Called to play a solo.

[Newfoundfreedom]

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

[Nail Soup]

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.

 

 

[shoulderpet]

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

[Doddy]

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.

[Nail Soup]

9 minutes ago, Doddy said:

he throws in a couple of things for comedic effect

I wasn't laughing 😉

[zbd1960]

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...

[KevB]

 

[Woodinblack]

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

[chris_b]

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.

[BigRedX]

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

[toneknob]

I wish my playing was as gash as Richard Bona's

 

[Jus Lukin]

-

Edited March 15, 2022 by Jus Lukin

[Barking Spiders]

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

[TimR]

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.

[Ricky 4000]

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

[petebassist]

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..

 

[Barking Spiders]

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.

[shoulderpet]

Im not generally a fan of bass solos or bass solo arrangements but I will make an exception for this

 

[Youtube]

 

[ubit]

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!

[peteb]

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... 

 

[Leonard Smalls]

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.

 

[chris_b]

The worst thing about any solo is when it is being played by someone with less ability than confidence.

[Ricky 4000]

Just look at the audience reaction to probably one of the greatest players of the modern era...

 

 

 

... and it's raining....

[EBS_freak]

And yet “that” bass solo is still the best received moment at a Paul Simon gig.

[Downunderwonder]

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.