Electric Bass Solos

[ClassicalDB]

Hi everyone at TB

I recently signed up for an audition for a scholarship and was wondering what are the good electric bass solos/songs written for electric bass that would just wow anyone watching?

I bought the Best of Victor Wooten and A Portrait of Jaco and was looking through but all of the pieces are rightfully very stylistic to the composers but nonetheless, some are very cool.

I was just wondering about what the TB'ers think would be a great solo from 2.5 - 4 minutes long that would just keep an audience captivated and really wow judges for an electric bass solo. Thanks!

P.S. Dont recommend that Stu Hamm solo, its fun for a little bit, but then its scary.

[Alan Vorse]

Donny Hathaway's live album.
Everything is Everything.
Bassist:Willie Weeks.

[Baryonyx]

It's the pits (slight Return) by Jonas Hellborg.

[derrenleepoole]

Why don't you write your own bass solo?

[DaveBeny]

How about taking a jazz standard, playing the melody, walking for a few choruses, soloing over the changes for a while, before returning to the melody? Tasteful, and would demonstrate your control of tone, tempo, walking and soloing.

I've no experience of such things, but I suspect a scholarship panel would be looking for evidence of musicality, rather than jaw-dropping "chops". They've probably seen many performances of Jaco/Wooten tunes.

If it's "chops" you want though, try the solo piece, 'Marie', from John McLaughlin's 'Que Alegria' album (played by Dominique di Piazza). A transcription can be found here: http://www.lucaspickford.com/transmarie.htm

[bassjus]

Originally Posted by David Benyahia

How about taking a jazz standard, playing the melody, walking for a few choruses, soloing over the changes for a while, before returning to the melody? Tasteful, and would demonstrate your control of tone, tempo, walking and soloing.

+1
Best advice anyone could give.

[ClassicalDB]

The jazz suggestion doesnt sound bad but I won't be having any accompaniment and its funny you say that they hear a lot of Jaco and Wooten cuz those are the two solo transcription books I have sitting in front of me right now.

Are those generally a bad idea to play? I mean I've been looking through the books and like Wooten's book is a lot of tapping and thumb stroke stuff which is stylistic to him and Jaco's book is a lot of runs and interesting harmony which is not what I am really looking for.

I definitely know they want to see more than chops but I really don't know how to convey it. On double bass theres a decent selection of classical pieces made for double bass but it doesnt seem like to many are made to be performed for electric bass.

I am taking the jazz idea into account but I don't know how much accompaniment I will have, worse comes to worse I could play along to a track and it really wouldnt be a bad idea to do but I'd have to hold it out for about 3 minutes though.

Thanks for any suggestions!

[cosmicevan]

if you can create the illusion of the chord changes while solo'ing over the changes as suggested for the jazz standard...you'll be golden. try to pick something VERY recognizable so that it makes it easier for your audience to visualize the changes...it would be REALLY cool if you did a tune like take the a train and transposed the piano's melody chords creatively to your bass.

or why not piece together your favorite parts of your favorite solos? i once auditioned for a jazz band and prepared this jaco solo and as soon as i started, i forgot every note and ended up jumping from this to that and rounding it out with an america the beautiful (jaco style) to close the solo. it went over well and i got the slot.

[LaminatedParrot]

You could play Sir Duke by Stevie Wonder, the song is really cool and if you take the main bass part you can improvise loads on the tune and make loads of different fills and really funk the song up, and of course, the main solo is fun to play and sounds great also

[ClassicalDB]

So far these are great ideas, guys.

I like the idea of the jazz tune but I just am not sure how it will sound without accompaniment. I mean sure it would show musicality but its really important to keep them entertained which is what im worried about.

Piecing together different solos sounds like a pretty good idea actually. Even juts using a solo as a framework and then changing bits and pieces would work great too.

I was thinking of using Victor Wooten's - The Vision, taking out the tapping though because being overly flashy could hurt.

your thoughts/alternative suggestions?

[ClassicalDB]

Has anybody even heard of The Vision by Victor Wooten?

[DaveBeny]

ClassicalDB, could you tell us more about the course you're auditioning for? Do you know the assessment criteria?

'Marie', the solo bass piece I recommended in my earlier post, will definitely meet your requirements of techinique, musicality and entertainment. It is a wonderful classical-sounding piece. Check out the original recording if you can.

I think there are a couple of Jamey Abersold books for bass players (bass lines removed). You could always play along to a tune off one of the CDs.

TB contributer Michael Dimin has some very useful material on his website, included chord-melody arrangements of the jazz standards 'Autumn Leaves' and 'Misty'

http://www.michaeldimin.com/autumn.htm
http://www.michaeldimin.com/misty.htm

[derrenleepoole]

Originally Posted by ClassicalDB

Has anybody even heard of The Vision by Victor Wooten?

It's off the album A Show Of Hands, and is a killer piece. A beautiful combination of finger style melody, tapping, extended chord work, comping a groove using chords, harmonic usage and everything else inbetween.

I wouldn't worry too much about keeping the audience 'entertained.' You simply cannot play everything for everyone. If you're auditioning for a scholarship, it's highly import to be aware of your end goal - which is getting that scholarship above all other requirements. You are not there to 'entertain' as such as you would in a gig situation. Musicality and technique are important certainly, but they also go hand in hand with originality too.

Think about it from the point of view of the auditioner - they probably hear many interpretations of Jaco & Wooten bass solos. Many of whom will of been done very well in the past by previous auditioning students. Do you think the auditioner will be entertained by yet another Jaco solo by an auditioning student? Or would they rather hear something original that has all of the elements that good bassists/musicians aspire too - musicality, a good understanding of harmony, timing - even humour!

Writing your own piece of music or interpretating a jazz/classical composition is a very good way of demonstrating all of you abilities with originality too! How many people are going for the same scholarship as you? Make sure you stand out above the rest and don't do the obvious. It may work, but I doubt it...

[Digo]

Originally Posted by derrenleepoole

Why don't you write your own bass solo?

not everybody can just do that, maybe he is not as experienced as you in writing music...think more before posting

[derrenleepoole]

Originally Posted by Digo

not everybody can just do that, maybe he is not as experienced as you in writing music...think more before posting

Bloody hell mate! It was just a suggestion and as such will be taken into consideration or ignored by the person who it addresses!

[Digo]

yeah but even if he could write his own, he would have, but he asked what solos are good, im sure he already either considered making his own or tried and failed and thats why he is asking us

[ClassicalDB]

These are all great ideas. The thing is though the scholarship is specifically for the university as a general grant for talented musicians coming in as full time freshmen and the school is not too big on music in the first place, I doubt many double bass players have ever auditioned let alone electric players.

I was looking through the Wooten tune of The Vision and was thinking about using it as just a framework rather than copying it note for note.

Nobody on the staff reviewing will probably have any experience with either electric or upright bass but they will be music professors.

Hopefully that clears up a few things and I am definitely taking all of these suggestions into consideration. I would love to write my own solo but theres some great material out there that I'd love to become familiar with so by choosing a solo I not only familiarize myself with more music but I also have a performable piece for an audition.

Thanks again, keep em comin!

[ClassicalDB]

If you were to watch and judge a bass solo, would you be more impressed overall with The Vision by Victor Wooten or Continuum by Jaco. I was looking at them both and I love both solos I just don't know which one to choose.

Continuum doesn't have any tapping though which is good because im worried tapping may be too flashy =)

[ClassicalDB]

Continuum or The Vision? or something else.....

[cosmicevan]

what is this audition for again? backup for claypool on primus or a known music program like berkley?