Who regularly does bass solos in songs?

[logdrum]

Rock original covers band. 1, 4, 5 down meat and potatoes playing -- , There was one song they thought I should solo, bit maybe I listened too many Haslip and Hadrian and John P - he did not put that song again in the set list. I am sure it intimidated the guitar player. I do not mind these also. I call myself a community bass player with these roles.

All fusion type, yep solos are expected, straight ahead jazz -- yes. Jam bands yes,. You are expected if playing the electric to slap

All improv bands, sometimes you do improvised counterpoint and could mean from start to finish.. I've done atonal improv as long as 30 minutes but of course double bass and the bow expands your timbre and tone palette choices.
Conducted Improvisation, Butch Morris style , when the conductor brings you in -- either by yourself or in these many small division, you better say it quickly and originality is really expected and in some cases you have 20 seconds to do it. You are also expected to blend it harmonize on demand and switch tempos and pitch ranges

As a sac player it goes without saying that I do know how to solo

 

[badinage]

On a Real Book type gig usually two per night in what's typically a 3 hr/one break engagement. I never know "when" but I can hear it coming. It's always "twice down the page" in length. I don’t relish it but don't mind either. I usualy get pretty far out in left field both rhythmically and harmonically. Makes the guitar player smile anyway.

 

[Hot Rats]

We play Brown Eyed Girl, so....................

 

[kinopah]

Depends on the gig. Weekly jazz trio, it’s almost every song for sure. My main band gig I have solos in prob 1-2 per set on average.

 

[DaveParker39]

Never. I mean there are sometimes little melodies, like the intro to American Girl by Tom Petty for example, but not a solo. No need.

 

[jdjk7]

Just curious about how many here have one or more bass solos to play with your band.

I don't mean doing a totally solo piece, but rather a few bars of soloing within a song.

Do you do bass solos in many songs normally, just a few occasions (like 1-2 songs per gig), or none at all?

If you do solos, do you do so because the original song has one, or do you add a solo to songs which don't have one?

If the solo is your own making, do you rather improvise it or fully craft it note-by-note in advance?

I play in three bands regularly.

One is a blues rock band that does both covers and originals. I solo with them at least once per set, usually two or three times. Some songs I always solo in, some songs I get solos if the energy is good and if we have time. Sometimes I'll get the nod from the bandleader on a song I've never solo'd on before. It varies.

Another is a jazz fusion band. In our original stuff, I solo fairly often (half or more than half of the songs). I don't really solo on our covers, but our covers aren't really solo-y type music anyway.

The third is a grunge rock band. I play solos with them occasionally, but my bass playing is also sort of the lead melodic driver against primarily riff-oriented guitar. So, depending on how you distinguish between playing lead vs soloing, that might count. Sort of like the relationship between John Entwistle's bass and Pete Townsend's guitar.

Usually, my solos are totally improvised. Only in a few songs do I really have a set melody that I play.

 

[fdeck]

It depends on the situation. In smaller jazz groups, I expect to solo on every tune. As the band gets bigger, or if there's a singer, then it doesn't make sense for every instrument to solo on every tune -- that would take forever. When the music is heavily arranged, then it's wherever a bass solo is called for.

When I was starting out, I took advantage of the fact that a bassist can function in a band without soloing at all. It took me a long time before I was comfortable soloing, and even longer to reach the point where I actually relish it. That came after I really decided to take it seriously, as in, practicing it and working on ways to improve. On upright, I play half or more of my solos with the bow. I can be pretty obnoxious if I want to be. I also made the effort to really learn melodies rather than just following changes all the time. And I ditched the fake books.

Amusing anecdote; I've had this happen with a couple of different bands. When I arrive, the bandleader takes me aside and says: "This doesn't seem like the kind of audience that wants to hear a lot of bass solos." I said: "We'll see about that." In both cases, by the end of the gig, I was soloing on every tune, and getting applause for it. I think players have this apprehension about bass soloing, that might be a matter of traditionalism, but I don't share it. When I hear "people don't want to hear bass solos," my reaction is "then let's play better bass solos." Meet it head on.

Part of the problem is that it's harder for bands. Like, they actually have to listen and follow the form, or they're lost when it's time for them to come back in.

 

[pfschim]

I'm in the "depends on the band/music" category.

Jazz or fusion band; there are lots of bass solo opportunities and I'm happy to take 'em
Americana stuff; almost none other than some breakdown type spaces, so bass is front and center, but I would not call that a solo
Celtic Rock; several solo opportunities in a 3 set show ... a few are set pieces that I created, some a free soloing situations
Singer Songwriter duo project; several solo situations, and I'm filling a lot of space too
Subbing; almost never unless I'm asked, which I am on occasion.

Most solos are spontaneous, a few are set pieces that I originally wrote for specific songs.

 

[sleddogn]

Only original rock here, zero solo's thank god

 

[fig]

We play Brown Eyed Girl, so....................

Funny you mention that song...

First off, I don't care to do solos. Never have, never will. But if tasked, I'll work something out ahead of time, usually a melodic type thing.

So, in a band about 15 years ago, our lead singer had a guest come up to play and sing a few songs. One song was Brown Eyed Girl. During the bass intermission, I did the usual bass part and was about to drop back into the song, but he shouted out "Keep going". I thinks to meself, "Oh hell...".

So I played close to the bridge, varied the melody a bit, changed some timing, brought it back around to start the song. "Keep going!". I thinks to meself, "Oh HELL...".

