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Soloing on Bass

robin_hood

robin_hood

May 13, 2014
11
0
Kampala, Uganda
#1
I find it hard to do solos..... I've tried occassionally during gigs but they jus ain't that great. Yeah I know the scales and shapes n all but I donno.....it jus doesn't come to me......
N the solos I'm talking about ain't like practiced solos,those are fine. I mean improv on stage n all. Like dudes jus say "solo man" n I take it down...
Anyone got a tip? or like something that worked for u.
 
#4
I'll start by saying I'm no great soloist, period. I've worked on soloing mostly by noodling during my practice at home. I began with walking lines, even for non-walking bass tunes, and then expanded. Something else I've had success with is learning the head, the melody, of the tune in question, and embellishing it. I still try to think melodies, not notes, when soloing.
 
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#6
It's hard for me too. Switching from focusing on the baseline to a solo is a big switch to do fast, and I don't always pull it off.

What I find makes a big difference in pulling off a good solo is:

1. Having the song completely memorized so that when I'm playing the bass line or comping I can pay pretty full attention to everyone else's playing, and so when I'm soloing I'm not mapping out or counting chord changes.

2. Having the melody memorized enough that I don't have to think about it. Often though, my solos are best when I "sorta" know the melody :).

3. Knowing the key centers and avoid notes.

4. Playing solos.
 
#7
What bass solos by your favorite players have you learned by ear and analyzed musically?

If the answer is "none of them" then that's your problem right there. "Soloing" doesn't mean "play the first notes that pop into your head." It is more like learning a new language---you'll learn much quicker if you listen to native speakers. ;)
 
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#8
Start with a little line based on the melody and the key of the song, develop some kind of motif and start simple, then you can start adding scale runs and arpeggios based on that key, then when the time comes start substituting scales, arpeggios or even using modes that you know will work and sound good over the key center of the song.
 
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#9
I will give you a specific example:

One of the most discussed/admired bass solos here on TalkBass is Victor Wooten's rendition of "Amazing Grace." (Look it up on Youtube if you're not familiar.)

It is true that Victor uses many advanced soloing techniques that might not be accessible for a beginner.

However, "Amazing Grace" itself is such an incredibly simple and catchy tune that even an absolute beginner should be able to learn it by ear in a single practice session.

So, start by learning "Amazing Grace" by ear, and your soloing WILL improve, because you are simultaneously training your ear and building a vocabulary of catchy and beloved melodies. Eventually someday you might catch up to (or surpass!) the things Wooten is able to do with this tune. But before he could do those things he first had to learn the song.
 
#10
joselorellano said:
Start with a little line based on the melody and the key of the song, develop some kind of motif and start simple, then you can start adding scale runs and arpeggios based on that key, then when the time comes start substituting scales, arpeggios or even using modes that you know will work and sound good over the key center of the song.
Click to expand...
This.
Build it off the vocal melody and ramp it up from there.
 
#12
Check out sax literature if you want to get serious about this. Those guys have a bazillion books and courses on it with great material.

One of it is this: Invalid Link Removed

Check out the video taken from the thread which gives you an overview of the most effective AND awesome-sounding ways to play around the melody:
 
#14
Do you know the chords of the songs you're playing? As bass players in the pop idiom it can be very easy to play songs without actually knowing the chords. So the first step is to know the chords. You then have to be able to know where in the song you are (be able to recognize what chord is passing by at any given time). This takes practice (I still struggle with it myself). Once you know the chords in the song and where they occur you'll have a much better reference/guide for your note choices. Transcribe jazz solos or heads (Charlie Parker, for example) and see how the note choices line up with the chords. The best thing you can probably do, though, is find a good teacher.
 
#15
Could I get a little help finding music with bass solos I can listen too..... Jus give me like artists n songs n I'll get em.
I think that learning the language mushroo said is a big factor.
I only heard a few bassists at gigs doin it once or twice plus maybe Flea in Aeroplane... but that's about it...
 
#17
Here is a good beginner bass solo for you to learn: "The Chain" by Fleetwood Mac at 3:00 of the song.
(But I recommend to learn the whole song, not just the solo, so you can understand how the solo develops out of the groove.)
John McVie's bass is loud in the mix and not complex, perfect for learning by ear. :)
 
#18
Think like a soloist - you are playing a complete piece of music as opposed to just playing the subservient/submissive part. Tell your story with a start, middle and end.
Conviction and fearlessness have a lot to do with it. Any note can and will sound right if played convincingly enough.

An old trick to make your bass guitar solo stand out sonically in a mix during a gig, and in between the 'normal' parts, is to solo above the 12th fret with an octave pedal (1 octave lower) kicked in.

Here's my fave bass solo - a complete piece of music with the tune always there in the solo.
And as long as you keep listening, to start on any note and jump into the abyss can work. Good luck.
 
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#19
A loop device ( I use BOSS ) and start a groove, record it, throw some chords over it and record that, then just improvise over it.

I also took some jazz music from a real book and put those chord progression into Band In A Box and just solo over it after analyzing the key center and the melody.

It is sure to put you out of your "bass" mindset which is hard for bass player to stop thinking has a bass player ... unlike the guitar player or the keyboard where for a while they will do the melody, then they comp, share a solo then do a whole solo ... but the bass player stay the bass player.

start listening to music without lyric where you have a lot more chance to hear creative bass line and various solo for every instrument etc
 
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