Bass solos

[goblin]

I've just got in from a masterclass with Fred Baker... He's another who makes bass solos acceptable!

He's also a bloody good guitarist.

[jbn4001]

[quote name='winterfire666' timestamp='1384449533' post='2276882']
its played on a bass?
[/quote]

^^ Tongue in cheek but surely this? That and context - what sort of tune and dynamics is the bass solo in?

There are a lot of negative comments on this thread, I guess with some justification as there are a lot of ..not great.. bass solos out there. Why is that? My theory is because many bass players are not accustomed to playing melodies so when they try a solo.. it often sounds like a slightly modified bass line, or much worse, they feel compelled to play tonnes of notes in the hope that it compensates for the lack of melody (it usually doesn't).

Good bass solos do exist.. and they sound good because in themselves they are likely melodic and make good use of rhythm.. and have accompaniment that is sympathetic to what is being played. ... like a solo on any other instrument. I sometimes think it is more difficult to solo on four strings because to move across large intervals you need to move up and down the neck a lot and that a guitarist has at least two octaves available without moving up or down the neck.

Examples:
I like the solo on [b]Clockmaker by The Impossible Gentlemen[/b] (modern jazz)

..I'd forgotten about [b]Radio Ga Ga by Queen [/b]and heard it on the radio the other day. Check the last minute or so of the tune going to fade out. That's an electric bass solo in pop song IMHO - and it sounds great. John Deacon had a fantastic grasp of melody, harmony and rhythm.. one of the best pop/rock bass players ever IMHO.

[JapanAxe]

[quote name='tedmanzie' timestamp='1384524872' post='2277722']
Millions of people like guitar solos. Bass solos are best left to the jazz scene where on average only 12 people will have to suffer them at one time...
[/quote]
Not sure I've ever seen that many people at a jazz gig, even if you count the band among that number

[EliasMooseblaster]

Key difference: a good guitarist looks like he/she is tenderly making love to his/her instrument.

Too many bassists, in contrast, seem unable to go into a solo without doing that insufferably smug nodding of their heads.

(I enjoy a good bass solo, but if it's accompanied by smug nodding, it's usually not a good bass solo)

[paul_5]

Bass is always So Lower.

again, I'll get my coat.

[molan]

A scientific expedition disembarks from its plane at the final outpost of civilisation in the deepest Amazon rain forest. They immediately notice the ceaseless thrumming of native drums. As they venture further into the bush, the drums never stop, day or night, for weeks.

The lead scientist asks one of the natives about this, and the natives only reply is "Drums good. Drums never stop. Very bad if drums stop." The drumming continues, night and day, until one night, six weeks into the trip, when the jungle is suddenly silent.

Immediately the natives run screaming from their huts, covering their ears. The scientists grab one boy and demand "What is it? The drums have stopped!" The terror-stricken youth replies "Yes! Drums stop! Very bad!"

The scientists ask "Why? Why? What happens when the drums stop playing?"

Wide-eyed with fear, the boy responds, " . . . BASS SOLO!!!"

[TimR]

When playing a bass solo you should remember that the listener is expecting the bass to occupy a certain rhythmic space. If the guitarist can occupy that space then you get free reign to play a lead solo. If the guitarist drops out and looks at you, then you still have to cover that rhythmic space while providing some melody and at the same time keeping the chord progressions right. This doesn't necessarily mean stick to the riff with embellishments, but it is a hard skill to master.

If we're planning a bass solo in one of our songs, I'll insist on the guitar playing a solid rhythm part.

[oggiesnr]

IMHO there's a difference between a bass "solo" and a bass break in the middle eight. Free's "All right now" springs to mind. The break is short, in keeping with what went before and maintains the rhythm of the song. Same with many drum "solos". Too often a bass solo is used as an excuse for the bass player to gurn to hell and back and play, badly, what a guitarist could do whilst yawning, and bears little relationship to what went before or goes after.

