Author Topic: "MINI" Bass Solo (Read 315 times)

olieoliver · « **on:** June 29, 2006, 12:47:52 PM »

Literally
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DDuWAVsurpU

applejuice · « **Reply #1 on:** July 03, 2006, 04:12:27 PM »

This guy is incredible. Thanks for the link Olie.

alemberic · « **Reply #2 on:** July 04, 2006, 04:00:33 AM »

Greetings everyone--forgive me for stepping out of protocol a bit and making my first post in this thread instead of in the Introductions section. Its just that the video referenced above caught me at a time when I've been thinking quite a bit about the parameters--for lack of a better term--of the electric bass. I'm a firm believer in using an item, whether it be an electric bass or a crescent wrench, for the purpose it appears to be designed. It just feels right. Can you use a crescent wrench as a hammer? Well...yeah, actually you can. Can you play 180 notes (or whatever rate Mr. Rodi was playing)per minute on an elecric bass? Yes again, but...I'm kind of conflicted here. As a musician, I can truly appreciate the artistry and technical proficiency required to play that fast, but as someone listening with the intent of hearing a bass be a bass, it really doesn't impress me. The electric bass is a cool and fascinating instrument, capable of being both melodic, since it obviously produces musical notes, and rhythmic/percussive at the same time. It also produces tones no other instrument customarily produces, in an aural frequency no other instrument customarily operates in. To me, there is nothing more satisfying than to groove in my part of the music--the low end--laying it down for the rest of the band. Sure, the bassist can step out and play some nice solo lines, but for a short time only. It just feels right that way. For that matter, some of the funkiest, tastiest bass grooves are the notes you DON'T play, if that makes any sense. Soooo...if someone wants to play high up on the neck at speed of light pace, why don't they just pick up a guitar, or the keyboards, or triple-tongue a sax or trumpet? BTW, I say this as someone who has studied and played at various times in my life,the violin, guitar, trombone, and alto sax. Am I crazy, a stick in the mud, narrow-minded, all of the above, none of the above, or what?

Thanks for listening to my rant! I don't mean to attack anyone, including Mr. Rodi,or criticize anyone's musical tastes--just thought I'd put my .02 out there for consideration.
I've been lurking about here for the last couple of months or so, and I'm extremely impressed with the level of knowledge, cameraderie, and civility I've seen here.

Happy 4th of July!

Eric

adriaan · « **Reply #3 on:** July 04, 2006, 05:10:55 AM »

Eric,

You won't find too many here who would disagree with that!

By the way, muted notes are not exclusive to the bass - the best bits of all music are in the stuff that you can't put into musical notation. Ghost notes, way-out timing ...

FC Bass · « **Reply #4 on:** July 04, 2006, 06:18:01 AM »

Eric,

You found someone who would disagree with that,

I think the bassguitar is suitable instrument for solo's. The guy in the youtube video is incredible fast, but it would be nice if the bass(?) was in tune... (could be the limitations of the instrument)
My taste would suggest other melody lines but I wouldn't dare to call out this guy for a Bass Battle, I'm only capable of producing a lot of Db's...
On Metallica's debut album Kill 'em all is a bass solo by Cliff Burton (RIP) IT'S AWESOME!
There are many live recordings of Cliff playing an amazing bass solo. And what about THE OX? (John Entwistle, sadly also RIP) I've seen some incredible bass solo's from him also. These guys are a example of bass players who can play magnificent melody lines combined with amazing technique. Like Jimi Hendrix, they are one with the bass...uhh...instrument.
Tastes differ, and that's a good thing. So respect to your opinion and I hope you respect mine.

Look at the bright side:
If your favorite band's bass player decides to play a 5 min. bass solo
You can go get a beer or go to the toilets, buy some merchendise or whatever.

(note: I don't play bass solo's... I don't want RIP behind my name.....yet)

Cheers!
F.C.

and again:

(Message edited by fc_spoiler on July 04, 2006)

olieoliver · « **Reply #5 on:** July 04, 2006, 07:51:17 AM »

Let me first say I was posting the link to point out the mini (i.e. small in size) bass this guy was playing, I thought it was humorous). I myself didn't really think the solo was all that stupendous, but I also realize that the young man playing it is just that, young. I do think he is good and bet he will only get better.
Now as for the statement about the bass as a solo instrument. I don't care what instrument you play, guitar, bass, drums, keys, bag-pipes, any horn or wood-wind etc. etc. etc.!
The intent for any instrument is to make music. Music as we all know is subject to likes and dislikes. We all have our own of each. I personally like to hear a good solo of any instrument, BUT your ears can only take so many notes at once before tiring (or at least my ears do).
I went to see Satrianni here in Dallas a while back. Very good guitarist but after 2 or 3 songs of lightning fast licks I was ready to go.
Some of the best music ever created was by musicians of average ability, (we all have the same talents just some of us hone them a little more). Dare I say that John Lennon or George Harrison were not the greatest guitarist of their time but what music they created?!
So to summarize IMHO;
All instruments are good for and can produce great solos.
Any instrument can be taken too far while soloing.
We as musicians should never ever criticize each other; we get enough of that from producers, agents, engineers?. (most of whom can't play anyway)

Anyway, Peace and Happy 4th all.
Olie

FC Bass · « **Reply #6 on:** July 04, 2006, 07:55:07 AM »