So, I dropped from G down to Em and went all rock 'n' roll (my original background). Threw in a bit of thump 'n' pluck, some double notes, and eventually signaled we're gonna start the song again. Everyone came back in on time back in G and we finished the song.

The bandleader had us keep the extended bass thing in the song afterward. I kinda finessed it a bit at home to make it a bit less chaotic.

 

[Hot Rats]

Funny you mention that song...

First off, I don't care to do solos. Never have, never will. But if tasked, I'll work something out ahead of time, usually a melodic type thing.

So, in a band about 15 years ago, our lead singer had a guest come up to play and sing a few songs. One song was Brown Eyed Girl. During the bass intermission, I did the usual bass part and was about to drop back into the song, but he shouted out "Keep going". I thinks to meself, "Oh hell...".

So I played close to the bridge, varied the melody a bit, changed some timing, brought it back around to start the song. "Keep going!". I thinks to meself, "Oh HELL...".

So, I dropped from G down to Em and went all rock 'n' roll (my original background). Threw in a bit of thump 'n' pluck, some double notes, and eventually signaled we're gonna start the song again. Everyone came back in on time back in G and we finished the song.

The bandleader has us keep the extended bass thing in the song afterward. I kinda finessed it a bit at home to make it a bit less chaotic.

Likewise... Our drummer sings the song, and he asked me to extend the solo as well. So now I play it twice as long and started do some variations. Plus we come around and I do that twice in the song.

 

[TheArchitect]

There are some great bass soloists out there and they are great. Its not my thing though. I save that for the guitar gigs. Bass playing for me is a whole different thought process and approach than drums and different again from guitar.

 

[JazznFunk]

Yes. I perform music in my own group(s) and as part of bands which often demand (or at least welcome) bass solos, as the bass is treated as an equal member of the group in terms of musical expression. That included my time in a bluegrass/jam/fusion group, as improvisation and solos are a huge part of those individual and collective traditions and their fusions. Solos are never pre-written. Do I solo on every song? Not always. It depends on the vibe of the room, the band, and if I feel like I have something to say. If not, I don't solo. I think what one has to say musically should dictate if a solo is warranted, appropriate, and welcome. Neither dogma nor the instrument in question should dictate that.

 

[Ignatius]

I play in a classic rock cover band. There are some songs that I play ‘scripted’ solos:

The previously mentioned Brown Eyed Girl
The sax break on Just the 2 of Us
Substitute
We start Use Me with an extended drum and bass groove
The iconic bass solo in All Right Now

I also play improvised solos on:

Diamonds on the Soles of Her Shoes
Intro to I Can’t Go for That is a drum & bass solo groove
Feelin Alright

We try to give the audience a lot of variety and mix things up a lot. We have 2 guitars, keys, drums 4 singers, and I also play mando and steel guitar.

 

[Michedelic]

Yes, because I will not be denied! I am worthy of the spotlight as any other instrumentalist, and as long as I do my job otherwise, why not? I’ve never understood all the drama about doing bass solos; as long as you get to the point, not overstay your welcome, and and not do any circus tricks, it’s valid. I don’t play in any meandering jam band situations with endless monotonous dweedling, and have generally done concise parts within a specific number of bars, sometimes structured, sometime improv, on stuff that I’ve written, and and on material from other band members. Sometimes the undercurrent basslines of a song amount to soloing.

 

[Jay Corwin]

In my original band I play a lot of solo'ish/melody parts. I wouldn't call exactly them solos as I cop a lot of repeating parts that I've prearranged, but they are melodies over verses and choruses that resolve. We don't have a lead guitar player, so it's on me to cover space.

 

[Aberdumbie]

The biggest gig I ever did was opening for a name act.... I played the band front man and directed things so to speak. We had two guitars and a hot fiddle player. Three solos were quite enough to me.... In the middle of this big show one of the guitar players steps up to the mic in the middle of Sandman (The America song) and calls ME TO DO A SOLO@!!! First time in ten years with these guys and he is going to put me in a solo in front of 2000 people. I guess I pulled it off but I made it very clear that would NEVER happen again!

 

[iqi616]

In my second originals band I had a bass solo during one of our few ballads. We snuck it into the middle of the guitar solo. An interesting arrangement where I took over from the guitarist and then he took over from me.

 

[dannylectro]

Depends on how you define a “bass solo”. For me, I keep playing what I’ve already been playing while everyone else drops out.

 

[Passinwind]

Just curious about how many here have one or more bass solos to play with your band.

I don't mean doing a totally solo piece, but rather a few bars of soloing within a song.

Do you do bass solos in many songs normally, just a few occasions (like 1-2 songs per gig), or none at all?

If you do solos, do you do so because the original song has one, or do you add a solo to songs which don't have one?

If the solo is your own making, do you rather improvise it or fully craft it note-by-note in advance?

I'm no longer actively gigging, but in a few of my last few working band I soloed on at least 80-90% of the tunes. This, doing old school and gypsy jazz and other Great American Songbook material. In the big band I played in there maybe two brief "bass features" a night. In my weirdo originals fusion band I rarely soled per se, but it was typically but not always just bass and drums, and with lots of improv. At the open mics I still play it varies by genre, but I can be called on to solo at any time in any style, and I rarely pass if offered. A few of the jazz guys expect me to trade fours or eights on demand as well. It's nearly always improvised on the spot in the latter cases, save a few tunes where I've happened to learn the heads as part of my practice routine.