Ok, here is the deal. I´m in a new band wich was kinda put togather for a new tv-show, and we are playing 2 sets every weekend, And every gig when we start playing some guy is talking about the band and introducing the members.. and when it comes to me i´m supposed to throw out some impressive solo.. So i´m in need of some really impressive solo that will just make people dropdown and worship me.. hehe :)
at least some impressive solo, so if some of you guys could point out some solo that i should check out.

My best regards..

Just bust out "Self Defense" by Gary Willis

Yes, your plan is excellent. Good luck.

You can do what good ol' flea does, wear nothing but a sock, the bigger the sock the better, that'll be impressive :ninja:

They want a bass solo on a TV show?
That must be a worldwide first.

Oh well, check out Dominique Di Piazza's Marie, it's on John McLaughlin Trio's Que Alegria album.
Lucas Pickford did a transcription.

www.lucaspickford.com

Sounds like you only have a couple seconds....so play chromatic fantasy double time! :D :D

I tried the naked stuff, (nothing but socks) at our first gig.. that defently got me so attendion. :) , but the crowd was just old folks, so they really didn´t have humor for it.. can u believe that.. : )
This is just matter of seconds.. this isn´t like some tv setup show.. just live gigs. and the show is really just following the band around all the time.

play random notes from a pentanonic scale rooted in whatever root note you happen to be on and make it all off beat and syncopated with the drummer. Then do a nice little walk at the end back into the main riff. It'll be tight.

okay, if you could play either "maxwell murder," "axiom," or "another night" by Rancid, you would be just a step below God in my book (oh, God is another word for Matt Freeman... at least to me)

Look really mysterious and introverted and just play one loooong note...

:p

Why not compose your own original solo?

anesthia-pulling teeth by metallica is a great solo

I know, why don't you play someone elses written solo!

What a studpid idea, come on guys that is so weak, no offense intended but it is. If I saw a bassist on TV replicating a solo I'd be horrified!

As for busting out some chops, blimey, where do I start? How about this "get a life"!!

You need a simple one or bar phrase that is melodic and kinda groovey, something that has a little turnaround all of it's own - something that resolves itself before they move on to the next musician.
And try to make it kinda quirky, rather than all serious and 'beautiful' - the entire notion of introducing the band members is kitch and pretty much tongue in cheek these days, so make it something slighhtly amusing, rather than deadly serious.

If you cant come up with something yourself than a) you shouldn't be on TV, give me the gig ;) and b) play a single bar of another one bites the dust! - It's kinda funny, EVERYONE will recognise it and it says "I'm a bass player".. and before anyoen says it, playing a hook like that is an entire world apart from pinching someone elses solo!

Oh yeah, good luck and have fun!!!! :)

Dude, the old Cliff Burton bass solo is so played out. besides, it probably wouldn't sound right with whatever their playing at the time.

Here's an idea... Compose your own instead of copying someone else.

Originally posted by Howard K
I know, why don't you play someone elses written solo!

What a studpid idea, come on guys that is so weak, no offense intended but it is. If I saw a bassist on TV replicating a solo I'd be horrified!

As for busting out some chops, blimey, where do I start? How about this "get a life"!!

You need a simple one or bar phrase that is melodic and kinda groovey, something that has a little turnaround all of it's own - something that resolves itself before they move on to the next musician.
And try to make it kinda quirky, rather than all serious and 'beautiful' - the entire notion of introducing the band members is kitch and pretty much tongue in cheek these days, so make it something slighhtly amusing, rather than deadly serious.

If you cant come up with something yourself than a) you shouldn't be on TV, give me the gig ;) and b) play a single bar of another one bites the dust! - It's kinda funny, EVERYONE will recognise it and it says "I'm a bass player".. and before anyoen says it, playing a hook like that is an entire world apart from pinching someone elses solo!

Oh yeah, good luck and have fun!!!! :)

I'd like to subscribe to your newsletter, sir.

I'd like to subscribe to your newsletter, sir.

Ha, LOL, I asked for that :D

Howard K.. I could have seen that coming.. !!