David Houck · « **Reply #7 on:** July 04, 2006, 09:13:54 AM »

Hi Eric; am I right in assuming then that you don't care for Stanley Clarke and Jaco Pastorius?

alemberic · « **Reply #8 on:** July 05, 2006, 01:19:09 AM »

Hello again--I'd like to sincerely thank you guys for your comments. Getting some feedback was the only purpose behind my post.

fc_spoiler--I absolutely respect your views, as well as those of anyone in the club. As you so rightly pointed out, the bass has been used for solo work by some great musicians; therefore, the bass is a solo instrument. I guess what I was trying to say--not too well--was that when the bass IS used to solo, I like the solos to sound like they are coming from a bass. The solo work I'm familiar with from the musicians you mentioned is unmistakably bass, so I really don't think our views are that different. I have heard other bass solos which I don't personally feel sound like a bass, and/or which don't do justice to the tonal qualities unique to a bass. Thanks, fc!

Olie--Your comments,just like fc_spoiler's, are right on. I would say basically the same thing to you as I did to fc above. BTW, if I'm not mistaken, you had another post a few days ago involving a 7 year-old drummer who appeared on Johnny Carson. I've listened to that over and over--man, there is a flat out musician. That musician played the everloving s**t out of those drums, and did so in a way that meets my personal taste for a solo--he did justice to the instrument he was playing. There's no mistaking that he was playing a drum solo. Let me say, Olie, that I've read many of your posts over the last couple of months, and it is clear to me that you've forgotten more about bass playing than I'll ever know!! Let me further say that there are several other club members about which I can say the same. You also sound like a guy it would be fun to knock back a few brews with, as well. All respect to you.

davehouck--Don't mean to throw a monkey in the wrench, but the answer to your question is that I DO care for Stanley Clarke and Jaco Pastorius...and Marcus Miller, Victor Wooten, and Louis Johnson to name a few more. I had the pleasure of seeing Mr. Johnson a couple of weeks ago at the Old School Funkfest concert in Concord, California. He may be older, grayer, and 40 pounds heavier than he used to be [just like me!] but that guy can slap a bass with the best of them [unlike me]. I began playing bass in the late 70's, shortly after both Stanley and Jaco began to attract a lot of well-deserved attention. I went out and bought all the Stanley and Jaco LPs I could lay hands on. Do I like everything that the above-mentioned gentlemen play? No. Can I listen to them for hours on end? No. Are they bass gods whose music expresses a message at a level of artistry which is almost unearthly, and do they deserve a healthy dose of respect? YES!! Dave, all respect to you, as well. You're a very supportive, even-keeled moderator who seems at peace with himself, his world, and the people who populate it, including us club members.

Eric

alemberic · « **Reply #9 on:** July 05, 2006, 01:33:46 AM »

Almost forgot--thank you adriaan for your comments!!

adriaan · « **Reply #10 on:** July 05, 2006, 02:16:51 AM »

What was I thinking, saying noone would argue with your points?

I didn't think it was such a rant, and I for one was NOT surprised at your confession that you actually like solo bass players like Stanley.

olieoliver · « **Reply #11 on:** July 05, 2006, 07:21:25 AM »

Thanks Eric. And welcome to the forum, (please forgive my not doing that in my first post).
In the few months that I have been a member here I have found that all opinions are respected and valued here.
I think you'll find that there are some great people here and a vast amount of info to be found.
The folks at Alembic are awesome, and Dave is a superb moderator.
I too prefer a bass solo that sounds like a BASS.
And by all means if your ever in the DFW area we can thow back some brews (make mine an IBC), and maybe trade a few chops!

Peace and again welcome.
Olie

bigredbass · « **Reply #12 on:** July 05, 2006, 09:50:44 AM »

Stanley, Jaco, Victor, etc., I respect and marvel at their artistry. But for me, it's just over my head. I don't hear or play like that, those styles of music are beyond anything I'd ever see myself doing. Guys on that level just see and hear the world differently, that sort of talent is virtually supernatural and allows insight past what the rest of the world can discern.

It's like racing: I can drive a car, and so can Michael Schumacher. But I'll never be able to drive like that in a hundred years, though it's a lot of fun to watch.

J o e y

olieoliver · « **Reply #13 on:** July 05, 2006, 10:06:23 AM »

Don't underestimate yourself Joey. I find the more I listen to something that I don't normally play the easier it is. I tell my students when they can't get the feel of a certain style of music, Reggae, Funk, Jazz, Blues..., start listening to it. I believe the same goes for the fast licks to. The more you listen to that style of playing the more accustomed you ears and brain get to processing the info.
The oppostie is true too. I've seen cats that could wail on their axes. Fast, smooth and know all the modes and scales but toss them into a live fill-in (hired gun) gig, lets say country music or even blues, and couldn't follow (predict) chord changes because they weren't used to this style of music influence.

David Houck · « **Reply #14 on:** July 05, 2006, 12:44:29 PM »

Thanks for the response Eric. In answer to your question if someone wants to play high up on the neck at speed of light pace, why don't they just pick up a guitar, well I guess Stanley could be considered a master of playing high up on the neck at the speed of light; and if he had played his lines on a guitar, Return To Forever just wouldn't have sounded the same. When the four of them would play those fast unison lines, it was an amazing, powerful and beautiful musical statement.