song something good will come from it but in general I have no clue where to start with soloing so any hints and tips would be appreciated.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

You need to understand how the song is created, which should allow you then to unlock some of the harmonic elements within it. You can take a modal approach to soloing, which is cool, and then subvert it by substituting the modes.

Bass solos can be great, but they can also be woefully indulgent. One of the main reasons is that it's difficult to make intervalic leaps. It's also that bass itself is low end, and solos can sound muddy to the listener.

It can also be difficult to play with time as you're there to underpin everything.

Personally, I'd avoid an extended solo - even in a group jam. In some cases, it can help you get the gig as there's nothing worse than seeing someone getting lost in the groove, and then just getting lost.

If you want to study it, there are some great books out there, but they're focussed around jazz playing. One thing that helped me was to start to listen to horn players. They can help to highlight how to outline changes while creating new melodies on top. It can be quite tough to follow sometimes, but it's how a number of contemporary bass players found their own voices.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

  • 3 months later...

Start with the melody, that's what I tend to do in a jazz solo. It gives the listener something that they recognise. After a few bars I tend to start improvising around the melody/chords. I try to think ahead, having what I'm playing in my head.

Listen to some great soloists, not just bassists, but sax players and trumpet players. Transcribe their solos. I'm a huge fan of Miles Davis, and have a lot of his solos and lines from songs that I play transcribed.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

  • 4 weeks later...

Join the conversation

You can post now and register later. If you have an account, sign in now to post with your account.

Guest
Reply to this topic...

×   Pasted as rich text.   Restore formatting

  Only 75 emoji are allowed.

×   Your link has been automatically embedded.   Display as a link instead

×   Your previous content has been restored.   Clear editor

×   You cannot paste images directly. Upload or insert images from URL.

 Share

  • Recently Browsing   0 members

    • No registered users viewing this page.
×
×
  • Create New...