I was asking about ipressive solos that i could pickup.. So if you have some problem with that, then u just better not answer that question. Becouse i really don´t give a rats ass if you like it or not that i´m trying to copy someones elses solo... But if its really bothering you.. that the deal is.. i mostly do my own thing and really do not like copying some ones elses solos. But The gigg was the nigt after i posted this.. so i just had very limited time to work something out. so i was really just trying to save my ass for that one gig. after that i was going to put some time into my own....

Howard K.. I could have seen that coming.. !!
I was asking about ipressive solos that i could pickup.. So if you have some problem with that, then u just better not answer that question.


Public forum me old china. You asked the question. I gave you my opinion from a listeners point of view. You want to play 'impressive solos' then put down the bass and pick up the guitar ;) (that's a joke, btw) :)

Becouse i really don´t give a rats ass if you like it or not that i´m trying to copy someones elses solo...

They why ask for opinions? If all you wanted to hear was "it's OK, to play someone else's solo, I'd love to hear that", then I'm sorry for not conforming to your expectations.

In my opinion (that's the key here), playing someone elses solo in place of your own, short lead-time to write the piece or not, is weak. If it were me I'd have improvised something stupidly simple rather than 'covered' someone elses. Just an opinion :)

But if its really bothering you.. that the deal is.. i mostly do my own thing and really do not like copying some ones elses solos. But The gigg was the nigt after i posted this.. so i just had very limited time to work something out. so i was really just trying to save my ass for that one gig. after that i was going to put some time into my own....

It's not bothering me at all. I offered my opinion and I stand by it. If I see your band sometime and you play someone elses solo, I wont dig it, it doesnt matter in the slightest to me, you're the guy up on stage, you make your own decisions and you take the audience reaction and feedback, right?

So how did the gig go? What did you do for the solo? Did it go down well?

Well Squice,

I'll try to rephrase what Howard said, sans the baseball bat diplomacy ;) (just teasin' ya Howie :cool: )...

If you had sat down with your bass, I'll bet you could have come up with something original in the time it took you to boot up your computer and make this post. If you couldn't have, than may I respectfully suggest that you find yourself a teacher.

I don't know what level player you are, but if you've got a gig at all , than you must at least have the facility to lay down a groove. If you can do that, then you're certainly capable of improvising a short (coupla seconds?) passage on demand.

Improvising is all about confidence, and confidence is bourne from experience and knowledge. It's amazing to me how many players are actually afraid of putting in the hard work that's required to become a musician , not just a bass player.

Playing the bass all by yourself is a scary proposition, let alone in front of a camera, so the fear is certainly justified. No matter how skilled you are naturally, as many bassists are, you need a teacher to help you attain the tools that are necessary for your development into the best player you can possibly be. If that's not your wish...well that's cool too.

All that having been said, and now a little late for your TV debut, I'll make a practical suggestion. When in doubt, base a solo "riff" on the blues scale (if you don't know what that is, see above re:teacher). Since it's not possible for me to post notation, I'll write out the sequence of note names and where rests appear. The first two notes are eight notes, followed by a 16th rest and then all 16th notes, the last G is on the one of bar two, in 4/4 time (count it out super slow to begin with). I don't know if you have a 5 or a 4 string, but let's start out on G, third fret on the E string.

G G (rest) G Bb G (rest) G Bb G C G F F# G

Playing the bass all by yourself is a scary proposition, let alone in front of a camera, so the fear is certainly justified.

Absolutley!!! I feel naked without a drummer, man I hate it! I have solo sections in songs, intros and actual bass solos, but when I do solo I always want drums in there, just to keep me rolling along nicely - I also like to play with mild drums as acompanyment- a good drummer doing this during a solo can make it!

I'll try to rephrase what Howard said, sans the baseball bat diplomacy (just teasin' ya Howie )..

No that's quite alright. You're right, small feet, big mouth that's me. Sorry Squice :rolleyes: guess I was a 'tad' brutal there!

So how did it go, tell us?! :)

If I had to play something for broadcast I'd remmber that it has to make a good short sound-byte. Conciseness is necessary. I might play the opening verse of Jeff Berlin's tune, "Joe Frazier."

