What do you think about when taking a solo?

[HELLonWHEELS]

So i recently joined my first band and one of the songs on their setlist is Ben Harper's Steal My Kisses where the bass takes a solo towards the end of the song. While we were practicing it during a session it occurred to me that I don't really know what the idea is behind a bass solo in a "rock" type of setting. I know my grooves and scales, but what exactly is the bass player thinking in the song. So here's the question:


What do you think about when you take a solo?




EDIT:

 

[JRA]

What do you think about when you take a solo?

younger = that one cute chick: "hey look at me!"

now = that one, cold mexican beer: "only one more solo to go!"

 

[Ronzo]

 

[DirtDog]

How the hell am I going to keep it together after the 4th bar?!?

 

[Biggbass]

I basically think about how many notes I'm playing and how much I'm getting paid.

 

[db59]

Did I leave the iron on?

 

[HELLonWHEELS]

I’m not sure what I was expecting, but can we at least try to get a couple serious responses.

 

[RustyAxe]

True solo? As in ain’t nobody playing except me? The chord progression, tempo, groove. I’ve heard other players lose one or all long before getting to the last bar.

And whether I put beer on ice before I left home.

 

[gln1955]

Why is there such a long line at the restroom?

 

[2saddleslab]

What the hell are they throwing a solo at me for???

 

[Spin Doctor]

True solo? As in ain’t nobody playing except me? The chord progression, tempo, groove. I’ve heard other players lose one or all long before getting to the last bar.

Where does this kind of solo ever happen?

 

[Ed Fuqua]

.

 

[dreamadream99]

I separate it into things I know, and things I feel.

Things I know:

• I know the key, therefore all available notes I can use.
• I know the chords, so I can choose the best notes to play.
• I know the progression, so I know which chord is coming.

Things I feel:

• I feel my inner sense of melody (ear) to determine where I head next.
• I feel an arch structure to my solo. I want to start simpler, work my way up to more rousing, followed by a climax and denouement toward the end.

 

[Pilgrim]

True solo? As in ain’t nobody playing except me? The chord progression, tempo, groove. I’ve heard other players lose one or all long before getting to the last bar.

I only have one or two numbers with bass solos; one is the classic Brown Eyed Girl. I rehearse the solo more than the song, and I try to have it well in muscle memory before the gig. I'm not good enough to improvise a solo. I'm thinking two things: 1) RELAX! 2) Get it right.

 

[Spin Doctor]

So i recently joined my first band and one of the songs on their setlist is Ben Harper's Steal My Kisses where the bass takes a solo towards the end of the song. While we were practicing it during a session it occurred to me that I don't really know what the idea is behind a bass solo in a "rock" type of setting. I know my grooves and scales, but what exactly is the bass player thinking in the song. So here's the question:


What do you think about when you take a solo?

This is a sort of hard question as you really don't want to be thinking too much about it. Some thought has to go into it but that thought usually happens in the practice room. For me, in a rock or blues solo, the easiest thing to do is nail the "one" with some note of a pentatonic scale (doesn't really matter which note), then put in some fills. It helps if you have a pretty wide variety of fills to choose from. The guy in the video was filling with chromatics, stings, slaps and pentatonics, but he always kept the groove going. But once you have some "vocabulary" down, you don't have to think about it much.

If, you've never worked on solos and somebody says "take a solo" out of the blue, you might wanna just keep the bassline going and call it a day.

 

[jmlee]

Things I know:
• There are a myriad of ways I’m going to look like an idiot after this.

Things I feel:
• Warm liquid in my shorts.

 

[NOVAX]

Let this be over...

 

[Diamond_Dave]

I close my eyes and think of England.

 

[BD Jones]

"Why is my leg warm and wet?"

 

[Spin Doctor]

I only have one or two numbers with bass solos; one is the classic Brown Eyed Girl. I rehearse the solo more than the song, and I try to have it well in muscle memory before the gig. I'm not good enough to improvise a solo. I'm thinking two things: 1) RELAX! 2) Get it right.

Even Jaco played some rehearsed solos. Pat Metheny said (in general) his solos are half stuff that's he's worked on and half generated on the spot.

So it's ok, lol. I know people like to think improvising is all magic and muse, gifted form the heavens all the time... It's not always the case.