Called to play a solo.

[Moose]

The biggest problem we have as bass players is starting on the root after every chord change. Try starting on another chord tone.

[Moose]

5 hours ago, BigRedX said:

Solos are for boring old fashioned bands.

 

Every note I write and subsequently play has been carefully considered and orchestrated ahead of time to to be the best possible note (IMO) to go with what the other musicians are doing at any given moment in the song.

 

The song is the most important thing.

 

[AndyTravis]

6 minutes ago, nekomatic said:

1. Stay rhythmic

2. Avoid playing up and down the scale, it always sounds rubbish

3. Don’t be afraid of leaving some space 

4. Avoid playing up and down the scale, it always sounds rubbish

5. Avoid playing up and down the scale, it always sounds rubbish

my approach “what’s a scale…” 

[Moose]

This is probably the saddest thing I have ever read on this forum. I agree that the song is the most important thing but are we musicians or automatoms?

[Moose]

6 hours ago, BigRedX said:

Solos are for boring old fashioned bands.

 

Every note I write and subsequently play has been carefully considered and orchestrated ahead of time to to be the best possible note (IMO) to go with what the other musicians are doing at any given moment in the song.

 

The song is the most important thing.

 

[ubit]

5 hours ago, WinterMute said:

Never been a big fan of bass solos (or guitar or keyboard solos if I'm honest) if players want to show how brilliant they are, they should craft their work into the context of the music IMO.

 

 

Couldn't agree more. Bass and drum solos bore the sheeite out of me. In fact outwith a song I don't care much for guitar solos either. By all means show your chops during the song as long as it fits with the beat and rhythm but to take centre stage and widdle away is when I think right, time for a pint.

[TimR]

2 hours ago, Steve Browning said:

This came up in the 'complaining' thread

 

That's what inspired this thread. Seemed a lot of bass players didn't like taking solos. 

[wateroftyne]

9 minutes ago, Moose said:

are we musicians or automatoms?

Musiciams.

[ezbass]

19 minutes ago, AndyTravis said:

my approach “what’s a scale…” 

Something to weigh a bass on.

[AndyTravis]

3 minutes ago, ezbass said:

Something to weigh a bass on.

 

Good, I thought something fishy was going on…glad we’ve climbed over that obstacle…

[TimR]

1 hour ago, shoulderpet said:

[Youtube]

 

Nice. That's what happens when you give a Klingon a bass set to stun.

 

It's pretty clever as a piece of art, liked the way he went into the intro of the next song at the end.

 

Just not sure I can fit any of that into our current set, but will bear it in mind. 

[ezbass]

9 minutes ago, AndyTravis said:

 

Good, I thought something fishy was going on…glad we’ve climbed over that obstacle…

Yep, it’s all to easy to get hooked into the pun cycle.

[SteveXFR]

Solos are so last century. It's all about the break down now. 

Stamp on your dirtiest overdrive, palm mute and half time for 8 bars.

One note is plenty, maybe too much.

Edited November 17, 2021 by SteveXFR

[Jus Lukin]

-

Edited March 15, 2022 by Jus Lukin

[Lozz196]

Must admit this thread reminds me of that old joke that ends:

 

Tribal Elder - Bad when drums stop

 

Explorer - Why’s that?

 

Tribal Elder - Bass solo!

[Downunderwonder]

15 hours ago, TimR said:

What do you do?

 

Join in the fun using your wealth of background theory knowledge and years of experience to instantly craft an interesting line that has groove and entertains resulting in whistles and cheering from the adoring crowd.

 

Or something else?

Does doing both of those two options at the same time count? As in, try as I may my adoring public are not motivated to rapturous whistling. Polite applause and a couple of ye haws ( thank God the music is starting again??) is my lot.

[Newfoundfreedom]

13 hours ago, AndyTravis said:

I don’t get the snobbery for or against bass solos.