If I had to play something for broadcast I'd remmber that it has to make a good short sound-byte. Conciseness is necessary.

Precisely.

I might play the opening verse of Jeff Berlin's tune, "Joe Frazier."

...why not play your own thang?

What is with performing other peoples material? Am I the only person who wants to do my own thing, to play my bass lines, my music?

I mean to get on TV, that's cool!, a once in a lifetime opportunity right? So I say grab it with both hands and show everyone a bit of "yourself"
If that were me I'd wanna say "this is Howard K on bass, check the fkn groove!!".

I can't think of a bigger waste of an opportunity like that than playing someone elses material, regardless of how flash it is!

Originally posted by Howard K
If that were me I'd wanna say "this is Howard K on bass, check the fkn groove!!"

They'd have to bleep you, Howard :D

They'd have to bleep you, Howard

I guess the music equivalent is playing a double stop comprising root + flat9th... :D

Like in Dumb and Dumber "wanna hear the most annoying noise in the world?"

I agree 100% Howard. It's not improvisation if you're playin' some other cat's sh*t.

And you can emulate another player's style too much as well...being a "clone", as it were.

That bugs me even more. I stumbled upon a cat's mp3 site, listened to a bunch of his "original" compositions, and when I say this cat is a Jaco clone, it's the understatement of the year.

Now here's someone with a ton of knowledge and facility, and not a single itsy-bitsy teeny-weeny little bit of originality.

If you can play just like Jaco, or Victor, or fill-in-your-favorite-bass-God-here...people ("civilians" anyway) will be impressed. But odds are you'll toil away in obscurity if you don't develop you own unique voice.

this is it, i mean being able to play like Jaco - wow, that IS impressive, some serious technique a feel all rolled into one.

I guess I can some it up by saying I'd rather sound like me than Jaco, or Marcus Miller, or Pattitucci, or Mingus, or Ray Brown, or Steve Lawson (my teacher), or Mr Manring...

my other opinion on this is that I'd rather play a great bassline than a flashy one. Sure I do solo's an my fair share of nifty little fills and stuff - to the best of my ability, but in the end I'm a bass player - it's a supportive role that requires total dedication to the song and that's the way i like it :)
given that 5 mins of fame i'd play something that came right from me, nothing more and certainly nothing less :)

I don't get you guys. If you are playing for strangers who are going to evaluate you for steady employment (a rare opportunity) you have to play something that gives them a frame of reference, some familiarity. Solo bass is not what people hear every day. How will they remember your effort if they never heard the music before, and probably never will again?
Unless you will have to compose for the gig on a regular basis, your audition needs to show your command of your instrument and your ability to groove; how well you'll fit in with other players. Your interviewers must REMEMBER you FAVORABLY at day's end. It may even make your potential employers think you won't work well in a cooperative setting; you're a maverick or a showboater.
I'd like to take a survey of people who responded to this thread to see how many work steadily. And I don't mean an original music showcase once a month in a club for next-to-no-money.

I don't get you guys. If you are playing for strangers who are going to evaluate you for steady employment (a rare opportunity) you have to play something that gives them a frame of reference, some familiarity. Solo bass is not what people hear every day. How will they remember your effort if they never heard the music before, and probably never will again?


This is a good point - and exactly why I was saying I wouldnt play something flash... but on the same basis playing someone elses solo is weak, end of story.
Playing "a SIMPLE classic line" however is a good idea, hence my sugegstion of Another one bites the dust, or maybe Billy Jean or something - you get waht I'm saying here right?

Unless you will have to compose for the gig on a regular basis, your audition needs to show your command of your instrument and your ability to groove; how well you'll fit in with other players. Your interviewers must REMEMBER you FAVORABLY at day's end. It may even make your potential employers think you won't work well in a cooperative setting; you're a maverick or a showboater.

So where did this Jeff Berlin suggeston come from? You're saying that solo bass is a bad idea right cause non one ever knows any of it, yet you suggested the guy?!

I'd like to take a survey of people who responded to this thread to see how many work steadily. And I don't mean an original music showcase once a month in a club for next-to-no-money.

