NationStates Jolt Archive

I was listening to Rush's "Closer to the Heart" (Beautiful song), and, well, it was the first time I heard it. A little more then halfway through, there was a Bass SOLO! This, of course, caused my head to pop, reassemble, and ooze liquid acid out of my eyes. then it spun around in a counter-clockwise motion.

After I rearranged my head to normal, human activities, I wondered why more bands don't do Bass solos.

Thoughts anyone?

Because they are only slightly better than drum solos and tantamount to jazz...

Mainly because it's hard to make a good bass solo, I'd imagine. Guitar is the most versatile, so gets most of the solos.

I've wondered this from time to time, too, and one explanation I've heard repeatedly is that there are actually relatively few 'proper' bass players as compared to regular guitarists. In many cases the bassist is just the guy who wasn't quite as good a guitarist as the others, or who lost the toss of a coin, or whatever. I don't necessarily buy that as an accurate explanation, but it's always good for a laugh (especially if you happen to be talking to a bassist).

Also...

This, of course, caused my head to pop, reassemble, and ooze liquid acid out of my eyes. then it spun around in a counter-clockwise motion.
... you should possibly get that looked at.

Because they are only slightly better than drum solos and tantamount to jazz...

Why do you hate freedom?:(

And the Bass?:p

Because most bassists are just barely competent, and were formerly guitarists who weren't good enough at guitar to get into a band. There are very few bassists out there who actually started and learned on the bass instead of the guitar, and they're the ones who can rip excellent bass solos.

Yeah, in order to do a good bass solo, you've basically got to be Myung.

Yeah, in order to do a good bass solo, you've basically got to be Myung.
Don't you mean Geddy Lee?:wink:

The 9-string bass on Unexpect's "In a Flesh Aquarium" album I got recently is quite impressive. In most bands' work, though I'd hardly notice if the bass wasn't there.

Don't you mean Geddy Lee?:wink:

Nah, I'd take Myung. He's a freak. He's the only musician I know of who warms DOWN.

Why do you hate freedom?:(

And the Bass?:p

I play the bass. Real reason is the same as you don't get many orchestral solos for bass instruments like the bassoon - they don't have much impact and generally lack agility. Low notes just don't seem as loud or stand out enough. Bass instruments tend to have a smaller range both in terms of pitch but also tone and volume. It is a lot harder to play a fast rising or descending run on a bass compared to a guitar. These all combine to make them less expressive. We also have an in built prejudice for instruments that have the same pitch range as the human voice.

Yeah, in order to do a good bass solo, you've basically got to be Myung.

I don't think you have to by Myung good in order to solo on bass, but you do have to actually grow up playing the bass in order to be able to solo on bass. At least in order to solo well.

Unfortunately rock music is primarily guitar-centred so you won't find many bass or drum solos for that matter especially in post '70s bands,bass soloing also requires a technical mastery most rock bassists don't have (a guy that good usually switches to the guitar early on).However there are exceptions to this rule,if you like front-line bass players check out Black Sabbath,Red Hot Chili Peppers (that guy Flea is incredible!),early Metallica till Master of Puppets (Cliff Burton ruled!),Manowar (a bit annoying some times) and every band or project eaturing Billy Sheehan.

Because they are only slightly better than drum solos and tantamount to jazz...

That's about it. My what a quick one!:D

Because they are only slightly better than drum solos and tantamount to jazz...
yep,that's right,funk/jazz bassists are awesome!

Primus is pretty much all bass solos.

I was listening to Rush's "Closer to the Heart" (Beautiful song)
Especially with some special accompaniment (http://uk.youtube.com/watch?v=7xI-APOq02U&feature=related).

After I rearranged my head to normal, human activities, I wondered why more bands don't do Bass solos.

Thoughts anyone?
Many bassists, unfortunately, aren't much more than an add-on to the rhythm section.

....and of course drummers would be lost if the bassist was too busy playing a solo to help them keep rhythm...

Uhhh, how can you degenerates talk about great bassists and not mention Flea?

Uhhh, how can you degenerates talk about great bassists and not mention Flea?

Try reading some of the previous posts a bit more carefully.

Uhhh, how can you degenerates talk about great bassists and not mention Flea?
Hey!I DID mention him!

5 string basses are bad enough, 12 string basses are an abomination, they make me physically sick. :)

Primus is pretty much all bass solos.

Primus! ahhghh noooooo.

Man worst thing I ever done was listen to some music critic telling me how good 'Sailing the Sea of Cheese' was. I rushed right out to buy the LP, played it once thought Ahgghghh nooooo, and slipped it back.

I have never played it since, one perfect original vynil LP for sale, anybody wnat it!:D

5 string basses are bad enough, 12 string basses are an abomination, they make me physically sick. :)

Joey Demayo *nods*

Anyway, THIS is a good bass solo, although it's not really particularly bassy:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=25DXcFg1TFo

Because they are only slightly better than drum solos and tantamount to jazz...

That's not an answer. In fact, I don't know what it is, but it sounds like something to which I should respond "and that's bad why?"

Yeah, in order to do a good bass solo, you've basically got to be Myung.

Or Victor Wooten, Flea, Mark King, Rocco Prestia (Tower of Power? "What is Hip"? Come on.), Colin Moulding -- in short, you've just got to be good at your instrument, like any other good soloist.

I play the bass. Real reason is the same as you don't get many orchestral solos for bass instruments like the bassoon - they don't have much impact and generally lack agility.

This depends on the person holding the bassoon, surely. Composers began writing concerti and solos and all kinds of stuff for bass-range instruments once they were able to catch up technologically. Valves and modern key assemblies helped for tubas and bassoons. Advances in technique and the use of harmonics helped the double bass (viol). It took orchestral music searching for new textures and sounds to get there, but there's plenty of music for the low end.