Jazz is, of course, an exception

Steve

[Woodinblack]

A bass solo has the single advantage over a drum solo in that most people don't try it. It has the disadvantage that unlike a drum solo, there is generally not enough time to get to the loo and the bar before the music starts again

[lonestar]

[quote name='wateroftyne' timestamp='1384455115' post='2276996']
Playing a guitar solo generally results in girls running *towards* you.
[/quote]

What xillddx said

[xilddx]

[quote name='lonestar' timestamp='1384553872' post='2278240']
What xillddx said
[/quote]

It just made me larf again

[EssentialTension]

[quote name='norvegicusbass' timestamp='1384449373' post='2276881']
Essentially how does a bass solo differ from that of a six string guitar solo?
[/quote]
There's no difference at all: they should both be banned unless they are shorter than eight bars and are reflective of the melody line.

[Bassman Sam]

Bass solos are a bit like masturbation.

They should be done in the bedroom and never in public.

[tedmanzie]

[quote name='oggiesnr' timestamp='1384552544' post='2278219']
IMHO there's a difference between a bass "solo" and a bass break in the middle eight. Free's "All right now" springs to mind. The break is short, in keeping with what went before and maintains the rhythm of the song. Same with many drum "solos". Too often a bass solo is used as an excuse for the bass player to gurn to hell and back and play, badly, what a guitarist could do whilst yawning, and bears little relationship to what went before or goes after.

Jazz is, of course, an exception

Steve
[/quote]

good point. i actually really like 'bass breaks', in the same way that i love 'drum breaks', and don't really care for 'drum solos'...

[Shockwave]

I dunno. I have a bass solo in my Stoner/Doom rock band and the band and fans love it. It aint boring it sounds brilliant.

[Gust0o]

[quote name='Shockwave' timestamp='1384559952' post='2278313']
I dunno. I have a bass solo in my Stoner/Doom rock band and the band and fans love it. It aint boring it sounds brilliant.
[/quote]

Would be good to have a listen.

It's a great genre for getting some bass fills in - though I've always stopped short of doing an out-and-out solo!

[Shockwave]

[quote name='Gust0o' timestamp='1384561721' post='2278329']
Would be good to have a listen.

It's a great genre for getting some bass fills in - though I've always stopped short of doing an out-and-out solo!
[/quote]

If I had a decent recording that was not through a camera maybe!

We do have a live demo up with a couple of nice bass fills. Shows that the bass really can cut through when the rest of the band go along with it. They love my tone and kept asking for my bass to be boosted in the mix.

[url="https://soundcloud.com/chinspinner/oubliette"]https://soundcloud.c...inner/oubliette[/url]

[url="https://soundcloud.com/chinspinner/stereobeard"]https://soundcloud.c...ner/stereobeard[/url]

However, when I first joined the band I stated that I need precense on any recording we do as I have suffered for years at the hands of bands that completely mixed me out. They agreed readily, I am also the only vocalist, lyricist and primary songwriter (As much as thats worth!) So I think I have more say then most bassists in band.

To get a decent mix bass wise the whole band has to work towards it as it's very easy to get buried. I guess I lucked in on these guys, though we have trouble keeping drummers!

Edited November 16, 2013 by Shockwave

[PaulWarning]

[quote name='oggiesnr' timestamp='1384552544' post='2278219']
IMHO there's a difference between a bass "solo" and a bass break in the middle eight. Free's "All right now" springs to mind. The break is short, in keeping with what went before and maintains the rhythm of the song. Same with many drum "solos". Too often a bass solo is used as an excuse for the bass player to gurn to hell and back and play, badly, what a guitarist could do whilst yawning, and bears little relationship to what went before or goes after.

Jazz is, of course, an exception

Steve
[/quote]
nail and head spring to mind here, solo's as part of a break in the song are good, they add light and shade, we do Hate To Say I Told You So, which has quite a long bass solo, (depending on when the singer decides to come in ) but it's part of the song, I just play what I normally do but on my own.