Local bass "hero"

[logicman69]

The old bass player for my current band actually got fired for playing too many notes. Standard Rock cover tunes and he was basically shredding on all of them. His excuse was he was bored playing those songs. Pretty much the exact opposite of me who tends to be a minimalist player, only really playing what is necessary.

 

[123321]

Some people are born to solo... What do you do with a cat like this? Get out of his way...



I love "hot crap" playing but, seriously, so many instruments are better suited to the solo (read: solely melody) role...

I mean you have Scott LaFaro, Jaco, and too many to list but- i.e.: too many drum solos seems to be liken to what you're talking about. On the other hand, a masterful drum solo?

 

[Altitude]

No harm in a bass player learning how to take a blow. If you're going to do it, do it well, because all sucky solos suck, no matter what instrument.

It still won't be your main role, but now and then maybe you find a gig where it works for you to do that and the audience likes it. If you like it too, everyone wins. It sounds like that was the case for this guy.



Editorially, I like bass solos when they are executed well. Since they usually bring the dynamic of the song down and build it back up again, they are an effective "moment" for a band who is cognizant of building "moments" into the set.

 

[Altitude]

Here are a couple solos that, to my ears, do nothing but help the song.

Check out Oteil at 5:20 of this Allman Brothers tune. It's a very laid-back solo, never gets away from the groove, and never ceases to play the bass role. Sadly the video cuts before we get to see what happens after - but I can't imagine an audience taking exception to this:



Vic Wooten with the Dave Matthews Band, his solo at 6:25. It's more of a solo-y solo, but very tasteful solo with well-chosen notes. It would be a nice solo if it were played note-for-note on any instrument.



I guess my point is bass solos suck when they suck and they don't when they don't.

 

[Altitude]

Editorially, I like bass solos when they are executed well. Since they usually bring the dynamic of the song down and build it back up again, they are an effective "moment" for a band who is cognizant of building "moments" into the set.

What I mean by "moment" is to use something to disrupt the flow of a set, get people's attention, create texture in the entertainment, make the show into something beyond a live version of the radio.

Check out what this band does at about 6:22 - they hit the brakes monumentally in the tune and very visibly hand it over to the bass player to build it back up again. In my opinion, he could have done it better, but the technique is useful in constructing a memorable show:

 

[40Hz]

Be cool if he always practiced what he's preaching IMO, but I think Vic speaks the truth below. And it applies to more than just soloing when it comes to bass:

 

[aprod]

A musician knows when and how to solo. If you consider yourself only a bass player better to not solo. Learn your craft and raise your level of musicianship.

 

[123321]

WOW!! That's what I'm talkin' about!! I bookmarked that Oteil solo... CAT'S GREAT!!! Thanks for the post man!!


Upon a re-listen- looks like everybody's diggin' it... Even Jaimoe...


In all fairness, while you've posted the Allman Brothers post- there may be someone on here that hasn't heard Berry Oakley's solo on Mountain Jam from Eat A Peach... Worth a YouTube search...

If you've not worn that thing out already and considering time, place, mentors, et al- put some Duct tape on your jaw between your ears before listening...

 

[Biggbass]

There's nothing better, especially for classic rock, than a bass player who stays in the pocket, follows the kick and toms, and hits the root. Unless, of course it's Steely Dan or similar jazz or fusion stuff. But for basic rock and roll, More notes than necessary just clutters it up and dilutes the groove.
that's my opinion, others have theirs. But it gets bothersome listening to a bass player play more notes
than the guitar players.

 

[jaybones]

When I first moved to bass from guitar, I was in the music store I ended up teaching for and was checking out the basses with my best fried and our lead guitarist. I was playing some grooves, original bass lines I was writing for our songs, when in walked this guy named Larry Mullins. Claims to have played with The Ohio Players, stood there looking at us for a while then took the bass out of my hands. Started slapping and popping, playing some funky disjointed stuff (not even in any one key or mode), and handed the bass back. Said "That's how it done, boys."

We were both in our early 20's, and this guy was about 50. And dressed fly, like it was still the 70's. Or he was a pimp- butterfly collars, satin shirts, crazy colors, a long fake fur coat and a wide brimmed hat with a big fuzzy feather. And of course, he drove a late 70's Cadillac.

As Bootsy would have said "All day sucker!"

 

[radioface]

You don't have to play all the notes, just the right ones.

 

[4-stringB]

If what he's doing works for him, and what you're doing works for you, all's well. As Brother Prine so succinctly put it, "You are what ya are, and you ain't what ya ain't."

 

[jmverdugo]

I don't know, a power trio would seem like the right place to play like that, i mean, it's a band, they all can shine and if it works for his band mates then coolio!

