Can any of you good folks post the notes for a simple walk pattern in the keys of Bb and F ? I'd really appreciate any help !

I suck at walking bass lines, but in the spirit of Talkbass I'll offer some uninformed advise. Maybe someone else will jump in and give you something better. In the meantime, try working with the first five notes of a scale. This example will be in minor since minor is more cool:

Bb C# D# E F E D# C# and repeat.

That's for Bb only, you'll have to figure out F yourself. And it's in minor.

This is where knowing a little jazz can help alot. Check out this article (http://www.talkbass.com/forum/showthread.php?t=125536) that Chris Fitzgerald wrote a while back. Looks like there's also a whole series of Walking threads posted in the Lessons & Articles section in the reading room that I havne't read. Probably worth looking at too.

Once you can get a rudimentary walking quarter note line, slaps can be added easilly to get your gallop or whatever rhythmic embellishments you want. Having a teacher for this kind of stuff definitely speeds up the learning process.

Thanks guys ! Every thing helps, especially with me. I have zero class training and no other players here that I can get help from. I just bumble along and try to stay in the same keys as the guitar man. I've found that some of the bass runs I use on the guitar are helpful in figuring out stuff on the db but other than that everythings pretty much a mystery !

I suck at walking bass lines, but in the spirit of Talkbass I'll offer some uninformed advise. Maybe someone else will jump in and give you something better. In the meantime, try working with the first five notes of a scale. This example will be in minor since minor is more cool:

Bb C# D# E F E D# C# and repeat.

That's for Bb only, you'll have to figure out F yourself. And it's in minor.

Its usually a good idea to not mix sharps and flats. It would be:
Bb Db Eb E F E Eb Db

Also, minor is only "more cool" if you're playing a tune with minor tonalities!

And playing some rockabilly on a song like Rock This Town by The Stray Cats.

My favorite book for walking lines and dealing with changes is Paul Klee's "Pedagogical Sketchbook".

And playing some rockabilly on a song like Rock This Town by The Stray Cats.

Hah! I knew I recognized that line from somewhere...

Hah! I knew I recognized that line from somewhere... Yeah I just realized it at the last minute. That song is pretty simple, I think there's only one chord charge near the bridge. I might try using squeezing it in as a vamp for an intro or break or something. That would be fun.

MARYKAYCAT, I would also start listening to alot of basslines for the style you're interested in. I assuming you want Rockabilly. I don't know alot about that genre but I would think Lee Rocker would probably be a good start, obviously Stray Cats as well. Rockabilly basslines are a little simpler and more rifflike than what you find in Jazz. So with Chris' article, you can probably focus on creating more of a riff-type bassline with what you get from it.

It's not rocket science! Get yourself some early Ray Charles recordings, draw a hot bath, and slide on in........the Ron Carter or Ray Brown books will help with the rudiments of note choice. and fingering.....the rest is up to you in creating your own unique feel for the groove, that's the fun part.

Wow, thanks for all the responses ! I now have the feeling that I might just get a handle on this thing. The sad (dumb) thing is I never even thought about listening to some of the Stray Cats stuff. I'll dig out some old recordings and have a sit-down, but not in the tub. I also have to admit, sheepisly, that although I love to hear jazz bass - I don't own jazz recordings. Yes, I heard all the sharp gasps of breath out there ! Please forgive this oversight of a poor old country boy - I'm looking.

Jazz, schamazz, it's all blues when the sun goes down. Hope I didn't offend with the bath analogy, just mean that it's good to find some deep blues grooves and relax while studying them......some of the old Washtub Sam recordings have some straight walk bass that is easy to hear. Yup, it's alot easier than it looks, at least most of the time!

Can you manage a 12-bar blues right now? Can you do one with kind of a boogie-woogie vibe? That's walking. Can't do that? Learn to do that. Start there. Learn to walk a 12-bar 3-chord blues in F.

Learn about the basic chords and the combinations of tones that make them up. Learn about the different ways you can connect chords together in a bassline. That's walking.

Get yourself a Jamey Aebersold play-along and try stuff. Play the notes you like and don't play the ones you don't. It's hipper to play fewer notes with good time and feel than it is to play lotsa notes that don't hang right.

