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I've just got back from a rehearsal with my 'other' band and they want me to...


wateroftyne
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WOT I can totally get where you're at with this :

I've recently had to think differently about my approach to playing, previously i'd just learn the song (by ear) and play it....

Now using blues scale & pentatonic thinking I can come up with fills and little solos pretty easily in any key, however, E is where it's at for sure !!! :)

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you could do that thing like in Brown Eyed Girl where it just sounds like Van forgot to come in and the bass just plays the bass line, more or less.. :)

Or ....

Get a recording of the band playing the bit of the track where they want your bass solo (but without it) then sing or hum or whistle or lah lah along to it a few dozen times 'til you get an idea of a solo to play in the gap. Record that over the track and then learn it on your bass. ..
That frees your fingers and mind from your bass playing fingers' patterns and constraints. Generally you'll sing in tune without knowing if you are playing the right arpeggios, scales, modes or whatever ...

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[quote name='Jase' post='268252' date='Aug 23 2008, 12:27 AM']First question I'd ask myself is....Do YOU think the track needs a bass solo?[/quote]

Well done to Jase for posting the correct response. +1 and then some.

If the answer turns out to be 'yes'. I'm with the 'variation on the melody' school. Starting simple and building to a good , melodic peak. Bit of humour somewhere too - a classic riff chucked in , a break to check your watch - it'll raise a cheer and not make you look over self indulgent.

Personally I'd love to hear a solo on an old Fender with pretty dead strings and sure you'll do it well - but do what you should , not what you can.

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[quote name='OldGit' post='272927' date='Aug 30 2008, 12:11 AM']Get a recording of the band playing the bit of the track where they want your bass solo (but without it) then sing or hum or whistle or lah lah along to it a few dozen times 'til you get an idea of a solo to play in the gap. Record that over the track and then learn it on your bass. ..
That frees your fingers and mind from your bass playing fingers' patterns and constraints. Generally you'll sing in tune without knowing if you are playing the right arpeggios, scales, modes or whatever ...[/quote]

+1, my guitar teacher tells me to imagine a solo in my head, then play it out loud. it works.

and after all this advice, you'd better record the solo so we can all hear it.

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One of my all time fave bass solos, for making me smile and dance, was actually more of a 'bass and drums' solo by Jerry Best and Johnny Haro, from when they were playing in a band called 'Freak Of Nature'.

Halfway through the set, they would get introduced as 'the rhythm section'.. the rest of the band would nip off stage whilst they did a medley of famous basslines.

Maybe you guys could do the same?

Obviously you would need to pick songs that suit your set, but I would go for 'Good Times' by Chic.. 'Another One Bites The Dust' or 'Dragon Attack' by Queen.. maybe 'Moby Dick' by Led Zeppellin - I've played Rage Against The Machine and Muse lines in sections... and a bit of Cyprus Hill even!! 'Insane in the brain!!!' gets everyone dancing! ummm... what else? - Hmmm.. don't play any White Stripes!! :oD

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[quote name='warwickhunt' post='267930' date='Aug 22 2008, 03:47 PM']I've linked this to another thread but you might get some ideas here Michael :)

[url="http://uk.youtube.com/watch?v=vi1aYLAZ7ho"]http://uk.youtube.com/watch?v=vi1aYLAZ7ho[/url][/quote]
I have now seen the future. Warwickhunt - I thank you Sir, that is one of the best 10 things I have ever seen.

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Take a short melodic phrase, modify it over the chords, add variations and a few little slides and fills, pentatonic run to finish. You can also play a more linier melodic solo, just noodle in the key basically.

Once you get a feel for it bass soloing is one of the easiest things, and a well placed bass solo can be easily as effective as a guitar solo.

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[quote name='dood' post='273300' date='Aug 30 2008, 07:11 PM']One of my all time fave bass solos, for making me smile and dance, was actually more of a 'bass and drums' solo by Jerry Best and Johnny Haro, from when they were playing in a band called 'Freak Of Nature'.

Halfway through the set, they would get introduced as 'the rhythm section'.. the rest of the band would nip off stage whilst they did a medley of famous basslines.

Maybe you guys could do the same?

Obviously you would need to pick songs that suit your set, but I would go for 'Good Times' by Chic.. 'Another One Bites The Dust' or 'Dragon Attack' by Queen.. maybe 'Moby Dick' by Led Zeppellin - I've played Rage Against The Machine and Muse lines in sections... and a bit of Cyprus Hill even!! 'Insane in the brain!!!' gets everyone dancing! ummm... what else? - Hmmm.. don't play any White Stripes!! :oD[/quote]


Oh I'm stealing that idea ..
We already play a game of spot the bassline with our audiences during dance setups but actually making a set piece solo is a great idea .. Here's a few very well known bass parts that usually get guessed fast:

Grapevine
How Long
South Bank (Rhapsody on a theme of Paganini by Rachmaninoff)
Liquidator
Hey Joe
I predict a Riot
Hold Your Head Up
Mission Impossible
Take 5
Living in the past

Prokofiev (Romeo and Juliet: Montagues and Capulets - also use in The Apprentice)
[Aside: A quite nice keys and bass arrangement here by Pär Lindh :) The Bass gets to play the counter melody
[url="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mKSoRId6iZU"]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mKSoRId6iZU[/url] ]

Superstition
Play That Funky Music
Keep on Running
Gimme Some of Your lovin’
Substitute
Shaking All Over
Gloria
River Deep Mountain High
Money x 2 (Beatles/Floyd)
Ticket to ride
Shaft
The Chain
My girl
Peaches
Copperhead Rd
Werewolves/Alabama/That crap thing
Walk Wild side
Wild Thing
Wind Cries Mary
Purple Haze
La Bamba
Voodoo Chile (with Fuzz - and Wah, of course ...)

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[quote name='tauzero' post='274344' date='Sep 1 2008, 11:32 AM']Just adapt the bass break in "Brown Eyed Girl" a little bit.[/quote]


Great barn dance bass players think alike :)
[url="http://basschat.co.uk/index.php?s=&showtopic=26092&view=findpost&p=272927"]http://basschat.co.uk/index.php?s=&sho...st&p=272927[/url]

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