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Bass Solo's

#21
Baryonyx said:
The fact is, the forum didn't need you to state your opinion on this matter. It's like the old "I don't like jaco" threads. Fair enough, thats how you feel, but you're asking for an argument over a sensitive subject.
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"Sensitive subject?" Methinks there are some heavy-baggage issues at work here and they have nothing to do with the OP or his (opinionsarewhatkeepthisboardalive) post.

Check out, "How to Build a Great Bass Solo in Five Minutes While Working For The Thought Police" by Husher Moufs. Truly a classic that we've seen on here before. :o

I prefer solos that are interesting throughout their duration, no matter the instrument. Tall order. I also like some accompaniment to help flesh it out but then it's not a "solo" anymore. ;)

A great pianist could probably hold my attention the longest soloing.
 
#22
jerry said:
I know it's rare but, one of the most memorable bass solos I've seen was by bassist Tony Gad at a Aswad show.
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Got much respect for Tony Gad. I've never had the pleasure of seeing Aswad live. I'm pretty sure I'd have rather seen them when Brinsley Forde was still with the group (I only keep earlier Aswad albums haha). Their pop crossover success is not something I've embraced.


EDIT
Oh and we should be able to say if we do or don't like and/or prefer solos without it getting out of hand. Doesn't seem that hard. If two folks wanna argue they can PM each other.
 
#24
A forum in itself is plenty of room to argue. Room to argue is all over this place with all of us having different basses, different amount of strings, different music, different religions, different ideas of who the best bassist is or isn't, doesn't mean nothing gonna happen seen, and if it happens to, it's one of the natures of us having differences and strong feelings about the things which make us different.

You know what this place would be like if mods guaranteed that arguments couldn't happen? .....gay
 
#25
Baryonyx said:
The fact is, the forum didn't need you to state your opinion on this matter. It's like the old "I don't like jaco" threads. Fair enough, thats how you feel, but you're asking for an argument over a sensitive subject.
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Damn! Listen up everybody! Do NOT state your opinion on matters that are sensitive to Baryonyx.( whatever those are) You need to take a pill dude.:scowl:
 
#26
I don't mind listening to the occasional bass solo as long as it is short and going somewhere. Someone mentioned Entwistle's My Generation. Perfect solo. Very tasteful in my opionion. The Jaco's and the Wooten's are great players and their solos are beautiful, but just bore me.

I play in an 8 piece band sometimes. Guitarist, keyboardist, sax, bari, and trumpet. We play jam songs sometime and everyone gets a turn to solo. Yuk. To me it is so arkward when everyone takes a solo and then they point to me for my turn. I have nothing musical to say after all of that noodling. All the notes have been played already. I just bow out and play the root notes.

After playing with these guys for 3 years they still don't get it. I am sure that anyone listening or dancing at this point has already given up.
 
#28
Baryonyx said:
Some like bass solos, some don't like bass solos. No-one changes anyone elses mind with threads like these, but it gives people plenty of room to argue their point of view. I'd appreciate if you could not post veiled insults at me in future, lest I need to report your actions to a mod for breaking the usage agreement.
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I inferred that you have "baggage" when it comes to bass solos from your previous derogatory posts-
Someone starts a thread about their irrelevant and inflammatory opinion...
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The fact is, the forum didn't need you to state your opinion on this matter.
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I deduced that this was, in fact, "heavy-baggage" due to your personal/insulting attacks on the OP with nary a position statement directed towards the actual subject at hand.

Please don't feel insulted. Now I feel bad for making you feel insulted. Maybe you had a bad night, week, or even month, clearing the dance floor or even the room with every solo note you plucked. If that's the case then it is understandable to maintain a dour opinion of those who wish to discuss bass solos. Maybe the opposite occurs and you are getting stage rushed by the mob. You haven't said.

This board has always had the ability to help bassists who are accomplished players, in addition to those who are struggling but we have to know wherein the problem lies. Please share with us your thoughts on bass soloing. Too short? Too long? Timing issues? Tone issues? Stage fright? Jealous bandmates?

Report me if you must but please remember-
We are here to help. :bassist:
 
#29
Intune said:
Maybe you had a bad night, week, or even month, clearing the dance floor or even the room with every solo note you plucked. If that's the case then it is understandable to maintain a dour opinion of those who wish to discuss bass solos.
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You clearly have no idea of how to address anyone with respect, do you?

FWIW, I hadn't even stated my opinion on bass soloing. It's as good as any instrument when it's done well, if it's done badly then it's just as bad as any other instrument. Sadly, I expected the "poor content" of this thread to come from generic "lolz bass s0l0s suk!!11!!!1!" type comments, not from being insulted outright for a perceived position on the issue that I hadn't even stated.