+1

Practice scales. Walking is impromptu so use your creativity. Just remember that the root, ie. 1, gives the foundation of the chord. The third, ie. 3, gives the character eg. major or minor. So you'll have to make sure you make the adjustments to the third, ie. flatten it, when playing in a minor key or it'll not blend with the guitar.
I usually do a root and fifth and then fill in the gaps when I get the hang of the song. You have to listen to the other instruments and compliment them.
BTW, I play jazz.

+1, Learn to walk a 12 bar blues, with feeling.

in your profile " roy Druskey jr " better hope ROY doesn't see his name spellt like that! as in ( roy huskey jr) hehe just kiddn!! here's one in key of F.. 4/4 i guess it is in key of F?
F walkn down to the Bb
F C D E / F A C A / F E D C / FF Eb D C

Bb walkn back up to F.. F walk to C
Bb D F A / Bb A G A / F A C A / F E D C

C walk to F......... root/ 5th root /5th
G A Bb B / CC C A G / F - C - / F - C -.e.c.t or more walkn!!


.. its kindof a country walk.. it may help or not!

I can see you guys are gonna keep me busy ! Thanks for all the helpful suggestions, just what I need. First, I apologize for misspelling Mr. Husky's name, I blame it on my stupid teachers - it took four of them five years to get me out of grade 5. As for offending me with the bath tub thing, heck no ! As I told my guitar player, you couldn't hurt my feelings if you beat em with a stick !
Damon, I can play the boogie walk in G, C, D, E and A but haven't figured out the Bb and F yet. I also like your advice of not playing notes you don't like, the fella I'm playing with keeps trying to get me to play notes that I don't think sound all that great even tho they apparently fit the melody. Jazzcat, I am practising the scales ! Man that's boring, but I know it's gotta be done so I'll stick with it. Oh yeah, with a handle like Jazzcat I would never have guessed you play jazz, I hope to -----someday. I've always been of the opinion that jazz bassists really rock it. Thanks again for all the help I'll go practise my scales and my spelling !
ciao

Learn those scales. The Pentatonic scales are already very close to your basic walking line - learn those from any position on the fingerboard. This site - http://www.cyberfretbass.com/scales/index.php has some very simple scales to follow. It's primarily for bass guitar, but certainly usable.

Hey Hididdy, I gave a quick eyeball of Chris's article that you mentioned ( I'll go back and study it again ) and now I have another dumb question: Are the approach notes that he talks about what we bluegrassers refer to as "runs" ?

I can play the boogie walk in G, C, D, E and A but haven't figured out the Bb and F yet.

My advice is try not to always think of literal notes and instead think of numbers. Walking patterns can be thought of like this: 1-3-5-3 , 1-3-5-6, 1-3-5-6-b7-6-5-3 ,
1-2-b3-3-4-6-b7-7, .....etc.

You take any note as a root, and then build the lines using the same intervals.

So, 1-3-5-6 in F is: F-A-C-D; in Bb: Bb-D-F-G...etc.

If you learn to think of lines and chord progressions in this way, changing keys becomes much easier.

My advice is try not to always think of literal notes and instead think of numbers. Walking patterns can be thought of like this: 1-3-5-3 , 1-3-5-6, 1-3-5-6-b7-6-5-3 ,
1-2-b3-3-4-6-b7-7, .....etc.

You take any note as a root, and then build the lines using the same intervals.

So, 1-3-5-6 in F is: F-A-C-D; in Bb: Bb-D-F-C...etc.

If you learn to think of lines and chord progressions in this way, changing keys becomes much easier.

yes i would fully agree with (Bobby King). learning the numbering system is the way to go! it is alot easier, especially when someone asks for a change of key, like during a fiddle break or e.c.t. the numbers are the same no matter the key.. i wish some of the people i jam with would learn it! ( the nashville numbering system)! especially some of the guitarist and banjer guys!! lol.. there i go again drifting off the subject (of walkn bass lines)..

Are the approach notes that he talks about what we bluegrassers refer to as "runs" ?

I think the principle is the same. It is all a way of transitioning from chord to chord using a note or series of notes that "gently" leads to the tune's next chord.

Well, I think I might be seeing a light at the end of this long tunnel - bass playing by numbers ! Somebody needs a pat on the back.

bluegrasscat, whenever we were playing and something went crooked, it was always the banjer players fault . Is it the smae way there?

Yeah, I know, I'm off-topic.

