Soloing

bass_drum · #1 03-13-2005, 04:01 PM

OK guys you may not like me for this but...

I want to learn to solo, but not with harmonics or slap or such, just like fingerstlye/pick. I guess u could call it soloing like a guitar. Now before you go all "

" on me just listen. Theres two reasons I want to do this:
1. I want to learn to put those stuck up guitarists in theyre place.
2. I just love the sound of a screaming solo like that.

So I'm wondering, are there any pointers you guys could give me? Are there any websites/books you guys would recomend? And what effects can I get that give me that heavy distorted/overdriven guitar sound?

Thanks,
~JB~

solitudeblind · #2 03-13-2005, 10:57 PM

This really isn't too helpful of a reply, but no one else really is replying right now so I'll try to help you out. Cliff Burton at times, when soloing, could sound A LOT like a guitarist with the tone he had, so you could look into what effects and amps he used if you want.

PlayTheBass · #3 03-13-2005, 11:09 PM

Steve Bailey does some of that guitar-type soloing on 6-string fretless. Maybe his instructional video with Victor Wooten might help you out, if someone who has it can comment on it.

Of course, having the higher string definitely helps!

Lorenzini · #4 03-14-2005, 12:56 AM

There is NOTHING wrong with a nice fingerstyle solo! I think "bass" solos, nothing but slapping or tapping is just stupid...

So, fingerstyle all the way. You're gonna have to practice a bit though. Find your favorite solo, and learn it top to bottom. Then do it over again with another solo, and keep doing it, and solo as much as possible

**Blackbird** · #5 03-15-2005, 11:23 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by bass_drum

OK guys you may not like me for this but...

I want to learn to solo[...]like a guitar. [...]two reasons I want to do this:
1. I want to learn to put those stuck up guitarists in theyre place.
2. I just love the sound of a screaming solo like that.

~JB~

The second reason I find legitimate (taste) but the first reason is not very good, IMO.

Attempting to solo just to spite another player won't do anything for your development. In fact, if you follow that road you'll most likely become as big a wanker as the people you're trying to prove a point to. The function of a solo is to create a break in the singing that doesn't lose the listener's interest (In the lack of a vocalist, whichever instrument is taking the lead is the singer).

Your best bet is to listen and transcribe solos that you like played by musicians you like, be it a guitar, a piano or a sax solo. Listen to how they articulate their notes, if they break them down in phrases and things like that.

Listen to the solos, learn them and play along with the recordings. Over time your ear will develop and you'll be able to write solos of your own.

By the way, think less "screaming" and more "singing". You'll be loved for it.

mkress77 · #6 03-16-2005, 02:55 AM

I wanna learn some bass solos so I don't look stupid when I go into a music store to try new gear.

Don W · #7 03-16-2005, 03:07 PM

BassBooks.com has some books and videos for soloing and improvisation.

lowphatbass · #8 03-17-2005, 09:34 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by mkress77

I wanna learn some bass solos so I don't look stupid when I go into a music store to try new gear.

Take it easy, you don't want to become one of those players that plays THE SAME EXACT THING EVERY TIME THEY ARE WARMING-UP, SOUNDCHECKING, TRYING OUT NEW GEAR, ETC!!ETC!!!ETC!!!!

YOU DO NOT WANT TO BE "ONE OF THEM"!!!!!!!!

Stewmc5222 · #9 03-18-2005, 12:31 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by bass_drum

... I want to learn to put those stuck up guitarists in theyre place...

to break yourself in both in terms of the frame of mind and the types of lines you might put together, check out Jeff Berlin's wild cover of "Crossroads"!

Lorenzini · #10 03-18-2005, 01:36 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by mkress77

I wanna learn some bass solos so I don't look stupid when I go into a music store to try new gear.

