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Is it weird to not want a solo?

#21
turbo chicken said:
only way i can relate is a cover song my band plays by Moe "Happy Hour Hero"

there's a part in there where i play a "solo" but really it's just me playing the songs groove by myself for a few bars ... more of a "breakdown" if you ask me. But it fits the song. To your note "it's the same thing i'm doing in the song"

but it sounds awesome on it's own
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I do that a lot in these songs. We have a song where the "breakdown" is just me playing an altered version of the regular verse riff with the drums while the guitars do feedback and funny sounds. I think it suits fine, I get my time to shine buts not forced or show-boating
 
#22
fjbass78 said:
+1. I can relate to this. Sometimes I feel there's a spot for a solo, and I'll start to solo, but the guitar player just doesn't pick up on it and moves along. If he does pick up on it, he'll stop playing too. Oh well, we'll work it out. I think it's important for every one to listen while playing.
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That's another one for me, too. It's bad when you're playing and think, "This is the perfect time for me to solo!" So you start to get into it, but no one is paying attention and attempts to comp you.

I really do believe bassists generally come at music with a completely different mindset than other players. We seem to catch on to subtle details more quickly than others. Not always, but I'd say usually.
 
#23
My band doesn't do solos.

One time, we were playing in this place where they were just going berserk over our drummer (who wasn't even all that GOOD,) and our guitar player, and they kept begging us for both a guitar and drum solo. (when does an audience EVER plead for a BASS solo?)

The drummer actually played a pretty good drum solo, because he was an egomaniac, and kind of played solo even when he was playing WITH US.

But our guitar player, who is EXCELLENT, simply didn't have anything prepared, and he did some rather painful wanking, and you could tell he was embarrassed about it. (He had good reason) The crowd LOVED it, of course, because they were all drunk and thought they'd heard Jimmy Page on a $2.00 Cover Charge, but I did tell him he might want to have a solo ready "just in case."

Overall, though, I would prefer NO solos EVER.

Bass solo?

I don't THINK SO!
 
#28
autodidact said:
I joined this band about a month ago that plays a sort of punk/stoner rock kind of thing, think Clutch or Queens of the Stone Age. I guess their last bass player wasn't too great because I learned 10 originals in 2 weeks and they were all pretty basic. I'm constantly getting the "wow you're awesome" kind of comments from them which is cool I don't mind it. However the other day the drummer suggested I take a "crazy bass solo" during a song and we ended up discussing with everyone how I, the bassist, didn't think the music really supported a crazy solo and that I was happy just doing my fills and spicing up the basic riffs. They looked at me like I had a second head. Is it really that strange?
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Don't listen or take serious any of that "your awesome"stuff. My new band sats the same thing to me. There is nothing awesome about me or my playing.

And your right, soloing in a punk band or rock band is really dated.

When I think of solos, it usually someone playing upright in a jazz band.
 
#29
bluewine said:
Don't listen or take serious any of that "your awesome"stuff. My new band sats the same thing to me. There is nothing awesome about me or my playing.

And your right, soloing in a punk band or rock band is really dated.

When I think of solos, it usually someone playing upright in a jazz band.
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I hope this was all sarcasm.
 
#31
I'm not afraid to say I think bass solos suck. It's just not a singing instrument. And I find jazz double-bass solos just as horrible to listen too. It's sounds painful (everything but natural) to the instrument.
 
#32
rhino333 said:
I've always felt that solos are only good if it serves the music. Solos are often too "self serving" putting the player ahead of the music and the music is what's most important.

Beyond that, I feel that I'm soloing all the time on bass. I'm adding melody as well as rhythm if I'm doing it right.

That being said, I occassionally take a solo and usually for the wrong reason(s):

  1. I'm badgered to the point where I give in. This will inevitably make me mad and make play a "Take a bit of THIS" solo. I actually kinda like those types when they happen, but should I really be playing out of anger???:hmm:
  2. It's needed because we need to "fill time". I think you didn't learn enough tunes.

Be who you are. Take the solo or not. If they don't get it, that's their thing to deal with. They may never get it, anyway.
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Beautiful description of a bass player's job. Glad to find others with a similar mentality.
 
#33
Actually, it seems like I'm the weird one here because I do want to solo, eventually, when I have the skills. In a way, I'm also an aspiring lead guitarist (but have dropped it for the time being to hone my bass skills). But as with most posters here, I wouldn't do bass solos for the sake of doing bass solos. They have to fit with the genre, with the groove, with the riffs.

So, no, I do not think it's weird for you to turn down solos. I am also pretty happy to be just a teamplayer and support the lead guitarist/ drummer.
 
#36
autodidact said:
However the other day the drummer suggested I take a "crazy bass solo" during a song and we ended up discussing with everyone how I, the bassist, didn't think the music really supported a crazy solo and that I was happy just doing my fills and spicing up the basic riffs. They looked at me like I had a second head. Is it really that strange?
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Nope, as long as you're not just dodging an opportunity to progress. As long as you can solo fluently and choose not to, fine. ;)
 
#37
I would love to be good enough to solo. I enjoy bass solos. I'm tired of the same old guitar solo, all the time, every song. I think the bass sings just fine, as long as the player knows what they are doing. Wanking just sucks, but that applies everywhere.
 
#38
I don't need to solo. I'm too handsome and far too good at attracting plenty of attention in other ways. Besides, except for country I'm not really into styles of music that have any kind of solos on any kind of instrument anyway.
 

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