.... I can play the boogie walk in G, C, D, E and A but haven't figured out the Bb and F yet ... I am practising the scales! Man that's boring, but I know it's gotta be done so I'll stick with it ...

Howdy Mr. Dawg,

I'm a beginner (8 months) to bluegrass bass playing so I know what you asking about ;) . I had similar questions and went on a quest to find some answers. Here's some links I found and some advice for what it's worth. Definitely listen to Bobby King is my first advice :D ! The "Nashville" number system is the ticket to learning not only walking and runs but also transposing songs and tunes into different keys.

Learn the "shape" or pattern for the scales on the bass neck in terms of the numbers. As you do this, notice that there are several "shapes" that can get you the particular scale you working with. OK, now one of the "shapes" that really helped me is the "Nashville H-Pattern" for the most basic major chord walk:
1-3-5-6-1(next octave root)-6-5-3-1 (back where you started).
See here:
http://www.bluegrassbassplace.com/instructional/single_sheet_handout.pdf (graphic takes a bit to load)

If you look at the PDF, you'll see the same "H" pattern for many keys. Bb ain't there but it's just F moved over one string toward the treble G-string side. You can use this pattern a few places up and down the neck. Of course this is for a major key but you could come up with similar patterns for minor keys if you apply the same principles (i.e. learn the shape of the minor key scale and apply the walk pattern).

Here are a few more links referring to walking in bluegrass:
http://www.bluegrassbassplace.com/phpBB/viewtopic.php?t=63

http://www.bluegrassbassplace.com/phpBB/viewtopic.php?t=82

http://www.bluegrassbassplace.com/phpBB/viewtopic.php?t=114

If you are willing to wade through the discussion archives of the Bluegrass Bass Google Group (bgBass-L) at:
http://groups.google.com/group/bgBass-L/topics?start=100
you can find some decent discussions about walking, runs, etc. Search the discussion for "walking" and "runs".

Here are a couple I remember:

http://groups.google.com/group/bgBass-L/browse_thread/thread/4327b15e484b1185/5802bd306cc5458c?lnk=gst&q=tom+gray&rnum=5#5802bd306cc5458c

http://groups.google.com/group/bgBass-L/browse_thread/thread/1aa48bda3611a830/3d1a1a807f6d79f0#3d1a1a807f6d79f0

http://groups.google.com/group/bgBass-L/browse_thread/thread/c98dabe22e9f809c/a5ef6dc128afd2df#a5ef6dc128afd2df

http://groups.google.com/group/bgBass-L/browse_frm/thread/8271ee7ead83cd4f/2f8358f538f5bb14?lnk=gst&q=&rnum=64#2f8358f538f5bb14

Bluegrass walking and runs are used with discretion for sure. Not that I really know anything about jazz bass playing but I'm sure the jazzers live for and live by tasteful, soulful, creative walking within fairly complex chord structures in songs and tunes. I ain't there yet :p !

I don't know for sure but I think the term "run" is kind of a bluegrass thang based on the famous guitar "G-Run" used by Lester Flatt and about every other flat-picker in bluegrass:
http://www.flatpick.com/Pages/FAQ/rest_stroke.html
I'm not sure that jazzers use the term "run" at all. I guess the "run" qualifies to be a "walk" .... it's just a way to get from here (the chord you're in) to there (the chord you're headed toward) in a (usually) scale-related sequence. But what the heck do I know ...... :rolleyes:

I have a book called "Bluegrass Bass" from 1977 by Alterman and Mintz that talks about walking and runs. They have gotten permission from the original publishers to revise and reprint the book. I think it will be great for us "grassers" when it's done ..... it's in printing now I think:

http://www.bluegrassbassplace.com/phpBB/viewtopic.php?t=207

P.S. Active Bass website also has a "lessons" section, there are some walking lessons / tabs there for practice. Mostly for electric players but you can adapt the lessons for upright: http://activebass.com/

Also, one of the best lessons on scales for upright bass on the internet that I found was from Rockabillybass.com : http://www.rockabillybass.com/lessons/SCALESnCHORDS.htm

Have Fun !!!

Are the approach notes that he talks about what we bluegrassers refer to as "runs" ? Sorry, I was out squeezing in some last minute skiing over the weekend.

I don't know what you mean by runs, maybe you're talking about chromatic runs? It's basically what STEVEKILLERBIRDS said, it's a lead to the next chord. To elaborate, it's the note using to approach the next chord.