 

out of 12 songs, I reckon 5 of ours have “lead bass” parts. I sometimes follow the vocal melody, sometimes I go off on one - and smash a shed together…because, why not.

 

our guitarist shoves solos in the others, there are songs where we both do it.

 

i don’t really care for the sentiment that bass players have to just sit and hold down things, or plod along.

 

In our band we all have a pop - it makes it different to other stuff.

 

Anyhow,

Kindergarten by Faith No More

Please Do Not Go by Violent Femmes

 

two examples of where the bass just does what the guitar would conventionally “solo”.

 

Some guy on a stage leathering out slap bass solos without accompaniment gets a bit dull…but more power to them if they get paid to do it.

 

each to their own.

I think maybe there is some miscommunication as to what constitutes a bass solo. What you are describing sounds fine. I have absolutely no problem with the bass taking a lead or melodic role in context with what the rest of the band is doing. What I can't stand is the bass literally playing on it's own noodling away for the sake of showing off. It's pretentious and generally sounds utter crap. 

[Newfoundfreedom]

13 hours ago, shoulderpet said:

[Youtube]

 

 

Wow! 😮

 

The queue at the bog must have been massive! 

[tegs07]

8 minutes ago, Newfoundfreedom said:

I think maybe there is some miscommunication as to what constitutes a bass solo. What you are describing sounds fine. I have absolutely no problem with the bass taking a lead or melodic role in context with what the rest of the band is doing. What I can't stand is the bass literally playing on it's own noodling away for the sake of showing off. It's pretentious and generally sounds utter crap. 

Can work well in Rockabilly/Psychobilly stuff though and visually can be good theatre with a DB.

[Newfoundfreedom]

2 minutes ago, tegs07 said:

Can work well in Rockabilly/Psychobilly stuff though and visually can be good theatre with a DB.

 

You could well be correct.

 

But it's a genre I can't stand, so the chances of me ever listening to a psychobilly band long enough to hear a solo is pretty slim. 😆

[tegs07]

18 minutes ago, Newfoundfreedom said:

 

You could well be correct.

 

But it's a genre I can't stand, so the chances of me ever listening to a psychobilly band long enough to hear a solo is pretty slim. 😆

I rarely play any of the records now but went to several memorable gigs that were a load of fun. 

[TimR]

A solo can be whatever you want. I suspect the binary true false nature of Internet forums leads people to imagine all kinds of best case/worst case scenarios. 

 

Looking at some of these replies, it's almost as if no one has ever played a siong with a basss intro. 

 

Hence why I asked an open ended question with an opportunity to discuss various approaches. 

[Barking Spiders]

If I could do it like this then I'd do it wherever and whenever possible however inappropriate and unasked for....🙃

 

 

[Steve Browning]

1 hour ago, TimR said:

A solo can be whatever you want. I suspect the binary true false nature of Internet forums leads people to imagine all kinds of best case/worst case scenarios. 

 

Looking at some of these replies, it's almost as if no one has ever played a siong with a basss intro. 

 

Hence why I asked an open ended question with an opportunity to discuss various approaches. 

 

I have no problem with passages where the bass takes a lead role - intros etc. If that's a solo then I am comfortable with that. Similarly, Rhythm Stick is a song that is evidently very bass driven. Again, no issue.

 

I refuse to play the 'twice round a 12 bar' type solos. As someone intimated earlier, I see my role as supportive and nothing more than that. Equally, if people want to do that to their heart's content then go for it. There's no right or wrong answer.

[ubit]

2 minutes ago, Steve Browning said:

I have no problem with passages where the bass takes a lead role - intros etc. If that's a solo then I am comfortable with that. Similarly, Rhythm Stick is a song that is evidently very bass driven. Again, no issue.

 

 

Bass taking a lead part in the song is to my mind different from a solo. The very word solo means alone. This is what sinks my boat. I don't want to hear drums, bass , guitar or keys on their own showing off.