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Double Bass Slow solos over fast jazz tunes

project_c

project_c

May 8, 2008
1,592
1,870
London, UK
#1
This is something I struggle with from time to time, so I'm wondering if anyone has any general advice, and if possible, some good examples of good slow bass solos over fast tunes, as I'd like some ideas to transcribe and study. My reason for asking for this is I often get asked to solo over tunes like St Thomas at ridiculous speeds, and I just don't have the ability to keep up at that speed, or the vocabulary to deal with it appropriately in a slow and tasteful way. I usually either revert to something close to the melody - ie the melody with some chops thrown in - or I start fumbling around with 8th / 16th notes and make a mess. Either way I know I need to work on it.

Generally, my impression is that during bass solos on jazz recordings, a lot of the time the solos will start out slow but that often just serves as an introduction to fast virtuoso-style 16th note soloing, even on crazy fast tunes. Are there any good examples that avoid this, but are still considered to be great solos? I'm working on speed and technique a lot but in the meantime I have tunes to get through and I don't want to be the one in the band who says 'no solo for me thanks' whenever a fast tune is called. I'm ok with 'normal' solos on tunes up to about 180bpm, but after that I find things tricky and feel like I need a different approach to get through it. Or taking a tune like Footprints - I feel like the Wayne Shorter 'slow' version needs a completely different approach to the Miles 'fast' version, I can't just pull out a similar idea but play it faster, it doesn't work. So this is where I could use some help / advice.

Hope this makes sense! Thanks.
 
#4
project_c said:
This is something I struggle with from time to time, so I'm wondering if anyone has any general advice, and if possible, some good examples of good slow bass solos over fast tunes, as I'd like some ideas to transcribe and study. My reason for asking for this is I often get asked to solo over tunes like St Thomas at ridiculous speeds, and I just don't have the ability to keep up at that speed, or the vocabulary to deal with it appropriately in a slow and tasteful way. I usually either revert to something close to the melody - ie the melody with some chops thrown in - or I start fumbling around with 8th / 16th notes and make a mess. Either way I know I need to work on it.

Generally, my impression is that during bass solos on jazz recordings, a lot of the time the solos will start out slow but that often just serves as an introduction to fast virtuoso-style 16th note soloing, even on crazy fast tunes. Are there any good examples that avoid this, but are still considered to be great solos? I'm working on speed and technique a lot but in the meantime I have tunes to get through and I don't want to be the one in the band who says 'no solo for me thanks' whenever a fast tune is called. I'm ok with 'normal' solos on tunes up to about 180bpm, but after that I find things tricky and feel like I need a different approach to get through it. Or taking a tune like Footprints - I feel like the Wayne Shorter 'slow' version needs a completely different approach to the Miles 'fast' version, I can't just pull out a similar idea but play it faster, it doesn't work. So this is where I could use some help / advice.

Hope this makes sense! Thanks.
Click to expand...
I got two words for you: Charlie Haden
 
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#7
project_c said:
Great suggestions so far, thanks everyone! Love the Charlie Haden stuff, I especially love his solo on Beatrice but haven't spent time looking into him specifically until now.
Click to expand...
Glen Moore, from Oregon, might be worth listening to. "Winter Light" is a CD that has him in good form (except for one foray into fretless electric -- out of tune, mostly), and he is a very economical player in a setting that requires lots of interplay and at least one solo on a quick tune, as I recall.
 
#8
matthewbrown said:
Glen Moore, from Oregon, might be worth listening to. "Winter Light" is a CD that has him in good form (except for one foray into fretless electric -- out of tune, mostly), and he is a very economical player in a setting that requires lots of interplay and at least one solo on a quick tune, as I recall.
Click to expand...

Thank you! I will check him out, i don't mind an occasional out of tune fretless from time to time.
 
#9
A short example of zen-like soloing at 3:55.



...and 5:53.



I think the key is to get to the point to where your melodic sense is so strong, it overrides any perceived lack of motion when you aren't playing a lot of notes.

One way of doing this is by motivic development. Nothing sounds more "right" than a phrase that repeats through different changes, building tension, then resolving as the "payoff". Charlie does this in spades.
 
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#10
Know the dilemma, particularly if you are doing a third set later. There only some many times you can beat them over the head.

You don't want a 'where you going with this' stall so burst flatted fifth triads or something to fill a space, maybe move your hand position. Whatever you need to maintain some context while slowing the solo down, contrasting the tempo. The band usually drops down.

I feel more adventurous with a drummer I know. They'll follow you and reliably return to where you left it groove.

I suggest you go for it, 25-33% of the time, get out there and create. Listen to it ask and answer questions. Give the band a handle every now and again but get into moving up and down and all around.
 

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