I'll resist the desire to be deeply sarcastic...
What are you saying here? That because you play professionally your opinion in this matter is more valid?
I hope not because that's nonsense. I play for next to no money (expenses), but that doenst mean I'm any less valuable as a musician, or as a band member. Best believe I'll give anyone a good run for their money in the right audition.

You choose to play prfessionally. I choose a steady wage. I'd love to turn pro, but not enough to suffer a for a 50% pay cut.

Q) What work did you do last week?

Originally posted by Dondi
I don't get you guys. If you are playing for strangers who are going to evaluate you for steady employment (a rare opportunity) you have to play something that gives them a frame of reference, some familiarity. Solo bass is not what people hear every day. How will they remember your effort if they never heard the music before, and probably never will again?
Unless you will have to compose for the gig on a regular basis, your audition needs to show your command of your instrument and your ability to groove; how well you'll fit in with other players. Your interviewers must REMEMBER you FAVORABLY at day's end. It may even make your potential employers think you won't work well in a cooperative setting; you're a maverick or a showboater.
I'd like to take a survey of people who responded to this thread to see how many work steadily. And I don't mean an original music showcase once a month in a club for next-to-no-money.

Um...how many non bass players do you really think are going to be familiar with the opening riff of "Joe Frasier" by Jeff Berlin, or "Anesthesia (Pulling Teeth) by Cliff Burton?

In the off chance anyone DID recognize the line, if they are at all like me, they'd probably find it more sad than anything else. I mean, personally, I'd laugh if I heard someone do that--imagine watching a tv show and when it comes time time to introduce the guitar player, he whips out Eddie Van Halen's "Eruption." :eek: If he didn't have his tongue firmly planted in his cheek, I'd pee my pants I'd be laughing so hard at the stupidity of it all.

And, this wasn't for an "audition," it was for a solo break during band introductions--not quite the same thing.

As for my "credentials," I do have a full time day job (what can I say? I like health insurance,and my 401 (k)), but I play out every month with both of my bands for guaranteed $$, I'm playing a benefit for the Special Olympics this Saturday for between 1000-2000 people, and I'm recording a track for a movie in July. Oh, and, BTW, all of these gigs were gotten by way of people hearing our ORIGINAL music...Good enough to have an opinion?

You choose to play prfessionally. I choose a steady wage. I'd love to turn pro, but not enough to suffer a for a 50% pay cut.

I don't think I could say it better myself. My band does about 4 gigs a month right now, we get paid anywhere between $100 - $300 per gig. Not exactly money to live on once you split it among 4 people.

I think a lot of us here could be pro players, but, we have houses and cars to pay for, so we have real jobs. That doesn't make us any less as players.

How did we get on auditions, Dondi? That's not what we're discussing here. Horse of a different color, so to speak. We're not talking playing someone else's music, but someone else's solo.

But let me ask you this...would you go to an audition for a GB gig and play "Donna Lee" a la Jaco, note for note? :hmm:

And as far as "working steadily"...please define. Do you mean deriving all your income exclusively from playing? Do you do that? If you do in NYC, then you are to be congratulated and envied. Something tells me there's a bit more work to be had where you are as opposed to where I am. I could make a nice living on music if I had 20 or so students a week and played lots of weddings. No thanks. I'll stick to my original music for now, thank you...at which I work extremely hard.

If you'd like to know if I'm qualified to make the statements that I have, than follow the link to my website and check out the sound clips. If that's not enough evidence, I'll gladly send you my CD (gratis of course) so you can really dig in. BTW I put this band together myself, paid for and produced the record, and did some writing as well. Am I the second coming of Jaco? Hell no, but that's kinda the point, dig?

I'm 43 years old and still busting my hump so that I can jettison the day gig for good. It's gonna happen, and soon. Sorry to get huffy here, but I don't think it's cool for a "pro" to look down his nose at us "part-timers".