So if I have changes going from C7 to Gmaj, i might walking something like...

One approach note (one note/beat):
C-C-E-F-G (F is the approach note to G along Cmaj scale)
C-C-E-F#-G (F# is approach note, this time chromatic)
C-E-F-F#-G (2 approach notes? F, F#. chromatic)
C-E-G-A-G (A)

Two approach notes:
C-D-E-F-G (D approaches E, F approaches G. Scale run)

Just examples. You could play around with the order depending on where you're coming from on the previous chord, but as a "rule of thumb" you should always include the root note in there somewhere. Keeps the piano players happy. :)

G-E-C-A-G (A approach while walking C chord down)
G-E-C-B-G (B just happens to also be the 3rd of a G7 chord)
etc. etc.

If anyone isn't familiar with Nashville Numbers, when you use numbers to make a chord chart in the Nashville Number system, the number represents a chord built on a degree of the scale. In the key of C: C=1 D=2 E=3 etc. All chords are major unless otherwise indicated, Minor usually has a "minus" or "m" after it: 1-, 4m, etc. Each number represents a whole bar unless it's 2 or more numbers that are underlined or in brackets.

So here's a simple song in Nashville Numbers -- "Your Cheatin' Heart":

(Verse )
1 1 4 4
5 5 1 1
1 1 4 4
5 5 1 1

(Bridge)
4 4 1 1
2 2 5 5


More complicated -- "Crazy" by Patsy Cline

(Verse )
. . . .
1 1 b7 6 2- 2-

5 5 1 #1dim 2- 5


The great thing about this system is that you can use the same chart for any key, and if guitarists are using capos and playing in different positions, they can also use the same chart.

bluegrasscat, whenever we were playing and something went crooked, it was always the banjer players fault . Is it the smae way there?
Yeah, I know, I'm off-topic.

YEP IT IS ALWAYS THE BANJOS FAULT!! LOL

AVONDAWG. i always get off subject but it is a forum so anything goes i think! hehe. yes i would have to say the banjo can really mess me up! cause they are playing so fast, so loud and so many notes, so their timing (on chord changes) can be a bit off or they aren't playing the melody, so if that happens i try to sync up with guitarist and mandolin or who ever called the song, and dont listen to banjo so much( i let them be in their own world!! hehe ( but good banjer players are the opposite cause they know how to play the melody of the song and they dont get off track!

when we play a new song i have never played or heard..
i notice if i miss or hit a wrong note on the chord change, " I STICK OUT LIKE A SORE THUMB" and with the bass THERE IS NO PLACE TO HIDE! it can cause a trainwreck quick.. thats when i try to recover it up with a walk to next chord change.. sometimes i can save it and sometimes i cant..

As Raymond's father ( Everybody Loves Raymond ) would say - Holy Crap ! That's a lot of info guys. Bob's sample songs with the numbers really makes this thing come alive. The list of web sites is gonna keep me busy for awhile too, thanks Bob.

Bluegrasscat, I tried a cover-up at practise last night and got busted. there's just no way for me to hide a foul-up. The guitar man knows music inside out and sideways and can pick out a sour note no matter what I do. You used to teach electric bass so I suppose he has a pretty good handle on the low end too.

Thanks again for all the help !

Bobby King's sample songs with the numbers really makes this thing come alive ...

Hey Again Dawg :)

I don't know if you have seen this at Bluegrass Bass Place:

http://www.bluegrassbassplace.com/cps/charts/BluegrassBassPlace_Chord_Chart_and_Pattern_Collect ion.pdf

Lots of standard bluegrass stuff converted to the Nashville chord numbers. I'm workin' on converting a bunch of standard fiddle tunes to the numbers and hope to get them posted at Bluegrass Bass Place in the next couple of weeks. I'll let you know when I put them there.

Bob!! nice find!! i have a book that has a bunch of songs in it but its all in lettered notes, and i have only converted a quarter of the songs to numbers.. this link was a nice find for sure.. does anyone still use that bluegrass bass place forum? it seemed like no one uses it! but when they do it is a good source of info!!

thanks for the link Bob, I'll check those songs out asap. I started visiting their site the other day. Lots of good stuff there, just takes a bit of reading.

I made it thru a brutal practise sesssion tonight, I've managed to get the flu ! Played every song without screwing up, now I'm going to bed, perchance to puke !

