Newfoundfreedom Posted November 18, 2021 Share Posted November 18, 2021 (edited) I saw this posted on Instagram recently and it was being lauded by the bass worshipping masses. I find it utterly ridiculous! It's like a bad comedy sketch. When I say I can't stand bass solo's, this is precisely what I my mean. It's utter gash. https://youtu.be/Uu-bjr1leM4 Edited November 18, 2021 by Newfoundfreedom 3 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Nail Soup Posted November 18, 2021 Share Posted November 18, 2021 My personal enjoyment of bass solos can be encapsulated in the following: If I were to list my top 10 gigs I ever went to it would most likely include The Magic Band in 2002. If I were to list my bottom 10 gig moments it would most likely include Rockette Morton's bass solo from the same gig. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
shoulderpet Posted November 18, 2021 Share Posted November 18, 2021 2 hours ago, Cat Burrito said: I once walked onstage to a room full of work colleagues. They weren't regular gig goers and it was complete silence. It was horrible. I said down the mic, you can clap and it was almost like they were relived that they now knew how to behave at a gig. So I am going to respectfully disagree with you on this one. Nice theory but the reality was not good. Yeah I played a gig that started out like that, it improved later on in the evening when more people arrived but at the start of the gig there was all of 3 people at the venue and in the space between songs it was dead silence, noone clapped or cheered, the first hour of that gig was horrible, thankfully it improved but that is a situation I never want to have to go through again Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Doddy Posted November 18, 2021 Share Posted November 18, 2021 25 minutes ago, Newfoundfreedom said: I saw this posted on Instagram recently and it was being lauded by the bass worshipping masses. I find it utterly ridiculous! It's like a bad comedy sketch. When I say I can't stand bass solo's, this is precisely what I my mean. It's utter gash. https://youtu.be/Uu-bjr1leM4 Whereas I'd completely disagree. It's got flash and technique, but there is some nice phrasing and melodic lines in there because of how he's instantly playing what he's singing, and he throws in a couple of things for comedic effect. It's a really good, and relatively short, solo. 4 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Nail Soup Posted November 18, 2021 Share Posted November 18, 2021 9 minutes ago, Doddy said: he throws in a couple of things for comedic effect I wasn't laughing 😉 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
zbd1960 Posted November 18, 2021 Share Posted November 18, 2021 I like some jazz, but one of the things I don't like - and which is one of the things which I think gets jazz a bad name - is the type of gig where EVERY number requires EVERY player to take a solo in turn in some misplaced concept of democracy. You then get a forrest of notes thrown at you, which might be technically very good but about as musical as being hit with a brick. I much prefer it when it is much more mixed up, just an appropriate solo... 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
KevB Posted November 18, 2021 Share Posted November 18, 2021 2 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Woodinblack Posted November 18, 2021 Share Posted November 18, 2021 4 hours ago, Doddy said: Interesting, because every gig I've either played or watched which featured drum and bass solos, those are the moments that seem to get some of the biggest applause. Especially drum solos. Drum solos are good, gives you the oportunity to have a pee and get to the bar 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
chris_b Posted November 18, 2021 Share Posted November 18, 2021 2 hours ago, Newfoundfreedom said: It's utter gash. No it's not. You might not be impressed, but it is very impressive bass playing. 3 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BigRedX Posted November 18, 2021 Share Posted November 18, 2021 (edited) 44 minutes ago, Woodinblack said: Drum solos are good, gives you the oportunity to have a pee and get to the bar I usually do that during the "tasteful acoustic interlude" Edited November 18, 2021 by BigRedX Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