Funny though, that those who complain about bass solos are the guys who can never play well enough to do them. Enjoy your root notes and your pumping 8ths...:rolleyes:
 
#30
A bass solo is just as cool as a solo done on any other instrument imo. But just as it is with other instruments, it shouldn't be too long....A solo (any instrument) shouldn't be more than a minute tops (if it's longer than that it should be VERY cool)
 
#33
Long solos on most instruments bore me.
Most guitar solos bore me silly.

Because most aren't all that good, or musical, or interesting.

A good, musical solo, on almost any instrument (certainly on any instrument with a tone I enjoy) is a beautiful thing.
If a solo is emotionally expressive and musically solid, I'm good with it. Bass or otherwise.

If a solo is an excuse for showing off without much regard for music or emotional content, I get bored...

I attended (and briefly taught at) a good sized music school. I heard a lot of guys who woodsheeded for literally 10 or more hours per day. That was all they did. They had phenomenal chops, and could go "weedle weedle weedle" at astounding speeds.

But they had virtually no life experience. Their solos mostly commuicated "I've locked myself in a room for 10 hours a day. Never been on a date. Never had my heart broken. Never did much of anything but practice. Aren't I hot shizzle?"
Yawn.

Give me a solo, on whatever instrument, that moves me and makes me feel something.
 
#34
Baryonyx said:
You clearly have no idea of how to address anyone with respect, do you?



Funny though, that those who complain about bass solos are the guys who can never play well enough to do them. Enjoy your root notes and your pumping 8ths...:rolleyes:
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Nowhere in my OP did I say bass solos were stupid nor did I condemn anyone for liking them.
All I said was I get bored very quickly listening to them after a short period of time. It is funny though how most times the people who are offended by nothing at all, most times think they are better than they really are. I don't know that you are like that ,but you're acting like it.
 
#36
Baryonyx said:
You clearly have no idea of how to address anyone with respect, do you?

FWIW, I hadn't even stated my opinion on bass soloing. It's as good as any instrument when it's done well, if it's done badly then it's just as bad as any other instrument. Sadly, I expected the "poor content" of this thread to come from generic "lolz bass s0l0s suk!!11!!!1!" type comments, not from being insulted outright for a perceived position on the issue that I hadn't even stated.

Funny though, that those who complain about bass solos are the guys who can never play well enough to do them. Enjoy your root notes and your pumping 8ths...:rolleyes:
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Read brother, read. Don't parse my comments. It makes you look bad. I asked for your opinion to ascertain your position whilst fully realizing you hadn't done so. Read and take a breath. Life is too short. :bassist:

Thanks for the links, great stuff!
 
#37
Baryonyx said:
The fact is, the forum didn't need you to state your opinion on this matter. It's like the old "I don't like jaco" threads. Fair enough, thats how you feel, but you're asking for an argument over a sensitive subject.
Click to expand...

PLEASE...The problem doesn't seem to me, that some are voicing an opinion,but that some others seem too insecure to handle it.
It's only personal , subjective opinions nothing more, nothing less.

NICE LINKS,THANKS!!! :-))
 
#38
O_o okaaay, so no one here thinks that Cliff Burton's solo from Orion was absolutely awesome? Or at least worth credit? ah well...
A good bass solo is hard to come by, especially these days , so when I hear stuff like Geddy's YYZ and Cliff's Anesthesia and think well these guys just outdone themselves.

But yeah a sweeet bassline is just as innovative :P
 
#39
I think that the solo in Rage Against the Machine song-Bulls on parade is the perfect way to do a bass solo, just a little filler over the guitar thats a couple of bars, if you go to listen to it, its about 2:15 in.
 
#40
DreadyDiggs said:
You know what this place would be like if mods guaranteed that arguments couldn't happen? .....gay
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You mean it would go on dates with men, listen to showtunes and sport a rainbow bumper sticker?:confused:

I've spent most of my musical life listening to prog-rock, fusion and jazz, so I like solos. However, recently I decided that a good number of bass solos are kind of bad.

In jazz and fusion, if a player is playing what they hear in their head - not just running licks - and making an original statement, chances are I'm going to like it. Solos in just about every other form of music have a "look-what-I-can-do" element to them that usually exist to make an audience say "he played a lot of notes, he must be good!"

I also have a problem with the soloed bridge pickup sound most guys use when they solo. It worked for Jaco (I know many disagree) but it sounds so boink-y and anemic when everybody else does it.

I think the perfect bass solo is Willie Weeks on "Voices Inside (Everything Is Everything)" from the Donny Hathaway live album. That solo tells a story, entertains the audience, lets Willie show off, and it is done on a P-bass with the tone knob rolled off so it actually SOUNDS LIKE A BASS. Its also a longer solo but the listener (and the audience on the recording) never get bored.
 

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