{PLAYING}Solo Ideas
Posted by: grahamhollebon <grahamhollebon@...>
version of There Must Be More Than This we're doing. We finish the song by
improvising around a simple C to D progression and the rest of the band
turned to me at rehearsal and cried "solo bass required". Thanks for all the
ideas - what I took from them was two key thoughts, firstly to consider the
melody in whatever I was playing and secondly, the old adage which I am
excellent at ignoring of keeping it simple. So, thought I'd share what I've
ended up doing and what has brought words of praise from my fellow muso's -
probably a first for me!
The keep it simple message struck home so I'm playing fretless with some
chorus from the GT6B and start by just following the changes, sliding C to
D, for a few bars using the 10th and 12th frets on the D string with a bit
of vibrato from the fingers - that sounds pretty cool on its own. Then I
gradually add a fifth above at the 12th and 14th frets on the G string on
the 4th beat of each bar and then move to just playing the 5th above, then
adding a passing B on the 16th fret on the change from D to C. It really is
that simple but sooooooo effective - the chorused bass sings above the
simple piano and guitar chords and one of our vocalists very gently picks up
the 5ths with his voice for a couple of bars.
So - not a Jaco solo, or even a Steve Lawson one, but its mine and I'm proud
of it. Thanks
Graham