I'd rather listen to a great supporting bassline than a solo but it depends on the situation, I guess..
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So...Who Enjoys A Bass Solo?
- Thread starter Fat Freddy
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If it's good, every post's a winner. And I'm IN
Solo anything and everything 
Dug this little gem up not so long ago, for those who are this way inclined 
You know that little bass solo break in "Brown Eyed Girl?" Anything more than something like that is an exercise in...well, let's say "self pleasure."
A good solo is a good solo and a bad solo is a bad solo, no matter what the instrument.
Jazz (and it's grandaddy: the blues) are primarily improvisational musical idioms. The solo is the the heart and soul of those styles. So in that respect yes, soloing is required. But not every instrument in the ensemble needs to take one.
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I don't much care for soloing in general. And if someone is going to solo, I prefer they be playing a melody instrument when they do. The two instruments I least want to hear soloing are the bass and drums.
I'm from the same school as the rocker (I forget who it was) who said you should never put a guitar solo in a rock song just because you're too lazy to write an additional verse of lyrics.
I'm from the same school as the rocker (I forget who it was) who said you should never put a guitar solo in a rock song just because you're too lazy to write an additional verse of lyrics.
^^^ Not if the whole room's dancing
Although one of the most reliable methods known for quickly clearing the dance floor is to start a bass or drum solo.
Funny thing that. I'm the exact opposite.
As a bass player, I can tolerate far less wankery and self-indulgence on a bass than I think the average listener is willing to put up with.
Evidence to the contrary, in post #22Although one of the most reliable methods known for quickly clearing the dance floor is to start a bass or drum solo.
buldog5151bass
Kibble, milkbones, and P Basses. And redheads.
I hate soloing. I'm proficient. I grew up playing in the 80s when bass shredding and solo stuff was just takin off. I can play solos. And in one of my bands I'm asked to. As we're a 3 piece acoustic act doin crazy selections, no electric guitar, so I add familiar parts that our songs need; a bit of the guitar solos in Hotel California, the opening guitar to More than a Feeling, the end keyboard and guitar melodies in Kashmir, for example. I also play the piano breakdown in LRB's Lady. Anything I can do to make these familiar tunes even more familiar. But, after learning 5000 bass lines, and writing quite a few more, I had an epiphany... Every bass line is a solo already. First? There is rarely more than one bass guitarist in a band. Second, no one else follows the bass lines, and third, most bass lines are constructed and performed one note at a time. So, I hear every bass line as a solo that spans the tune. The bass line to What Is and What Should Never Be by Zep is a great example. It stands as a composition on it's own. Now, I can appreciate the Victor Wootens, Stu Hamm's, John Patittuccis and others who solo and step out lots. When I was young I aspired to be those guys. But, their songs did not move me in the same way as Maiden's, Boston's, Rush's, and so many others did. I "solo" for a project. Occasionally. But truthfully I feel every bass line is a solo. And I don't want the band to stop playing with me. The songs are why I play.
And in regard to Brown Eyed Girl mentioned above? I refuse that breakdown in bands I perform with. And give it to the drummer.
Evidence to the contrary, in post #22
To each their own. I'd be heading off to get another drink half a minute into that song. In fairness, the bass player did a decent enough performance even if it seemed like he was getting lost in a few places. But I still found the whole thing to be fairly boring. But slide guitar and anything resembling a shuffle beat tends to put me to sleep anyway.
But that's me. As I get older so does my patience. All part of the aging process I guess.
- Oct 22, 2015
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Altogether, I'd rather listen to a melodic bass player weave and bob through the rhythms and changes than listen to a solo. It's much more engaging, and entertaining to me.
I'm surprised SSF hasn't been mentioned yet (particularly this live rendition) since this is an example where the solo part, for me at least, puts this rendition far beyond any other. It also helps that Neil is tearing up the normal bassline into a solo anyways.
Please watch all the way through.
Please watch all the way through.
I can enjoy a short bass solo (even from a virtuoso) but any more than a minute or so, I get bored. I respect "slappers", but even that is boring to listen to for any length of time for me.