Hmmmm
If you care that much you should ask yourself why you're playing music in the first place.

taviswardlaw · #11 03-18-2005, 05:19 AM

one thing Victor wooten talks about... and you can hear it in his playing... as well as guys like Jaco and Nathan East is not only learning bass solos, but also sax solo's drum/percussion solos, keys solo's, vocal solo's.... at the moment i'm working heaps on learning to play bass like other instruments. Trying to get that kick drum power out of my raw technique or get the timbre of a scat solo with all those lovely bends and phrazings... it'll help u get ur own sound, and feel more comfortable with bass... but try and break out of the mindset that you're either slapping or tapping or going for harmonics or fingerstyling or picking or whatever... and just go after that sound that carries you and the band to a new place.

(now you just gotta work out what that sound is... but that's most of the fun.)

wulf · #12 03-18-2005, 05:29 AM

If you want to sound like a screaming, widdly-widdly-whee metal guitarist, then check out instructional materials about how to play metal guitar. Cop some classic guitar solos in that genre but on bass.

Of course, in the process, you'll discover that some of the tricks don't work so well, needing more (or skinnier) strings, whammy bars and the like. However, you'll probably pick up a lot of ideas in the process.

Somewhere along that route, you'll probably either decide that your real role in life is to be a lead guitarist or you'll pick up some of the beautiful sounds that can come in a bass solo.

Wulf

bass_drum · #13 03-18-2005, 03:44 PM

Sweet. I've recently ATTEMPTED tap solos and such, but I really have no idea what to do. I read thats tuff about creating basslines with taping wich didnt help to much. Any directions to point me in?

Stewmc5222 · #14 03-18-2005, 04:19 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by bass_drum

Sweet. I've recently ATTEMPTED tap solos and such, but I really have no idea what to do. I read thats tuff about creating basslines with taping wich didnt help to much. Any directions to point me in?

if you want to get into tapping, there are really 3 things you need in terms of knowledge (I won't even get into the set up of the bass):

- know and understand how to use chords and scales
- know your neck inside-out
- realize that rhythm is key to this style of play

what tap does is come at the bass in a more pianistic way, so you have to be able to separate your playing into 2 parts. the easist way to do this is to play a bass note or a bass part with one hand and a melodic or double stop part with the other.

everyone knows about Stu Hamm and Michael on the bass, but Victor Bailey is who Stu got the idea from. Greg Campbell and Jean Baudin are using it really well, I think.

from the lows,

Stew

mkress77 · #15 03-19-2005, 01:42 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Lorenzini

Hmmmm
If you care that much you should ask yourself why you're playing music in the first place.

Yeah, that was a joke. Thanks for criticising me though.

Sojhen · #16 03-19-2005, 02:38 AM

I've never actually slapped of ("fingered" that always sounds funny to me..) on the bass, the only thing I've really been doing is finger picking, fast articulation of notes etc, I don't mind the sound of slap for maybe a minute at most but after that it sounds annoying in my eyes..... I don't now maybe it's just me...

Sound Chaser · #17 03-19-2005, 08:52 AM

I can't believe nobody has mentioned Billy Sheehan yet. When it comes to those kind of solos, he's the best. Go to www.billysheehan.com and get "Birds of Prey", if you have real player. It's an incredible solo.

Stewmc5222 · #18 03-19-2005, 10:56 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Sound Chaser

I can't believe nobody has mentioned Billy Sheehan yet. When it comes to those kind of solos, he's the best. Go to www.billysheehan.com and get "Birds of Prey", if you have real player. It's an incredible solo.

Randy Coven plays in a similar vein.

bass_drum · #19 03-19-2005, 12:37 PM

What kind of techniques/distortion/what not, could I use when palying a solo during a song. This solo would be played isntead of a guitar solo, so the guitars would be playing aswell, and as most of us have encountered, when a bass is doing a solo everyone has to go quiet. Well I want them to still be playin nice and loud and I should stil be heard. Since we only get covered up because of the low frequencies, what would happen if i put on distortion, would I be heard much better then? If so, what kind of distortion pedals should I look into?

Stewmc5222 · #20 03-19-2005, 12:41 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by bass_drum

What kind of techniques/distortion/what not, could I use when palying a solo during a song... Well I want <the guitars> to still be playin nice and loud and I should stil be heard...

if you simply want to be heard then you don't need anything more fancy than a preamp, but you can boost your signal during a solo with many different effects.