.... this link was a nice find for sure.. does anyone still use that bluegrass bass place forum? it seemed like no one uses it! but when they do it is a good source of info!!

Hello Cat .... man this is scary .... a reply from Cat followed by a reply from Dawg ... what's the world comin' to ? .... cats and dawgs gettin' along with each other :p !

Yeah the BBP forum site has been somewhat slow lately but that is only our (bluegrass bass players) collective fault. If there weren't so damn many lurkers over there :hiding: and more people would jump in with questions, comments, advice, experiences, Nashville chords for favorite tunes, dirty jokes, sermons, fried catfish recipes, or WHATEVER, then it would be more a much more lively place :) .

I think it is great that TalkBass created a forum for us low-life :D grassers and billy rockers. Hey, we are communicating here, right? But why the heck are we grassers and billys relegated to the same category ?? Must be that we both like Root-5 more than we should ;) ! TalkBass has a lot to offer in terms of amps, strings, luthiers, etc. and I aspire to play some jazz and blues so that's why I'm here. However I try to help out at BBP too. How about you?

hey Bob I think it's great that cats and dawgs can finally get along! We must have somethin in common. I agree that BBP is a very good site and I've been getting good info from them. I don't think I have the experience to offer anybody advise so I don't try - I'm still learning this thing myself !

I also think it's good that we grassers and hillbilly rockers have our own forum. Hey we're not different, we're just special !!! I often feel a bit intimidated by the jazzers and classical players, even tho I'd love to play that style. Oh well maybe someday. For now I'll content myself with the best music, found right here in our own little forum. Oh, yeah, before the jazzers and other pros jump all over me, the intimidation is a direct result of lack of knowledge and experience, which I'm trying to correct. So there!

Hello Cat .... man this is scary .... a reply from Cat followed by a reply from Dawg ... what's the world comin' to ? .... cats and dawgs gettin' along with each other :p !
Wheres the mouse?

I think it is great that TalkBass created a forum for us low-life :D grassers and billy rockers. But why the heck are we grassers and billys relegated to the same category ?? Must be that we both like Root-5 more than we should ;) !
it must be the COUNTRY CONNECTION! and i dont mind that we are with the BILLY'S!!! as i hope they dont mind they are with the GRASSERS! i have been going to alot of rockaBILLY shows lately, trying to pick up some of that sweet billy slap attack..plus i like the music..i am just glad they didnt put us in with the HIPHOP!!!!!!! HEHE

[QUOTE]AVONDAWG...I made it thru a brutal practise sesssion tonight, I've managed to get the flu ! Played every song without screwing up, now I'm going to bed, perchance to puke ![QUOTE]

the site of a dawg pukin is not what we want to see!! hope you are feeling better AVONDAWG!!

..... it must be the COUNTRY CONNECTION! .... i have been going to alot of rockaBILLY shows lately, trying to pick up some of that sweet billy slap attack..

Right On Cat :D ! I sure like the "COUNTRY CONNECTION." About a month ago I got to play a little gig at a local tavern with just one other guy (guitar player / singer) and we did a lot of Hank Williams III, Wayne Hancock, Uncle Tupelo, Son Volt, Old Crow M Show, etc. It was a hoot and I screwed up a fair amount but not bad considering I had about a week to learn over 20 new songs (that weren't bluegrass and had more than 1-4-5 chords :p ). I slapped a little with the Wayne Hancock songs but I'm not even a spit in the ocean compared to the bass player for Wayne :rollno: ! I love to listen to that old country stuff with walking basslines. Maybe someday I will be able to do those lines :) .

Wayne Hancock -- whatta songwriter, huh? That's where real modern country music is, if you ask me. State of the art.

hey Bob I think it's great that cats and dawgs can finally get along!

+++1

And now for the lions, tigers, and bears!

I love to listen to that old country stuff with walking basslines. Maybe someday I will be able to do those lines :) .

Keep plugging away and one day it will come. For a while you will work to get lines to work but it gets easier. Pretty soon you will just be playing along and something cool and unexpected will come out. The main thing is just don't try to force stuff into the music. There are few things worse in bluegrass than a bass player trying to be flashy.

Wayne Hancock -- whatta songwriter, huh? That's where real modern country music is, if you ask me. State of the art.

