Double Bass Huh. That's weird. (Bad soloing content.)

The Diaper Geni

The Diaper Geni

It’s the bass player.
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Nov 22, 2005
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#1
Mostly an electric player but got an upright about 7-8 years ago and have been whittling away at it and getting some gigs. Definitely have paid for the bass with upright gigs.

I pretty much suck as soloing. I mean, with a blues I can usually handle two times through without embarrassing myself too much, and every now and again I get lucky and have something to say. But generally? Oy vey.

Soooo....I brought Christmas Time Is Here to my church gig to open up one of our Christmas Eve services. We'll play it as folks are coming in and getting seated. There's some good players in the group and they'll get to stretch a little. I'm splitting the form and taking the last half of the tune the last time through before the head out. I've been working on, at the least, a mental roadmap to follow for myself and, IMO, have come up with a pretty decent little solo. So far so good.

At rehearsal last night I didn't bring the URB for convenience and we went through the set list with my on electric. (I'll use EB for the most of the night.) Man, when it was time for my little solo...Good golly, I sucked. Like way! Go over the song today on URB and darn if I don't whip off a decet solo. Huh.

Moral of the story is, I think I can solo better on URB than EB. I seem to "see" the melody emerge on the fingerboard and in my brain on URB better than EB. I've kind of noticed this at home with other tunes I work on but just thought "MEH! I'm just having a bad day on EB/good day on URB." But a pattern is emerging.

Anybody else here solo better on upright? Just sorta goes against what I would have ASSumed. I would have ASSumed soloing on EB to come more naturally especially since it's, by far, my "better" instrument.
 
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#2
The Diaper Geni said:
Anybody else here solo better on upright?
Click to expand...

Always, and always have. I chalk it up to the fact that the DB is basically a "blind" instrument, so it's a lot harder to type on... I have to actually hear what I'm intending to play in great detail for it to have any chance of working, and I think having the temptation to type an answer in effectively removed puts me in a much healthier place right from the get go.

And, no offense to all the BG players out there who love the sound, I think the DB sounds a lot more organic, subtle, and interesting, so I'm more likely to play less notes, which usually makes my solos sound better.
 
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#3
I've only been playing upright for a year but I understand totally. I feel like the weight of the notes on upright means I don't feel the need to play a lot of notes to fill in the space (the way I often do on electric). Even though I'm more proficient on electric, I have been enjoying soloing more on upright. Different instruments, different voices (or at least different accents ;)).
 
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#8
Agree with mediocre on both. Defiantly 2 different animals. I intentionally keep on trio on DB and one on slab. My chops are way better on slab and much more traditional on DB. Tough to say which is better.
 
#9
I think my solos on upright are more calm and collected, and when i jump to the electric i get a bit more frantic. Two different mindsets are required, to achieve a good solo on either instrument. Since i have been spending much more time lately in the "upright" mindset, i think my expression there is more pleasing at the moment. As others have pointed out, due to the depth of tone/expression of the upright it makes simpler lines sound more beautiful which if played on electric might sound anemic. Really have to approach it as two different techniques IMO.
 
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#10
I can play faster on double bass and for years I could solo and walk better on upright. I got a Mexican jazz bass a few years ago and from just practicing here and there and teaching it, I can finally walk and solo in a way I am OK with. I don't play it public much. I think the bass guitar is a technically easier but creatively more difficult than the double bass - if that makes sense. I really admire the great, creative bass guitarists like Melvin Gibbs, Bill Laswell, Jamalaadeen Tacuma, Mike Watt, Michael Manring & Steve Swallow. If I had another life I'd work on the bass guitar.
 
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#11
The great thing about bass guitar is just that. It's a guitar, and imo Steve Swallow is the guy who maximizes that. The big bass is just that. That big bass sound is just intoxicating, and the extra physical effort and amount of movement of wood string and air is absolutely perceived by listeners. In truth, if you wanna have a successful career, focus on driving the band and accompanying. Your solos can evolve from those skills. People don't hire bassists for their dazzling solos, but rather because they love playing with them.
 
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#12
lurk said:
In truth, if you wanna have a successful career, focus on driving the band and accompanying. Your solos can evolve from those skills. People don't hire bassists for their dazzling solos, but rather because they love playing with them.
Click to expand...

