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Bass solo in jazz content

H

hellofromming

Jan 18, 2012
122
67
#1
Hello folks! I have a question...
I play jazz sometimes, and in jazz, there is plenty of chances to play solo. I usually record my band practise and while I solo, I didn't sound too good.

Without the walking bass, my times suffer, but more than that, the band dynamic drops a lot without walking bass, and the pianist and gtrist layout. The drummer also play a lot softer.

Also, my solo sounds like without something concrete to hold together. It sounds like a bunch of phrases as line and the groove suffer.

I personally like,'in jazz context, Steve swallow solo. Ive noticed he played something very simple or even walking bass. Otherwise using motive per different chords.

Btw I played electric bass...
 
#4
Try starting your phrases on the 3rd of the chord instead of the roots. A good trick for playing through changes is to start your phrase on the 3rd and end it on the 7th. This gives you smooth voice leading through the changes. If you keep practicing this you'll get more fluent with this. Try it-it really helps!
I'd also recommend this book:
http://www.shermusic.com/new/1883217008.shtml
 
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#6
Roy Vogt said:
Try starting your phrases on the 3rd of the chord instead of the roots. A good trick for playing through changes is to start your phrase on the 3rd and end it on the 7th. This gives you smooth voice leading through the changes. If you keep practicing this you'll get more fluent with this. Try it-it really helps!
I'd also recommend this book:
http://www.shermusic.com/new/1883217008.shtml[/QUOTE
]

Thanks for ur recommendations! Will surely check it out!
Click to expand...
 
#7
hellofromming said:
Sometimes I think, the drummers play soft during bass solo in 50 60s record coz at that time there is no bass amplification in the past... Now seems many drummers are doing that
Click to expand...
That's what informed the tradition. It's definitely possible to get fluent with playing unaccompanied bass solos by practicing them. If you need to initially set a metronome on beats 2 and 4 to keep your phrasing in time that's perfectly OK. This is definitely a process.
 
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#8
hellofromming said:
Sometimes I think, the drummers play soft during bass solo in 50 60s record coz at that time there is no bass amplification in the past... Now seems many drummers are doing that
Click to expand...

I think you're right about that, and it's a complaint I see fairly often. Have you talked to your bandmates? Surely you could work on that and they could practice comping to bass as if anyone else was soloing. Maybe invest in a boost pedal to work around any volume issues?
 
#9
Nashrakh said:
I think you're right about that, and it's a complaint I see fairly often. Have you talked to your bandmates? Surely you could work on that and they could practice comping to bass as if anyone else was soloing. Maybe invest in a boost pedal to work around any volume issues?
Click to expand...

I've talked to them... And they quite often forget that... And also in jam session other musicians are doing that too.

Yes maybe a volume pedal or increase the mid may helps.
 
#10
Roy Vogt said:
That's what informed the tradition. It's definitely possible to get fluent with playing unaccompanied bass solos by practicing them. If you need to initially set a metronome on beats 2 and 4 to keep your phrasing in time that's perfectly OK. This is definitely a process.
Click to expand...

Yes uve inspired me to practise solo in metronome context instead of iRead Book or Jamey Aedersold's recording. It's closer to the real situation.
 
#12
hellofromming said:
I've talked to them... And they quite often forget that... And also in jam session other musicians are doing that too.

Yes maybe a volume pedal or increase the mid may helps.
Click to expand...

If they often "forget", there may be deeper issues at hand than meets the eye. But that's just conjecture based on TB threads in which bassists are treated kind of like the fifth wheel on the cart. Do you get that impression?

On jam sessions I could understand, but even then you could have some confidence and say, hold nothing back boys! In a band formation I would expect the band mates to listen to each other though. In more ways than one.
 
#13
Nashrakh said:
If they often "forget", there may be deeper issues at hand than meets the eye. But that's just conjecture based on TB threads in which bassists are treated kind of like the fifth wheel on the cart. Do you get that impression?

On jam sessions I could understand, but even then you could have some confidence and say, hold nothing back boys! In a band formation I would expect the band mates to listen to each other though. In more ways than one.
Click to expand...