 

[Gab124]

Interesting thread this one. I am a pocket player with fills put in along the way or an accent here and there, rarely a solo and when I do everyone wishes I hadn't . That playing is great and a lot of folks like it for sure, and I enjoy doing it. But I become sad when someone makes a statement about only "putting in necessary notes". Its like the bass should be in the back supporting things with no equal benefits of other musicians. A good bassist in a good band playing for the song can do so much more, or less, but shouldn't feel like only the necessary should be done - and where is the definition of necessary pertaining to bass anyway?. The audience will like it and react if it is done right. That Allman bothers tune above is a good example. That is rock. But, they tend to play for the ever growing jam band scene and those audiences want to hear the band in its entirety show their musicianship as well as groove. So, I would agree at the local Blues show "busy" would be frowned upon, but I sure enjoy getting to hear people who know how to do it and are not restricted by ambiguous rules. I think musicians are harder on each other than audiences are really. I have to reinforce my intent in saying when it is done right - a wanker with no direction is still a wanker ruining the song - guitar, bass, drums or other instrument of wankiness.

 

[Jimmy4string]

I'm thinking of two solos i like "Bassically" before NIB on Blacks Sabbath's first album and "Bass solo take one" from Metallica's "Kill em All" album before whiplash. If i saw a cover band do those live and played the songs that followed on the album i would be in rock and roll joy!

 

[Brad Johnson]

All I can take away from this is "why is a 20 something hipster" playing in a classic rock cover band??

Because it's a gig seems like an obvious reason.


The cool thing about a trio is the amount of room there can be. Doesn't mean you have to fill every open space but you can if you want to and more importantly,if that's what the group wants to do that's up to them.

Opinions about what other musicians do in other groups are obviously okay to have but don't miss the overriding fact that it's not you and you aren't in that situation. They clearly aren't playing for you, n offense... they're playing for people who dig what they do. Simple.

If you're not on the same level chops-wise get thee to the woodshed and work it out. THEN should you find yourself in a situation like his YOU can show the restraint that you think he should have.

I had a houseband gig where a guy I knew showed up often (never played) and expressed his opinions about me to a friend of mine. He didn't like my tone, didn't see why I "needed" so many different basses, wouldn't have played the song like I did, etc.
Didn't bother me, I figure haters are a natural by-product of doing something right. And bottom line, one of us was getting paid why the other was watching. So when I needed a sub because I had to be out of town... I asked him.

Fast forward to the night of the gig. My flight gets in before the club closes and because it's on my way home I stop by. As I came in the door he looked at me from the stage and raised his bass up as if to hand t to me. On the break he told me how much easier what I was doing seemed from the audience than on the stage. He'd been struggling most of the night.

So I do what I do... and don't worry about what others do. If I find myself critical of another bassist's work I immediately ask myself if it's based on envy. Envy can be a motivator just like many other things. I fondly remember a TBer stating
When I get in conversations with bassists who have a problem with other bassists' takes on things it usually doesn't turn out well. I hear people complaining because the BP is playing a song on an X bass when the recording was done on a Y bass and while I get it in an anal retentive way if I'm playing a song I'll play it the way "I" play it on whatever I choose to play it on. And IF I offend a couple of bassists out of the entire audience... who cares? Playing for a couple of bassists vs. doing the gig, the gig always wins for me.

 

[Bassmann79]

Look no further than Billy Sheehan explaining the difference between playing fast licks and lines versus making music. Rarely does playing fast lines make good music, in spots they can add spice but maintaining a solid pulsating rythum section is absolutely fundamental.

 

[PortlandBass77]

It's a 3 piece, what do you expect? This is exactly the reason people form 3 pieces, to be able to play flashier and have plenty of room for solos, plus it's just flat out fun to jam in a 3 piece.

 

[tubedude]

Play to support the song always. Instrumentals leave more room for wankery but restraint is the black backround that gives the sense of dynamics when you open up the throttle. If I hear a band where the bassist or guitarist thinks their getting paid by the note, I have to leave after a while, it's tiring. The best advice I ever got was "Don't blow all your cookies in the first 12 bars". I appreciate a skilled player that challenges the listener with unexpected phrasing and less conventional note choices, not by the number of mindless 64th notes per second.

 

[R Upsomegrub]

I play in a country/classic rock band. It's not unusual for me to get handed 1 or 2 solos a night (or 3). I don't consider myself a soloist and I don't ask for them; I pretty much stick to a supportive role with the occasional fill.

But, we are playing in a predominantly rural area, lots of small towns, etc, and while I make absolutely no claim of being a jazz monster, I guess I have enough in my vocabulary that the guys in the band find it interesting.