Bass Player Taking a Guitar Solo

plangentmusic · #1 11-15-2010, 02:31 PM

I've always felt it would behoove bassists to learn to play some "lead" guitar in order to become better soloists, simply for the fact that guitarists solo more than bassists. But I think it works the other way around as well.

Bassist have to think more in terms of "rhythmic melodicism." Just as I feel playing guitar has helped my bass playing, I think being a bassist provided a unique approach to guitar playing.

Here's an example . The guitar solo starts at 2:05.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0Z2_aOKRJEM

I'm no shredder, but I try to use limitations to get the story across. And that comes from playing the bass.

And oh yeah, ignore the blatant promotion. This is among friends. : )

All feedback is appreciated. Thanks.

puddin tame · #2 11-15-2010, 02:35 PM

i've been known to actually use the 'guitar' preset on the gt 10b

reedo35 · #3 11-15-2010, 02:38 PM

Here's one for you. Jeff Berlin playing crossroads. Love him or hate him, he's got some serious chops.

Wild_Cat · #4 11-15-2010, 02:41 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by puddin tame

i've been known to actually use the 'guitar' preset on the gt 10b

Guitar presets on multi-effect units (and guitar effects in general) are fun to use on bass.

I wish I could find a way to make the "Coheed" preset on my Pandora PX5D less noisy, because when I use it with my bass, I get a tone that's just like the rhythm guitar in this: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=oTQIiIKummw

And that's awesome.

MNAirHead · #5 11-15-2010, 02:46 PM

In reality it makes a ton of sense (AFTER you can lock and groove)

I always suggest to my students to buy a copy of Willie Nelson "Tougher than Leather" or "Red Headed Stranger" and learn the solos.. noodling with TV themes and Christmas carols also helps.

Many bass solos are awkward.. few are molodic.. and most of them help deplete the toilet paper on par with a drum solo.

MNAirHead · #6 11-15-2010, 02:48 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Wild_Cat

Guitar presets on multi-effect units (and guitar effects in general) are fun to use on bass.

I wish I could find a way to make the "Coheed" preset on my Pandora PX5D less noisy, because when I use it with my bass, I get a tone that's just like the rhythm guitar in this: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=oTQIiIKummw

And that's awesome.

Copy it to a new user defined.. then work with the "level" of the effects.. I believe your pandora also has a gate.

Wishing we could Email settings back and forth.. I'd just clean it up for you.

Krügmeister · #7 11-15-2010, 02:48 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by MNAirHead

In reality it makes a ton of sense (AFTER you can lock and groove)

I always suggest to my students to buy a copy of Willie Nelson "Tougher than Leather" or "Red Headed Stranger" and learn the solos.. noodling with TV themes and Christmas carols also helps.

Many bass solos are awkward.. few are molodic.. and most of them help deplete the toilet paper on par with a drum solo.

You are correct sir!

Krügmeister · #8 11-15-2010, 02:51 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by reedo35

Here's one for you. Jeff Berlin playing crossroads. Love him or hate him, he's got some serious chops.

The solo was cool but I have NEVER heard a more souless rendition of this song put on record... yet!

plangentmusic · #9 11-15-2010, 03:14 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by reedo35

Here's one for you. Jeff Berlin playing crossroads. Love him or hate him, he's got some serious chops.

Actually I think he has far greater chops than that solo suggests.

He's copying Clapton's but it's missing what makes that solo great -- the feel, emotion, the tonal nuance and most importantly, sound Clapton gets.

Not a knock against Jeff, he's a monster. I just think this was a bit of a gimmick.

Wild_Cat · #10 11-15-2010, 04:58 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by MNAirHead

Copy it to a new user defined.. then work with the "level" of the effects.. I believe your pandora also has a gate.

Yeah, I admit I didn't spend as much time as I should have getting that particular setting do work. The problem, I suspect, isn't so much the gate as the absolutely massive amount of distortion in that preset (probably too much highs too).

I'll try dialing it down and see if I can retain the tone while taming the noise. I'll keep you guys informed if it works ^^

lousybassplayer · #11 11-16-2010, 06:07 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by MNAirHead

In reality it makes a ton of sense (AFTER you can lock and groove)

I always suggest to my students to buy a copy of Willie Nelson "Tougher than Leather" or "Red Headed Stranger" and learn the solos.. noodling with TV themes and Christmas carols also helps.

Many bass solos are awkward.. few are molodic.. and most of them help deplete the toilet paper on par with a drum solo.

This. I sometimes sit in front of the TV with my bass and jsut play christmas tunes, kids songs and tv themes and jsut screw around with them. At my last practice I opened with the national anthem and closed with the theme to "King of the hill" with the guitar player strumming chords to the bass line and me playing the lead. Super cool, although probably useless live.

plangentmusic · #12 11-16-2010, 08:48 PM

It's funny because one of the first things I learned on the bass was melodies. Then I learned the guitar solos on bass of the first Hendrix album, the first Santana album. Allman bros Live at the Filmore and Frampton Comes Alive. (Showing my age).

But I'm not big on playing bass with overdrive or whammys et al. Though I play a lot of bends.

I think those sounds simply work better on guitar. The bass can be very upfront -- but not in that way. Not to me at least.