I sure agree with you Damon. I have pretty much given up on "modern" Nashville country music. Too much like Cheez Whiz in a can :p ! After I heard "Wayne The Train" live and got into Hank III and his crew and extended "family" of hell-billies, I have new hopes for country music. A lot of my favorite country music comes from the Great State of Texas. It's a treat to watch those upright players flog the stuffin' outta their basses. Kinda like watching a train wreck :). Seems strange ... I haven't seen a single one of them playin' a Pollmann or a Prescott yet. Saw a good country / billy rocker band last week ..... bass player whipped his ride so hard on one song that he knocked over his bridge over ..... ooops :bawl: ! It was like a NASCAR pit crew ..... 3 guys putting the bass back together as the band played on. Pretty amazing.

Hey Bob I can relate to the job of switching from standard bluegrass songs to some of the country stuff with a bunch of different chords and progressions. Before two weeks ago i had only played the "simple" bluegrass standards 3 or 4 chords etc. Now the guy I'm playing with is doing some pretty "wierd" stuff, one particular song has six chords and he also does a lot of his songs in sharps, he seems to like the F# a lot.
A few years ago I played a festival with a small group called The Spinney Brothers, man what a treat ! They're excellant musicians and almost always do the old standards, being partial to the Stanley Bros. Sometimes when I'm practising this new (to me) stuff with 100 chords in one song, I yearn for the good ol days.

I can't imagine playing so hard that my bridge gets knocked over ! if anything like that happened to me on stage I'd likely have heart failure.

Hey Steve, have you ever heard a bluegrass bassman take a lead break in s song?

Keep plugging away and one day it will come. For a while you will work to get lines to work but it gets easier. Pretty soon you will just be playing along and something cool and unexpected will come out. The main thing is just don't try to force stuff into the music. There are few things worse in bluegrass than a bass player trying to be flashy.

Hey Steve, Thanks for the encouragement :) . At home I've been playing along with a classic country Ray Price CD .... been havin' fun trying the walking bass with "Crazy Arms" and "One More Time." Do you have any other suggestions for that good ole country walking sound that I could try?

As far as bluegrass goes, I totally agree about "not forcing stuff" and not getting "flashy." Last nite we had a garage jam with 6 players ... a few country songs but mostly bg. I pretty much stuck with root-5 on the 1 and 3 beats except for those pesky fiddle tunes ... Black Hairy Possum, Salt Creek, Red Hair Boy, etc. For flashiness I only moved around the octaves up to the 7th "fret" and varied between open strings and closed notes. I have to confess that I did hit the flat-7 leading to the 4 chord a couple times .... but I don't know if it was an accident or on purpose :D . I had a great time .... 3 hours flew by ..... kept pretty good time .... didn't piss anyone off .... ah, the simple pleasures of life :p .

By the way, I dig your G.A.S. comment in your profile:
"G.A.S. List: When you have a New Standard, why want anything else??"
Man, I would like to hear and play one. I'm quite certain I want one ;) .

yeah. steve hit it on the head. "DONT TRY TO FORCE STUFF INTO THE MUSIC" I'll forget and try adding some flash and realize, and say "OH THAT WAS NOT GOOD!" i wish i could turn off the thinking part of my brain and just use the playing part of it!!

Bob! i know what you mean by pesky fiddle tunes!! they are tough at first( and i struggle with them but am gradually learning them! i love when a fiddler gives me stinkeye for missing a note!!

this is one of those off track questions!! Has anyone heard of The Infamous Stringdusters? .damn good bluegrass band. i've seen them live and they are awesome!! i dont know where that came from!! oh well

No doubt I've posted this in the wrong place but anyway - I'm really curious what you guys think about a DB taking a lead break (solo) in a song ?
And don't kick the dawg for stirrin the pot.

I'm really curious what you guys think about a DB taking a lead break (solo) in a song ?
In bluegrass, I've seen too many that detract from the song. Most are a flurry of low notes; sometimes combined with slaps and usually accompanied by body gyrations that suggest the player stepped barefooted into a fire-ant mound. :hyper:

Usually the melody is totally lost and the audience doesn't get it back for another verse or two. I've seen a few good ones, but usually I'm more impressed with tasteful runs and occasional fills that complement the other instruments in the group. That's just MHO.

No doubt I've posted this in the wrong place but anyway - I'm really curious what you guys think about a DB taking a lead break (solo) in a song ?
And don't kick the dawg for stirrin the pot.

