Need an alternative to slap improv

[cnl83]

So I play bass in a band. We all are working on peices that will make each of us shine. Im talking about when they say my name as the bass player and I gotta bust a badd@$$ bassline. I dont want to pull out this slap and pop bass line to woo the crowd, because I personally have zero desire to play slap. There has got to be a something cool I can do with a pick. Does anyone know of some youtube videos or ideas to help me out?

[Ayliffe]

music style?
playing ability?
more detail...

/e can you multi string tap? that always impresses people no matter how easy.

[cnl83]

I have been playing for about 3.5 years. I play TOOL, Mudvayne, Deftones, AIC, anything that kicks butt. Never done the tapping thing. Know of any good examples?

[cgnortheast]

I usually play a random major scale. that always gets a laugh....which, IMO, is better than just doing something "really cool" like everyone always does.

[cnl83]

We are a cover band

[Jehos]

If the rest of the band is busting out major wankery, get your name called last. Go with something stupid simple--5th fret harmonics on the D and G, "row row row your boat", stuff like that. Be sure to ham it up, get into your best heavy metal horse-stance, and make it look like you're trying REALLY HARD, then look all proud of yourself when you're done.

[cnl83]

Originally Posted by Jehos

If the rest of the band is busting out major wankery, get your name called last. Go with something stupid simple--5th fret harmonics on the D and G, "row row row your boat", stuff like that. Be sure to ham it up, get into your best heavy metal horse-stance, and make it look like you're trying REALLY HARD, then look all proud of yourself when you're done.

lol..that would be trippin funny. Ill deffinitely keep that in mind. Ill need something thats kick @$$ too.

[threshar]

If you want to see some insane pick playing checkout bobby vega - there's a big interview on bassplayer.tv

[PJSShearer]

Try Peter Gunn .... simple but effective and you can still give it the heavy metal schtick!!.

That's a hard one. What's impressive and showy but tasteful on bass...?

I reckon you could do stuff with your fingers, like four finger (or three fingers and thumb) technique where you could do sort of polyrhythms or imagine making one finger the bass, one the snare and one the high hat and do kind of rhythmic stuff that way. I've been working on something similar to that doing a mozambique with my fingers and a clave with my thumb. Not for showing off though that's for a part where the music gets quite heavy.

Or you could get a whammy wah and do some nuts pitch shifted percussive stuff

Or you could do something nuts alternating between open strings and fretted strings really fast with the pick

Or you could get a drumstick and whack the strings, or use the stick as a kind of slide and do some percussive stuff by plucking, hitting it against the strings, and sliding it. That's quite cool.

I don't know much about using a pick.. You're right though, slapping and arpeggios are both whack.

[carl h.]

Pull out the theme from the Concierto de Aranjuez. Miles AND Spinal Tap have used it so you are in good company.