Soloing

[NoisemakerD-Lux]

If you wanna solo then practice scales and improvisation.

I'm into the same kind of soloing as you, i'm practicing about 5hours
a day and i think i can shred pretty well..

Yeah, I don't know how long the original poster has played, or how advanced he is, but hard work with the scales and the runs are crucial. That takes years. I mean, I played 8-10 hours every day for 5 years (before scaling down practice time to 4-6 hours) back when I was starting, so for me it came very quickly, but people who have (regular) jobs or go to school may not have the luxury... or persistance.

Now I don't play as much. Well, there still are days where I'll just play all day long, but sometimes I'll only play an hour or two. I'll even skip a day. I guess that's what happens when you get older.

 

[Flipside]

I wanna learn some bass solos so I don't look stupid when I go into a music store to try new gear.

Well, when I look for songs, I look for ones that have a bassline you can hear and make out. Look for songs where the bass plays a big part, almost like you know the song just from the bassline.

For example [I already said these in an earlier post]
Seemann by Rammstein
My Friend of Misery by Metallica.

I can't play Seemann yet but if you learn the intro to My Friend of Misery you'll find yourself playing it a lot haha, its peaceful.

 

[Aaron Saunders]

I'm also a Rock player. I think it may be a little different for Jazz players, who do focus more on the theory.

Actually, the advice of most jazz musicians when soloing is to "play what you hear." Yes, there's no question that you have to master your technique, your theory, your tone, etc., but as Charlie Parker said -- "then forget that s*** and blow."


EDIT: As an aspiring jazz musician with a strong basis in funk and rock, it never ceases to amaze me how similar rock and jazz are at the barebones of it -- then again, it really shouldn't...it's all music, after all.

 

[Marcus]

While the dude really never took solos, you should check out Robert Sledge's work from Ben Folds Five. He ran through guitar amps and played an Epiphone Les Paul, usually with a fairly high amount of fuzz and had one of the coolest bass/guitar tones I've heard in quite sometime.

Really though... don't solo to spite people. That's a path to the dark side of the force... only pain you will find.

Like was suggested above, learn this, and that, and maybe add some effects to your arsenal for that face-melting tone.

 

[Maverick Blues]

Way back in March when this thread started the Wooten/Bailey "Bass Extremes" DVD was mentioned. Billy Sheehan's come up several times as well. I just wanted to point out that Mr. Sheehan has a guest cut on that DVD, so you kinda get two for the price of one (or is it three for the price of two?) there.

That Sheehan clip was great Music Night material for me. "This is what would happen if you took a searing soloist's guitar away and handed him a bass instead." ('Course we bottom-dwellers know they couldn't actually pull it off, but it was good for a laugh and gave the guitarists in attendance warm fuzzies, so it's all good. )

'rick

 

[d8g3jdh]

look at nib (bassically) by sabbath (geezer butler). excellent example of something incredibly simple and basic, yet powerful and effective when used correctly. Shows you dont need anything more than your 2 fingers to make a sweet solo

 

[Suckbird]

look at nib (bassically) by sabbath (geezer butler). excellent example of something incredibly simple and basic, yet powerful and effective when used correctly. Shows you dont need anything more than your 2 fingers to make a sweet solo

well, that's not really a guitarlike solo... and you dont need to play anything faster than quarter notes to make a sweet solo either..

 

[Thegiantgnome]

If you are trying to fit a solo into an original song first ask your self "if i put a solo here would it actually help the song?" don't just solo because you can or because you want to show off your chops. I play in an original rock band and i figure that the audience isn't there to see one member but rather to enjoy the music that we create as one unit. So don't be selfish think of whats best for the group before you dive into to the relam of soloing.

 

[The Artist]

solos don't nesseserely have to be fast or loud
just my opinion

have fun
alexx