toneknob Posted November 18, 2021 Share Posted November 18, 2021 I wish my playing was as gash as Richard Bona's 4 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jus Lukin Posted November 18, 2021 Share Posted November 18, 2021 (edited) - Edited March 15, 2022 by Jus Lukin 3 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Barking Spiders Posted November 18, 2021 Share Posted November 18, 2021 (edited) 3 hours ago, Newfoundfreedom said: I saw this posted on Instagram recently and it was being lauded by the bass worshipping masses. I find it utterly ridiculous! It's like a bad comedy sketch. When I say I can't stand bass solo's, this is precisely what I my mean. It's utter gash. https://youtu.be/Uu-bjr1leM4 Agreed. It doesn't matter how virtuosic a player is - as Richard Bona surely is - this kind of noodling grinds my gears as the Yanks say. Then again I do have an intense dislike of jazz in any form, especially electric fusion whatever. Right up there with prog as a load of self-indulgent bobbins. IMO that is before I get flamed. My clip of Louis Johnson a couple of pages shows how a bit showboating can be pulled off without boring the titz off me i.e. when the groove is still being maintained while it fits in nicely with the rest of the tune. Edited November 18, 2021 by Barking Spiders 2 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
TimR Posted November 18, 2021 Author Share Posted November 18, 2021 The option is not to go and see Richard Bona live. And if a band starts doing something you're not enjoying, leave. I think we've covered- "I don't play solos". Would be good to hear from some more bass players on how they approach playing solos. 1 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ricky 4000 Posted November 18, 2021 Share Posted November 18, 2021 (edited) 9 minutes ago, TimR said: Would be good to hear from some more bass players on how they approach playing solos. I would fake an injury, or a case of the yips. edit: Or better still, equipment failure. Edited November 18, 2021 by Ricky 4000 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
petebassist Posted November 18, 2021 Share Posted November 18, 2021 I did see Stuart at the London Bass Show a couple of years back, and he did a really cool Going to California solo piece. Here's another one.. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Barking Spiders Posted November 18, 2021 Share Posted November 18, 2021 12 minutes ago, Ricky 4000 said: I would fake an injury, or a case of the yips. edit: Or better still, equipment failure. Quickly legging it off the stage in the direction of the bar is my preferred option. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
shoulderpet Posted November 18, 2021 Share Posted November 18, 2021 Im not generally a fan of bass solos or bass solo arrangements but I will make an exception for this [Youtube] 3 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ubit Posted November 18, 2021 Share Posted November 18, 2021 1 hour ago, TimR said: And if a band starts doing something you're not enjoying, leave. So you pay for an expensive ticket. Love the show and then they do one thing you don't like and you would leave? Aye right! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
peteb Posted November 18, 2021 Share Posted November 18, 2021 4 minutes ago, ubit said: So you pay for an expensive ticket. Love the show and then they do one thing you don't like and you would leave? Aye right! To be fair, I don't think that is quite what he means... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Leonard Smalls Posted November 18, 2021 Share Posted November 18, 2021 I love a good bass solo - more notes the better! Though I prefer ones where the drums keep going, and perhaps guitars and keys do a rhythmic stab on the one or wherever... I tend not to do many at all, probably because most of our band's songs are built from a number of busy bass riffs so there's only so much our poor audience should be burdened with. However, the 3 I do are a 16 bar intro, with melodic bass playing the actual song melody in reverse with guitar feedback and cymbals slowly joining in, a 4 bar with lots of notes slappy groove that's a pre-amble to a crazy chromatic guitar solo in a You've Got Foetus On Your Breath style (!), and a fast chromatic run down the fretboard based on roots and 7ths lasting 2 bars. 2 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
chris_b Posted November 18, 2021 Share Posted November 18, 2021 The worst thing about any solo is when it is being played by someone with less ability than confidence. 3 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ricky 4000 Posted November 18, 2021 Share Posted November 18, 2021 Just look at the audience reaction to probably one of the greatest players of the modern era... ... and it's raining.... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
EBS_freak Posted November 18, 2021 Share Posted November 18, 2021 And yet “that” bass solo is still the best received moment at a Paul Simon gig. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Downunderwonder Posted November 18, 2021 Share Posted November 18, 2021 7 hours ago, TimR said: you are there to enjoy the performance. Generally when my solo is finished the predominant emotion I am getting is relief. 2 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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