I think they are very used to it to drop down the dynamic during bass solo. I think the dynamic will drop like crazy in fast song if the drummer hold back.
 
#14
I often find the other players are such beat sucks that when I stop the quarter note bus, they all fall off. Fortunately the leader in my workshop band fixes them. "He's been giving you quarters all night, can't you give him some now?"

I occasionally say, "I'm not playing unamped DB, I have this thing called a volume control. Play behind me or I'll go all Jaco on you" );

It does take a different skill to solo in these situations. It will just show you how good you are at knowing the form, usually you will know it much better than anyone else.
 
#15
hellofromming said:
Apart from Steve Swallow and Dario Deidda, is there any electric bassist who play great solo? ( in jazz context, maybe playing standards)
Thanks !
Click to expand...
Oh lots! Check out the last two Jeff Berlin releases (Low Standards and No Standards), Hadrien Feraud on his solo CD, with John McLaughlin and with Chick Corea's The Vigil, Jeff Andrews with Mike Stern, Stanley Clarke, Mike Pope, Jimmy Haslip with The Yellow Jackets, Teymur Phell, John Pattitucci, Tom Kennedy with Dave Weckl, Tal Wilkenfeld on her solo CD, Victor Wooten, Victor Bailey, Steve Bailey that's just the tip of the iceberg, there's lots of players these days.
 
#16
tkozal said:
I often find the other players are such beat sucks that when I stop the quarter note bus, they all fall off. Fortunately the leader in my workshop band fixes them. "He's been giving you quarters all night, can't you give him some now?"

I occasionally say, "I'm not playing unamped DB, I have this thing called a volume control. Play behind me or I'll go all Jaco on you" );

It does take a different skill to solo in these situations. It will just show you how good you are at knowing the form, usually you will know it much better than anyone else.
Click to expand...

Ur leader must be bass player himself...

Yes, without the quarter note, the energy of the swinging groove reduces. I guess the challenge is we have to able to outline the changes for others to know where we are without the walking bass outlining the quarter note and harmony.
 
#17
Roy Vogt said:
Oh lots! Check out the last two Jeff Berlin releases (Low Standards and No Standards), Hadrien Feraud on his solo CD, with John McLaughlin and with Chick Corea's The Vigil, Jeff Andrews with Mike Stern, Stanley Clarke, Mike Pope, Jimmy Haslip with The Yellow Jackets, Teymur Phell, John Pattitucci, Tom Kennedy with Dave Weckl, Tal Wilkenfeld on her solo CD, Victor Wooten, Victor Bailey, Steve Bailey that's just the tip of the iceberg, there's lots of players these days.
Click to expand...


Thanks... Actually I was once the student of Jeff Berlin. Just forgot to mention his name...

Teymur Phell is a new name for me, I will check him out !!
 
#18
I don't really get this. Is the OP saying he does not want the other band members to drop out or back off their volumes while comping under his solo?

Learn the melodies to the tunes you're playing. As mentioned, practice with only a metronome or nothing. Play the melody unaccompanied in practice, including a few variations and embellishments. In the beginning make it about phrases, not improvisation. Try boost, chorus, compression, or fretless to give those melodies a big sustaining vocal quality.

When you get comfortable with your melodic material, I seriously doubt you're going to want your band mates stepping all over your solo space. Just a nice even backbeat and the occasional chord to mark where you are in the progression.
 
#20
angryclown5 said:
I don't really get this. Is the OP saying he does not want the other band members to drop out or back off their volumes while comping under his solo?

Learn the melodies to the tunes you're playing. As mentioned, practice with only a metronome or nothing. Play the melody unaccompanied in practice, including a few variations and embellishments. In the beginning make it about phrases, not improvisation. Try boost, chorus, compression, or fretless to give those melodies a big sustaining vocal quality.

When you get comfortable with your melodic material, I seriously doubt you're going to want your band mates stepping all over your solo space. Just a nice even backbeat and the occasional chord to mark where you are in the progression.
Click to expand...


Yes thanks for suggestion and I am still learning
 

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