I honestly did not mean to disparage anyones idea of what leading a musically satisfying life is!
There are so many ways of making music part of your existence that the real shame is that there are people who deny themselves a musical outlet.
I'm not trying to attack anyone's way of life here. I myself have been what you would call a full-time player (5 nights a week), and a part-time player (60-80 gigs a year on weekends). Frankly I prefer being a part-time player and collecting at the least my union scale. I have spent most of my career as a booking agent and manager. I've sat on a number of audition juries and wondered what the player was trying to prove to me by his choice of music. I also tryed to make sure there was a good drummer on hand to check is time and groove with another player. That is why I felt qualified to make my comments on what might be smart for audition purposes. Throwing in the Jeff Berlin song as an example was simply to satisfy the audiion to some extent. Frankly, I'd make sure to quiz him on any other syles of music he might have to play on the gig.I don't know what you've experienced out there, but I have found that many juries at auditions had at least one bass player friend in them. Also, there is no situation where the audience gives less of a crap about YOUR original music than at an audition to play THEIR music.
I am sorry that I sound preachy sometimes, though. I'm on your side, ladies and gentlemen.

Hello from the ruffled feather dept. :)

It's cool Dondi, no harm no foul...sorry to be so sensitive.

Originally posted by Dondi
I have spent most of my career as a booking agent and manager.

Oh really ? :hmm:

Still?

Do you book jazz acts? :hyper:

Originally posted by BassWhore




I think a lot of us here could be pro players, but, we have houses and cars to pay for, so we have real jobs. as

Define "Pro".

The technical definition of "Professional" I think means that over 80% of your annual income is derived from a specific job function. In this case, that would mean that make the majority of your money from playing gigs and getting paid.

If for instance, if I lived in a $500 a month appartment and didn't have a car payment cause I drove a '90 honda civic and made $15K a year playing shows and didn't have a real job. I would be a "Professional" bass player. hehe. Weird logic, but I think you see my point.

I think professionals are people that the general public would pay to have any given job done in what they believe is an expert manner. In music, most of the professionals that play at corporate events and weddings, also have another field of endeavor that contributes to their earning a liveable wage. The industry does not , by and large,keep any one musician busy enough to allow him to have no other means of support, be it teaching, recording, or perhaps an unrelated field.

So if you're an IT guy who has a car payment and makes 35k a year and pays a grand in rent/mortgage,is that a "real" job?Professional entails a lot more than the paycheck.You can get microsoft certified for 10 grand,then collect your 35k to tell secretaries how to re-boot...are you a pro?
Walk into a pit audition and sightread from the book @tempo,no mistakes,with only conducting for time,that's a pro...whether he gets paid or not.:)

I agree in part. There is, however, a very big difference between people who are professional, and people who are professionals. The first being someone who conducts themselves in a professional manner. The second being someone who meets the criteria I already described. I also think that teaching and other similar activities would contribute to that criteria.

I think we are getting WAY off topic though :)

ConU, I understand your point completely, being a programmer myself I can relate. I think it really depends on what definition of "Pro" you are referring to. I would definitely consider someone who has those kind of mad skills a 'pro' even if it's not the literal meaning.

I am not trying to confuse the point, just exploring the different meanings to a simple word to make sure we are all referring to the same one.

We're on the same page bro':) I just find it interesting to hear the definition of "pro" musician from different people...it could be way off topic,and it could not,if you go back to the original post.There is professional entertainers and professional musicians...HUGE diff.IMO:cool:There are a certain amount of pre-requisite skills required...you can be making zillions,if you don't have those skills,you can call yourself a pro-whatever,but don't call yourself a pro-musician.

OK, so are we in agreement that for the simplicity of this forum, a "Pro" is someone who has a great amount of knowledge and demonstrates a suffecient level of skill or prowess with their instrument, and not necessarily someone who makes a lot of money playing shows or teaching?

I'm not ripping on anyone in particular, but I've definitely seen some guys who consider themselves Pro's who totally suck and don't know the difference between m7 and M7.

We are starting to sound like Clinton defining, "it." We are straying pretty far.

Originally posted by BassWhore


I'm not ripping on anyone in particular, but I've definitely seen some guys who consider themselves Pro's who totally suck and don't know the difference between m7 and M7.

:cool:

Well I'm glad I wasn't the only one who felt Dondi may have underestimated the level of dedication many of us amateur players have.
Although, Dondi, apologies for going right off on one there :rolleyes:

Walk into a pit audition and sightread from the book @tempo, no mistakes,with only conducting for time, that's a pro... whether he gets paid or not.

