ive been recently practicing some soloings lines. During those practices, i realized that each instruments (horns, guitars, pianos etc) have their own distinctive melodies, lines and phrasings. Piano solos were my favorite of all. However, i do not know how to solo like a pianist on bass. Is there any way to do so? What types of scales, modes and melodies do pianists use?
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Piano like soloing
- Thread starter Venturella
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It's the same scales, modes, and melodies as any other instrument, it's how they're arranged to work on the keyboard that makes piano soloing unique. The toughest thing for bassists, I think, is harmonically and rhythmically interleaving multiple parts on the fly - us bassists are usually more "single-threaded" than that. 
There are bass players who can do it or at least come very close.
There are bass players who can do it or at least come very close.Who are some of those bass players?It's the same scales, modes, and melodies as any other instrument, it's how they're arranged to work on the keyboard that makes piano soloing unique. The toughest thing for bassists, I think, is harmonically and rhythmically interleaving multiple parts on the fly - us bassists are usually more "single-threaded" than that.
Well there are pros like Michael Manring who can do just about anything... ...but I'm actually thinking of one of our members here, posted this on youtube:
Uses echo to build the structure, but I find the end product musically very much like a pianist soloing...
Uses echo to build the structure, but I find the end product musically very much like a pianist soloing...
Maybe that's not what you meant, it's just what came to my mind, and I just like that video. Wish I could do that.
Wish I could do that.All instruments have the same scales and modes. Each individual instrument has certain techniques that are more (or less) natural than another but in the end, you must develop your own voice no matter what instrument you play.
You are right. Different instruments have their own eccentricities and constraints when it comes to soloing. This is why it’s good for all instrumentalists to listen, not only to like instruments, but to all the others as well. You will hear interesting lines that may not be as easy on bass, but worth learning to open up your scope.
I've always thought Patitucci's playing had a piano like quality. His solo at time 2:03 is one I transcribed years ago for that very reason
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learning to play a song would learn each instruments part and play it on the bass, drum , horn, lead, guitar, drums, bass etc then often do my own thing and float along with the different instruments at times gluing together with the drums. maybe didnt say that all correctly but i get bored with most bass lines eventually
The thing about piano vs bass is that piano is easy to play half step and whole step rubs (i.e. play adjacent notes simultaneously - a chord with E and F next to each other). The piano solo in your video - I only listened to a few bars and he was banging away on a chord with close voicings (those half and whole step rubs). You can play it as a ninth but that sounds very different from the second even though it is the same note name.
I'm the keyboardist in my band and I'm always using chord voicings that the guitarist cannot duplicate. And it's difficult to get guitar chord voicings on a keyboard. (I have patches that sound exactly like a guitar but it doesn't sound like a guitar if I use keyboard friendly, close voicing and the wide, guitar voicing isn't easy to do on a keyboard)
I'm the keyboardist in my band and I'm always using chord voicings that the guitarist cannot duplicate. And it's difficult to get guitar chord voicings on a keyboard. (I have patches that sound exactly like a guitar but it doesn't sound like a guitar if I use keyboard friendly, close voicing and the wide, guitar voicing isn't easy to do on a keyboard)
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Piano players often have a unique and very musical way of playing out of time. This can be done on other instruments, but IMHO it's more common on piano.
I’d say find the sheet music to some solos you like. Either get friendly with treble clef or transcribe to bass clef. Or if you have quick ears, learn to sing the parts and figure it out on bass.
Most of the parts in the classic piano solo are right hand parts, but pianists support this stuff with left hand chords, letting them build more harmonic content and tension. Also, there will be plenty of double and triple stops.
And, you’ll run out of range pretty quick on a four string.
But the bonus is learning the scales, chords and phrasing that makes a cool, piano solo work.
One of my back burner projects is the piano solo from Supertamp’s Bloody Well Right. I found it in one of my son’s piano books. It’s even got cd tracks at half and full speed. It’s a project since it’s in treble clef, and I’m not much of a reader even in bass. But right away, you start figuring out what scales he’s using, and how he phrases stuff. Surprise, it’s pretty standard blues lines.
I’ll loop the chords and try to get the solo over the top, but damn, it’s fast. And way up there, even with my C string on the fiver. The guy has a great feel.
The good news is there are tons of materials for piano, bad news is you’d really need to read treble clef. I’ve got hours into writing the note letters under the staff. It’s just time and repetition.
There are far more accessible materials for learning to improvise on bass available.
Most of the parts in the classic piano solo are right hand parts, but pianists support this stuff with left hand chords, letting them build more harmonic content and tension. Also, there will be plenty of double and triple stops.
And, you’ll run out of range pretty quick on a four string.
But the bonus is learning the scales, chords and phrasing that makes a cool, piano solo work.
One of my back burner projects is the piano solo from Supertamp’s Bloody Well Right. I found it in one of my son’s piano books. It’s even got cd tracks at half and full speed. It’s a project since it’s in treble clef, and I’m not much of a reader even in bass. But right away, you start figuring out what scales he’s using, and how he phrases stuff. Surprise, it’s pretty standard blues lines.
I’ll loop the chords and try to get the solo over the top, but damn, it’s fast. And way up there, even with my C string on the fiver. The guy has a great feel.
The good news is there are tons of materials for piano, bad news is you’d really need to read treble clef. I’ve got hours into writing the note letters under the staff. It’s just time and repetition.
There are far more accessible materials for learning to improvise on bass available.
Another good one is his performance on Chick Corea's "Got a Match", although it has more of a jazz guitar feel. Solo starts at 2:00, and he's playing his Ken Smith 6-string. The unison lines with Chick are just insane.
I guess it’s time you committed to playing piano. It’s not so hard. One is to buy a keyboard and start practicing. Within a year you’ll start to hear the lines and start playing them on Bass I’ve been a big endorser or piano playing along with Bass You’ll stop playing licks and start playing lines.
check out my , early teens , favorite guitarist .... Chet Atkins ...
piano is my first instrument .... just the mechanical and technical aspects make playing very different ...
piano is my first instrument .... just the mechanical and technical aspects make playing very different ...
This is exactly why Robet Fripp employs his "New Standard Tuning" in King Crimson and related projects - to get those close-voiced chords you can't normally get on guitar.