Though I wouldn't say I have a "successful career" on bass I agree with this 100%. I’m very happy playing “bass” all gig and not soloing. Actually, I prefer it!
 
#13
bass12 said:
I've only been playing upright for a year but I understand totally. I feel like the weight of the notes on upright means I don't feel the need to play a lot of notes to fill in the space (the way I often do on electric). Even though I'm more proficient on electric, I have been enjoying soloing more on upright. Different instruments, different voices (or at least different accents ;)).
Click to expand...
It's a joy to hear someone who has found a musical home!

My kid, who is a good tenor player, has been playing in a really soulful piano / sax duo lately. We were talking about how there's a ton of music and a ton of jazz about, "Look how good I am!" There's also a lot of music about, "I would like to remove all your clothing immediately" and even plenty of, "I love you." There's never a surplus of, "This is something that really moves me so much that I'm compelled to share it with you." (And I say that as someone who really enjoys chops-oriented jazz and chops-oriented double-bass.)

Bass12, I think that part of what you and I feel when we pick up the DB is our love for the DB, but part of it is that an awful lot of the music which commonly uses bass guitar falls into those first three categories. Keep reaching, maestro!
 
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#14
Sam Sherry said:
It's a joy to hear someone who has found a musical home!

My kid, who is a good tenor player, has been playing in a really soulful piano / sax duo lately. We were talking about how there's a ton of music and a ton of jazz about, "Look how good I am!" There's also a lot of music about, "I would like to remove all your clothing immediately" and even plenty of, "I love you." There's never a surplus of, "This is something that really moves me so much that I'm compelled to share it with you." (And I say that as someone who really enjoys chops-oriented jazz and chops-oriented double-bass.)

Bass12, I think that part of what you and I feel when we pick up the DB is our love for the DB, but part of it is that an awful lot of the music which commonly uses bass guitar falls into those first three categories. Keep reaching, maestro!
Click to expand...
What's funny is that I never gravitated towards upright until I borrowed a friend's at his insistance a couple of years ago. I honestly never would have guessed that I would feel so at home "voice-wise" on an upright. It was a complete surprise to me how naturally I connected with the instrument and it has re-invigorated my interest in bass overall. Delving into the double bass world has also pushed me to discover the playing of people such as Israel Crosby and Ray Brown (amongst others), which has been very rewarding. I only wish I had started earlier...
 
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#17
Chris Fitzgerald said:
Always, and always have. I chalk it up to the fact that the DB is basically a "blind" instrument, so it's a lot harder to type on... I have to actually hear what I'm intending to play in great detail for it to have any chance of working, and I think having the temptation to type an answer in effectively removed puts me in a much healthier place right from the get go.

And, no offense to all the BG players out there who love the sound, I think the DB sounds a lot more organic, subtle, and interesting, so I'm more likely to play less notes, which usually makes my solos sound better.
Click to expand...

On BG I've always had the problem of hitting on the frets and buzzing, mostly when I'm reading or playing with my eyes closed. My personal theory as to why this happens is that I instinctively play exactly where the note is on the string. In reality BG players actually play flat, above the frets except for harmonics. That's why we match the harmonic to the closed (fretted) string to get the fingerboard "in tune" with the string length.
 
#18
I feel exactly the same. I've played much more EB than UB, but my soloing (and walking lines) are much better and more interesting on UB. Lots of factors, but I think the physical angle on the neck plays a part in it. I believe I (we) think differently when the neck and strings are vertical and not horisontal.
 
#19
Not surprised. For me, the diff is that DB is a full body instrument. You play it with a lot more of your being. More of yourself gets into the act and you have to slow down and be more musical as it's more demanding in a way.
 
#20
I only play electric bass when there is so much rain that I cringe at loading and unloading my car. I have a fretless electric bass, and my soloing on it is pretty much the same as UB, except, I may play more notes on it because I can, and because there is less going on in the tone and complexity of the sound. I had a nice Fender Jazz bass which I gave to my son, because the frets required a whole different mental process, and it was impossible for me to feel like practicing on it.
 
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