That IS indeed professionalism, at a VERY high level.

Scenario: I work with a woman who plays violin. She, used to perform regularly in a quartet or whatever, playing from sheets in front of an audience. Yet she confesses she couldnt improvise a note, on the spot. So she's been a professional as per this example, but would be useless in a gigging band.

I think professionals are people that the general public would pay to have any given job done in what they believe is an expert manner.

Yes! This definition works absolutley for me.

Re: weddings and functions. I know some guys who play in a 60/70's pop/rock function band (they are over in Czechslovakia (sp.?!!) in a few weeks to play at a corporate function, all expenses plus a grand in hand (not bad huh!)
I've seen them play twice and to be blunt they aint all that great. They pull it off, but if it were me I'd want to give a better band performance. They're not as 'like the record' as I'd want a band to be for the money they get.

My point is that there's many levels of professional and you dont have to be a sight reading, jazz improvising, slap, pop, tap, finger, pick wielding genius to qualify! :)

Ladies and gentlemen,
Why do any of you think that skill, dedication, professionalism, and ethics automatically defines the professional. A number of you have noted that they saw "professional" bands that weren't that good. Others of you have claimed to play at a professional level and you don't play music for a living.
Music as a profession (at least in popular music) is just like life in other fields; don't you think that plenty of professional jobs have been gotten by the employers brothers-in-law or by union cronies? Someone who has a connection will often get a gig over the much more qualified people who respond to an ad for auditions. "The fix" is in with music as often as in any other business. Yes, music is a business.
Don't expect criteria for professional music jobs to make sense either. For example, I keep seeing ads for bassists that must have a good handle on things like 1970's progressive rock, then the ad says that the acceptable age group is 20 -30 years old. Instead of wasting time being mad, I just move on to the next possibility. You know the world ain't fair, gang.

Music as a profession (at least in popular music) is just like life in other fields; don't you think that plenty of professional jobs have been gotten by the employers brothers-in-law or by union cronies? Someone who has a connection will often get a gig over the much more qualified people who respond to an ad for auditions.

All very true.

And not forgetting "the look" and personality...

You don't get many 50+ years olds playing heavy metal or hip-hop for example... or you could just have the wrong trainers on the day!

Similarly you might be the best player who auditions, but the rest of the band just don't like something about you for some completely random reason!

I auditioned for a signed band last year some time. I didnt get the gig. I played spot on (very simple material), depsite the band playing a different version of the track they gave to audition - I didnt get the impression it was purposeful either!
Then when I went to see the band a few months later the bass player was no better or worse a player than I was, but he certainly fitted better - he looked more appropriate than I would have.

I had a similar experience to Howard. There is a band that is very well known locally here in Sacramento, no names, and I met the guys, I didn't even have to play. They said that they knew the material wasn't hard, they needed someone who fit with them. Needless to say I never heard back from those guys, they were looking for a punk lookin kid who played a Fender or Ernie Ball. And that's totally not me. I fit more in the funk or jazz category with my 6-string fretless. Skill isn't everything in a situation like that. Oh, and I've seen them since then, no comment.

That's what I meant originally,there's professional entertainers,and there's professional musicans.Just because somebody's in a popular band making$$$$does'nt qualify as a "pro" musician.:D

We are killing each other with definitions here.
Can we standardize are definitions so we can communicate with each other more clearly?
Try my glossary of common sense concepts:
A Professional: is one who makes money performing a service, as opposed to a charity worker or a hobbyist who receives no compensation.
An entertainer: is one who entertains us.
A Professional entertainer: gets paid to entertain us.
A professional musical entertainer: performs music, usually by singing, and may accompany himself on a musical instrument, or dancing.
A professional musician: One who gets paid to play a musical instrument.

Quiz: Then what would you call the guys in "Kiss."

Originally posted by Dondi

Quiz: Then what would you call the guys in "Kiss."

Very rich.
Bad plastic surgery jobs.
Professional entertainers.
Non-musicians.:hiding: