Bass Solo - Latin feel?

[Blair_thejrs]

How would one go about creating a bass solo with a kind of latin feel..examples are nice. Im using either A Minor or A Minor Harmonic scales.

I have an exam next week and jsut got given a song last week and have never realy solo'd before so im not very good at this and need a few hints.

Thanks alot,
Blair

 

[Toronto Bassist]

What kind of Latin? Brazilian? Afro-Cuban? Argentinian?

 

[Blair_thejrs]

A very smooth and slow latin (90 bpm in 4/4) All it says on the piece is latin and I dont realy play latin much so dont know the different ones sorry.

 

[Toronto Bassist]

Well, it's probably a bossa nova I imagine. Just keep it simple, stick to notes that fit with the chord and just keep it melodic. You don't have to make it a technical showcase or anything.

 

[PimasterPearson]

Sometimes I record myself singing "da da da" syllables over a chord progression to get solo ideas. I agree with the opinion that if this is a smooth and slower piece, keeping it melodic and not highly technical is a good way to go. Try to make your bass sound like a singer's voice!

 

[MalcolmAmos]

I'm quoting The Bottom Line.

"As far as the bass is concerned, the primary notes of concern (in Latin music) are the root and the fifth, and the chief "target" beats are 1 and 3. This runs contrary to the swing concept of emphasizing 2 and 4 and concentrating on thirds and sevenths instead of fifths".

We have one "Latin" piece in our selections, I do it badly. It is a feel thing and I do not have the feel.

 

[Blair_thejrs]

Thanks alot, Any good ways of creating melodic basslines..I can always start play one bar and I end up repeating a note 8 times whilst I think of somewhere to go. By that time the 8 bar solo is finished.

 

[MalcolmAmos]

Going to address melodic solo first then touch on melodic bass lines.

Major or minor pentatonic will get some melody into your solo.
Major pentatonic = R-2-3-5-6
Minor pentatonic = R-b3-4-5-b7
Blues scale = 1, b3, 4, #4, 5, b7



One problem with using the full mode pattern for a bass line is you will be in competition with the melody line. So for a bass line think of using selected Phrygian notes in your bass line like the Root and the b2, b3, and b7. I liked R-b2-b3-b6 better. Then as mentioned earlier the R-5 is important in Latin music so try R-b2-5-b7 for a bass line under a Phrygian melody. Experiment see what sounds best.



Have fun.

 

[Toronto Bassist]

Honestly, if it's just a simple 8-bar solo for an exam, just learn part of the melody and add a few embellishments - no muss, no fuss. If they don't have the melody on a chart, just learn it by ear.

 

[Blair_thejrs]

Still having no luck with getting anything decent...exam is looming anymore advice? or even some common licks etc the solos in "Rockschool Grade 6 - Garage Week" incase anyone knows the one.

Thanks again and for the speedy replies
Blair