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Who regularly does bass solos in songs?
- Thread starter Shenron
- Start date
One song in one band. Also, because I'm a singer I make it a "George Benson thing" where I'm singing what I'm playing or vice-versa, at whatever octave works/is convenient in the moment, but usually not in a low vocal range for me.
I have one solo in one of our songs and not much intrest in getting more unless a new song really calls for one, but I highly doubt it ever will.
The one I have is a slow melodic fretless part and I play it close to the recorded version (minus the harmonized overdubs). I could improvise it, but I like the one I came up originally and treat it like a moment in which the melody is carried by the bass rather than a moment to take center stage and show off.
The one I have is a slow melodic fretless part and I play it close to the recorded version (minus the harmonized overdubs). I could improvise it, but I like the one I came up originally and treat it like a moment in which the melody is carried by the bass rather than a moment to take center stage and show off.
The only thing worse than listening to a bass solo is playing a bass solo.
I play in a duo and band, with the same guitarist. In the duo there are a couple of songs I do a lead. In the band usually not, but last night we had a fill-in drummer and four sets to play. The guitarist was stretching some of his solos, I think just so we didn't have to do more songs and not be sure if the drummer would get them right. I had an impromptu solo on Tennessee Whiskey believe it or not. The girl in the band, who plays guitar, sings it and she does a really slow version. The drummer was laid back at first, but then got louder and we were speeding up. The girl does a solo, then the guy guitarist does a solo and when he seemed to be finished the girl didn't come back in singing. I go a little bit high on my note choices sometimes and I ended up playing some extra notes like I am soloing and the guitar player said take a solo, so I did a solo. The other song I suggested is one the guitar player sings is Bill Withers' "Use Me."
We have some songs where I start it by myself with a lick or motif for a few bars. Then there's other songs where the whole band drops out and it's either just me or me and the drummer doing a quick thing before everyone comes back in. Those sections definitely highlight the bass but I don't consider it a "solo", more just playing with dynamics. If everyone is playing all the time during every song it creates ear fatigue, so variation is nice.
Our guitarist and pedal steel player do what I consider solos. Either rehearsed or improvised playing that goes on for more than a few bars and where the crowd (all 3 of them) go nuts.
Our guitarist and pedal steel player do what I consider solos. Either rehearsed or improvised playing that goes on for more than a few bars and where the crowd (all 3 of them) go nuts.
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Been gigging for 50+ years. Soloing required less that 1% of the time. Played, soooo many different kinds of music. Hundreds of weddings, Clubs, Bars, studio recordings, have never delved into anything that required an extensive solo.
BUT when you think about it, having to create walking lines over jazz changes, jam band tunes ( ben harper, grateful dead, etc) Many of us are creating our own lines on the spot. So the reality is many of us have been soloing UNDER the soloists for quite a while i’d bet.
BUT when you think about it, having to create walking lines over jazz changes, jam band tunes ( ben harper, grateful dead, etc) Many of us are creating our own lines on the spot. So the reality is many of us have been soloing UNDER the soloists for quite a while i’d bet.
buldog5151bass
Kibble, milkbones, and P Basses. And redheads.
Unless I'm playing jazz, where every instrument is expected to take improvised solos, almost never. I'll do a short break occasionally between a verse. I think most bass solos are a turnoff for the crowd.
I did recently do a sub gig with Miss You on the set list, just before they started playing, sax player turns to me and says, " we do the live version, so there is a bass solo". Not an issue.
I did recently do a sub gig with Miss You on the set list, just before they started playing, sax player turns to me and says, " we do the live version, so there is a bass solo". Not an issue.
Not often, in my current band 2 or 3 songs on the set list per the song we are covering-usually Wood Brothers songs, so the bar is pretty high. I still remember hearing Ray Brown talk about the way he approached solos. He said he always knows what he’s gonna play ahead of time and rehearses them very thoroughly. I tend to take the same approach.
Duke Ellington supposedly said that nothing sounds so good as a well rehearsed, improvised solo.
I play in various jazz bands (mostly). Number of solos depends on the night, the tunes picked and the size of the group -- if it's just a trio (frequently piano, bass and drums, and sometimes guitar, bass and sax), or a duo with one other instrument, then I'll usually play a lot of solos. If it's a 4- or 5-piece group, then not nearly as many. I definitely don't want to solo on every tune.
playing in an “originals” band, we have few songs which include a short bass solo. I usually keep it 8 bars long, so it’s just a way to get something different in a song.
Usually it’s “partly improvised”: I improvise around a fixed melodic line.
Sometimes the melody it’s not as good as it should be. One day I’ll become a better player (maybe
)
Usually it’s “partly improvised”: I improvise around a fixed melodic line.
Sometimes the melody it’s not as good as it should be. One day I’ll become a better player (maybe
)
i take them. if i'm in the zone, i like 'em. but there are gigs/moments where i just get to wave them off.
I recently got into an existing originals band, our first show with me as the bassist is this coming week, super excited.
They had me write bass parts for their existing 16 songs as they wanted more than their previous bassist was doing.
One of these songs does have a bass solo in it. Its short, like 4 bars, and I play it the same every time. But it is indeed a solo.
They had me write bass parts for their existing 16 songs as they wanted more than their previous bassist was doing.
One of these songs does have a bass solo in it. Its short, like 4 bars, and I play it the same every time. But it is indeed a solo.