Low notes just don't seem as loud or stand out enough. Bass instruments tend to have a smaller range both in terms of pitch but also tone and volume.

Name one. Again, advances in technique over the last 125 years or so have increased the versatility of all instruments, but especially bass instruments. If the bassoon is so quiet, why are there only one or two in the standard orchestra? Same thing with the double bass and tuba. I hope I'm wrong, but you seem to be speaking like someone who hasn't been to a lot of symphonic concerts and even fewer chamber music concerts or solo recitals.

It is a lot harder to play a fast rising or descending run on a bass compared to a guitar. These all combine to make them less expressive.

Again, this depends on the player, not the instrument. Witness Brian Bromberg (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yVnWpLALWhw). I don't sense any lack of expression there. I'm going to be as polite as I can when I ask you to please don't let your lack of experience inform your broadcasted opinion -- you might just convince some people that you're right, and that would be a shame.

We also have an in built prejudice for instruments that have the same pitch range as the human voice.

I have no idea where this came from, but it should go back with its tail between its legs. What are you talking about? If YOU have this prejudice, then I ask you to ensure that you adjust your pronouns accordingly.

First of all, if you know of ANYone who can sing as low as a bassoon can play, alert them to the gold mine they have in their throat. Bass vocalists who can sing with any tone or volume below C2 (second ledger line below bass clef) are incredibly rare. Bassoon (and contra), double bass, bass clarinet (and contrabass), tuba and a couple of others have ranges below that.

....and of course drummers would be lost if the bassist was too busy playing a solo to help them keep rhythm...

Then THAT drummer sucks. Look, I know you might think it's humorous to keep musical stereotypes alive, but you must realize that there's more to music and musicians than any one person's experience.

I have no idea where this came from, but it should go back with its tail between its legs. What are you talking about? If YOU have this prejudice, then I ask you to ensure that you adjust your pronouns accordingly.

.

It comes from the book on neuropsychology and music I have just been reading. We respond more to instruments, like the violin, that are in the same pitch range as human voices, than we do to ones either side of it like piccolos or tubas. It is a fact not a prejudice on my part. If you wish to believe in some kind of musical democracy where all instruments have an equal impact I think you are wrong, neither are they equally expressive - tubular bells are never going to give the same emotional effect as an oboe.

It comes from the book on neuropsychology and music I have just been reading.

Just because it's in a book doesn't make it true.

in short, you've just got to be good at your instrument, like any other good soloist.


No, you have to be really really really good to pull off a good bass solo, your average bassist isn't going to be able to pull off a good solo for longer than a verse or two, without it being a load of crap (from my experience anyway), unless they play a very specialist type of music.

Just because it's in a book doesn't make it true.

Nor does it make it wrong - it is backed up by research.

Nor does it make it wrong - it is backed up by research.
I'm pretty sure that most people don't have the same range as a Bass guitar.

John Entwistle from the Who does a good one on My Generation.

It comes from the book on neuropsychology and music I have just been reading. We respond more to instruments, like the violin, that are in the same pitch range as human voices, than we do to ones either side of it like piccolos or tubas. It is a fact not a prejudice on my part. If you wish to believe in some kind of musical democracy where all instruments have an equal impact I think you are wrong, neither are they equally expressive - tubular bells are never going to give the same emotional effect as an oboe.

Once more, it depends on the player, not the instrument. Tell me, a music box can be a vert evocative sound and it's not close to a human voice range. Why is it a sound used to elicit pathos in movie scenes and like instances? You have read one -- ONE -- book, and you're making all these assertions based on that? Sounds shaky to me.

No, you have to be really really really good to pull off a good bass solo, your average bassist isn't going to be able to pull off a good solo for longer than a verse or two, without it being a load of crap (from my experience anyway), unless they play a very specialist type of music.

*sigh* What part of "good" do you not understand? "Good", by definition, is better than "average", unless that's changed without any announcement. All I can say is broaden your experience. There are plenty of names and at least one link from my posts in this thread.

Nor does it make it wrong - it is backed up by research.

Whose research? Who wrote the book? How was this research conducted? You seem to have a lot of faith in something you weren't willing to name title or author of...why is that?

*sigh* What part of "good" do you not understand? "Good", by definition, is better than "average", unless that's changed without any announcement.

When you say they aren't good at their instruments, that implies that they don't play to a professional standard.


All I can say is broaden your experience. There are plenty of names and at least one link from my posts in this thread.


Oh I can name hundreds, I already provided a link of my own, the vast majority of bassists can't play to that level however. They're not just good, they're remarkably good.

Thoughts anyone?

Yeah.

I fucking hate Rush.

Yeah.

I fucking hate Rush.

Really? Ohh shame.

Yeah.

I fucking hate Rush.

How could you say that?

Why do you hate Freedom?

And Rush?

I was listening to Rush's "Closer to the Heart" (Beautiful song), and, well, it was the first time I heard it. A little more then halfway through, there was a Bass SOLO! This, of course, caused my head to pop, reassemble, and ooze liquid acid out of my eyes. then it spun around in a counter-clockwise motion.

After I rearranged my head to normal, human activities, I wondered why more bands don't do Bass solos.

Thoughts anyone?

That's one of the reason's why I've liked Rush. I really enjoy their experimenting with bass leads. That, and they're prog rock. :tongue:

Flashing forward thirty years, I do know that the modern progressive metal band Symphony X uses a lot of bass leads in its instrumental interludes. And their bassist is one hell of an agile bass player.