Melodic solo for church

Any major scale played in full is usually considered melodic depending on how it is played. It starts to turn a bit bluesy when played as a pentatonic scale. Figure out what key the rest of the band will be playing in and use the major scale of that key to solo over.

 

Just pick a tune you like and play the melody as spiritually as you can. Improvise some on the melody. If you can find a copy of Dave Holland's CD Ones All it is all unaccompanied bass. He does a beautiful version of God Bless The Child as well as other tunes. Marcus Miller's last CD Silver Rain he does the Lord's Prayer mainly on sax, but it will give you an idea of how to just take a melody and embellish on it and that is enough. Even start the tune and have the band join in will move people. It doesn't have to be fancy, if your soul comes thru job done.

 

Personally I have had good results from playing some traditional hymns as solo bass numbers. They are easily played, easily recognized and not many expect it in a contemporary setting. You mentioned being a beginner and so that might limit you to a single line type of melodic solo, I'm not sure of where you're at as a player. I have enjoyed coming up with arrangments of Amazing Grace, and What a Friend we have in Jesus done chordally in the upper register.

If that is a little more than you want to take on, have someone lay down some simple chord pads to one of these hymns and just work the melody. A little chorus and reverb can help you out too.

JKT

 

I played "Silent Night" on bass two Christmases ago. It sounded good. You can only play that in December though...

 

I'll second taking a hymn, and making a chord/melody arrangement out of it. I did this with O Holy Night this past Christmas time at our church. I was pleased at how it turned out. Well...OK, I was pleased with how I played it. It didn't turn out well except for what was coming from my cab because the sound idiot clipped the board with my signal and damaged a stage monitor... Oh well.

 

Most music or christian book stores have books of well known hymns/songs in solo arrangements for various instruments... Find one for Trombone/baritone, cello, tuba, etc... you may have to adjust octaves, but I would think sumpin' like that'd work alright...

 

Check out Victor Wooten's Amazing Grace. It's simple, elegant and damn cool.

I can find you some tabs or powertabs if you need them.