I think it is totaly fine!! i think there should be at least two or three(well maybe 2?) if they can make it sound good! of course... people dig it and i think they look forward to hearing them, the bass is also a instrument. Why let the others take all the shine!! nothing bettr than hearing a good bass solo!
but that is me!!

Well, I thought my question about a DB taking a break in a BG song would bring more agitated responses - soo much for stirring the pot! you guys too laid back to get PO'd ? Just kidding.

When I first started thumping the ol bass i talked to a professional player who had won the Bass Player of The Year award a the Eact Coast Bluegrass Show. His advice: don't ever let the band put you in the back where people can't see you. You're a major part of the group and if you stop playing the bottom will fall out of the whole thing. Also, don't be afraid to let your bass stand out with the other instruments, you have just as much right to take the spotlight as the banjo, mandolin or guitar. BUT he emphasized, make sure you know what you're doing and where you're going before you take off on a break or you'll catch more than the evil eye after the show ! In the "old days" it was common for the bass player to be stuck way in the back of the stage, almost out of sight and it was generally understood that he play only a straight bass with no fancy stuff. No wonder some of us have a complex ! I hadn't really thought much about this subject until I heard this guy take the break in a couple of songs and later watched a jazz player on TV doing a song and a mind-boggling solo. So if they can do it why can't we ? When we get good enough, that is - which I doubt I ever will be ! So that's my opinion !

Well, I thought my question about a DB taking a break in a BG song would bring more agitated responses - soo much for stirring the pot! you guys too laid back to get PO'd ? Just kidding.

Most of my good soloing is done when everyone else is playing...then I spaz when they hand it to me.

I do 3-4 solos in a three-set show. Most of the time, it's in a couple of tunes where I have a little ditty rehearsed. Once in a while, my singer will go "take it Johnny..." and I'm totally unprepared. I've learned, if I'm ever caught unprepared, don't panic, just continue playing the line if I can, emphasize some pedal notes with doubles and triples the next time through, then add a little more and a run-down or up to take it back to the line.

But, I really prefer to have the breaks rehearsed. If I'm going to get a solo, I want it to count. So I'll incorporate a familiar melody from a tv theme, or a comercial jingle...but spice it up.

I'd like to get to the point where I can pull something out of my butt with no warning.

I mean literally...crowds love to see you pull some hidden item out of your rectum during a show.

In bluegrass, I've seen too many that detract from the song. Most are a flurry of low notes; sometimes combined with slaps and usually accompanied by body gyrations that suggest the player stepped barefooted into a fire-ant mound.

I tend to agree with you. Not to say that it can't be done but it takes someone very proficient to do something meaningful on a fast tune. Another problem is that the space allotted for a break in most bluegrass tunes is only a few bars which doesn't give you time to develop much of an idea. The crowd might enjoy it, but it isn't very satisfying musically.

I think the bass has tremendous potential on a slower tune by stating the melody with some embellisment. I think too many b'grass bassists try to stand out by doing the things you mention, BUT how often have you heard a bass solo on a bluegrass or country ballad? I think we should strive to stand out by playing MUSIC rather than by doing aerobics.


Most of my good soloing is done when everyone else is playing...then I spaz when they hand it to me.

I do 3-4 solos in a three-set show. Most of the time, it's in a couple of tunes where I have a little ditty rehearsed. Once in a while, my singer will go "take it Johnny..." and I'm totally unprepared. I've learned, if I'm ever caught unprepared, don't panic, just continue playing the line if I can, emphasize some pedal notes with doubles and triples the next time through, then add a little more and a run-down or up to take it back to the line.

But, I really prefer to have the breaks rehearsed. If I'm going to get a solo, I want it to count. .

The problem I ran when trying this was that if I ever lost my place I sank like a rock with a large hole in it. Not to say I don't practice breaks but I try to approach a solo with a outline rather than a detailed plan--then improvise in the gaps. Sometimes it sounds like severe uncontrollable flatulence but when it works, it is cool.


I mean literally...crowds love to see you pull some hidden item out of your rectum during a show.


Sounds like something out of Stephen King book.

Thanks for all the great responses on the DB break question. I posted the same thing on another bass site and got much the same response - except for the farts and rectal things. You guys have trouble with gas or something ?!!!!
Thanks again!