Bass solo

[Leftybass12]

So how do you compose a bass solo?

[MalcolmAmos]

When you get the lead break - play the tune to the verse or chorus - the melody. Most forgo that for one reason or the other and improvise using scale or mode notes. The chord and the melody should share some of the same notes - SOME OF THE SAME NOTES - when that happens the chord and the melody being played at that moment will harmonize and sound good. So... Pentatonic notes over the chord change --- http://www.looknohands.com/chordhous.../index_rb.html. C Chord, C major pentatonic will have three chord tones and two safe passing notes. Make a melodic phrase from those 5 notes. When the chord changes you've got another batch of 5 notes to create a new melodic phrase from.

Want to take it a little farther than that hook the melody to the lyrics - if your song has lyrics. That same C chord is being played and the lyrics over that chord are "Now is the time" Your pentatonic notes are C D E G A. I like:
C.....E..F.....G
Now is the time --- C, E, G, A fits as does low A, C, D, E, however it begs the Am chord. I just like C, E, F, G better. Your Improv do what you think best.

The F is not part of the pentatonic scale, however it is part of the C major scale and as it is only in play a short time it's looked upon as a passing note. If you want to hook lyrics to melody notes there is at least one melody note for each lyric word -- Lit-tle and Ma-ry would get two melody notes.

That's the basics - sing the lyrics, under your breath - helps with phrasing. A string of notes is noise IMO, gotta let the melody breath. Grab the pentatonic scale and just play the good notes - LOL. Go have fun.

[Passinwind]

Originally Posted by Leftybass12

So how do you compose a bass solo?

Sing it first, then play it. The singing part can happen silently eventually. You flat out have to learn the basic melody in some fashion to keep it real, IMHO.

[GreggBummer]

Originally Posted by MalcolmAmos

When you get the lead break - play the tune to the verse or chorus - the melody. Most forgo that for one reason or the other. The chord and the melody should share some of the same notes - SOME OF THE SAME NOTES - when that happens the chord and the melody being played at that moment will harmonize and sound good. So... Pentatonic notes over the chord change. C Chord, C major pentatonic will have three chord tones and two safe passing notes. Make a melodic phrase from those 5 notes. When the chord changes you've got another batch of 5 notes to create a new melodic phrase from.

That's the basic first rule of harmonization and will keep your improvisation interesting.

Good luck.

Well written. Thank you.

[greenboy]

Originally Posted by Passinwind

Sing it first, then play it. The singing part can happen silently eventually. You flat out have to learn the basic melody in some fashion to keep it real, IMHO.

Yeah, immersing in melody sense and people who excercise it is where it's at for many styles of bass soloing. Watching some Norman Granz Presents at Montreux jazz DVDs with lots of Niels-Henning Ørsted Pedersen solos that are killer. He's all over the neck, groovin' the whole time, extending the harmonic concepts and yet the first thing you hear is a singing sound.

It's obvious he doesn't just play changes. He's studied horn players who in turn were often of the opinion that knowing singer phrasing, melodies and lyrics was most important. He holds his own and then some. There's no sense that these are polite obligatory bass solos. His tone is well-recorded for the time too (1977), and he's very present in the mix.

[Passinwind]

Originally Posted by greenboy

Yeah, immersing in melody sense and people who excercise it is where it's at for many styles of bass soloing.

Not suggesting that you have to overtly play the melody, just that internalizing it really helps in many ways regardless of what form your solo ends up taking.

[Akshat]

Originally Posted by Passinwind

Sing it first, then play it. The singing part can happen silently eventually. You flat out have to learn the basic melody in some fashion to keep it real, IMHO.

'nuff said

[greenboy]

Originally Posted by Passinwind

Not suggesting that you have to overtly play the melody, just that internalizing it really helps in many ways regardless of what form your solo ends up taking.

Gotcha. I hear a lot of those great players not necessarily even touching the song's melody in their solos yet they are singing with the instrument in a way that totally fits.