What is your personal way of improvising on bass during a jam?

[Carl Hillman]

I sometimes find myself in such situation where, due to someone* being late to rehearsals, another someone** starts jamming some random chords, and the other someone*** picks it up without problem, and then everyone looks at me and expects me to easily jump up and figure out how to fill in with the bass... on those occasions when I do succeed at figuring out the key before the second someone** randomly changes it (with the third someone*** having the easiest time of their life since chords are irrelevant to them), I pretty much try to just find a simple usable groove as quickly as possible and stick to it. In the event the second someone** decides to keep the key long enough, I may start venturing into small variations and embellishment, but I find it impossible to improvise freely or try a solo... such selfish act would surely unpolitely step on the spotlight of the second someone** and leave the poor third someone*** alone in keeping up a weakened groove.

*the singer, who else?
**the guitarist, who else??
***the drummer, who else???

How do you manage to make your jamming on bass more satisfying (when not jamming alone, that is)? Do you agree with your bandmates on a chord progression before starting the jam? Do you alternate on solos? Do you just enjoy chaos and mayhem and each one plays a different key/rhythm/genre/time signature?

I'd like to hear how you really manage to have fun jamming on bass (not just the theory of it, or how you think you should be jamming, but how you actually do) because maybe I'm just still too much a beginner on bass, but I find jamming a lot easier and more fun when I play in another role** or even another role***.

Everyone should be listening intently to each other Everyone should abandon their preconceptions about where the music "should" go. If you can't think of anything to play, don't play. There is nothing wrong with space. Trust your ears. See the big picture, not just the brush strokes.

 

[Jcountrybass]

The best practice will be to start jamming along with songs on the radio/spotify/whatever.

 

[logdrum]

I do free-improv, so that's all I do. I listen, first and foremost, though sometimes I'll start things. Sometimes it's total noise/mayhem, other times it's reverb-laden dreamscapes, sometimes it's funky, some times it's just clicks and clacks. Wherever things lead, including cul de sacs. I think the most important thing in improv is to say YES, after listening.

Although I can play straight or in that's what I do mostly as well. My sound cloud page is full of experimental stuff. I play with a noise synth guy and a lyrical drummer. And I am probably the only want rooted in some harmony. I do go to some "jam" band type jams once in a while. GD and Phish influence and of course jazz.

I think it's best to show you when there are no chords to begin with and you are playing with very out players
6-string bass - I think I settled in the key D and Bb. I had to react to the drummer and the noise synth player

 

[dreamadream99]

While it can be intimidating playing with others who know more about music than you do, remember: no one got better playing with people who were worse.

Better players force you to learn faster and better. They bring you up.

The more you do something the better you get at it. The more you do something with people who are better, the quicker you get better at it.

Swinging above your class is not a setback; it’s an opportunity.

 

[Mosthigh]

Think of it as a semi-chaotic conversation, with people brainstorming ideas. Some fall flat and get ignored, others spark interest and get picked up by the next guy, who adds or modifies it, then the next person adds their 2 cents, etc. and although some may be using different vocabularies, you're (hopefully) all speaking the same language.

One exercise a well-known jamband did was stand in a circle - the first person offers a musical idea, the next person repeats that idea then plays it again with something of their own, and so on...It teaches how to listen to others first, then use what you just heard to bring your own; it also gives everyone a chance to be the leader and start a musical conversation. If you don't have anything to offer, then pass to the next guy; so on one hand, it keeps you on your toes, but on the other, it make it a no-pressure situation.

Ever play the 'telephone game' as a kid? Players form a line or circle, and the first player comes up with a message and whispers it to the ear of the second person in the line. The second player repeats the message to the third player, and so on. When the last player is reached, they announce the message they just heard, to the entire group. The last message often is a long way from the original one, but everyone got to offer their own interpretation and create something new. It's like that when you're jamming, but in a much less linear way.

 

[Billyears IV]

With previous band (alt rock/indie) spontaneous jams, I would struggle to clearly grasp some more interesting (electric) guitar chord progressions, when there are inversions, suspended etc. Together with reverb, distortion it's a challenge.

This frustrates as I hate just playing roots & fifths. So I sometimes I mess with an 'anchor' groove in 1 key, with fills, variations up the neck & turnarounds.... Utilising rhythms. Gives the guitarist a decent platform. We had a good drummer who I clicked with, so it worked. But he left and replacement was erratic and a bit of an arsehole. So I quit.

Recently been jamming with a keys/synth dude which has been refreshing & fun. More scope to use effects pedals, try combinations and create atmosphere.

I'm not passionate enough to study jazz improv, or sophisticated soloing but try to pick up nuances of expression. Happy to work within my limitations.

I'm a fan of using effective space /syncopation - less is more. But still find too many guitarists want to play 'non stop' rather than interact. Their problem

 

[Praise Bass]

Really depends on the rest of the band - their skill level, genre they prefer, whether you have played before, their ability to listen and respond, and the “chemistry” of everyone playing. Sometimes, with the right group of musicians, magic happens with not a single word spoken. Other times it’s forced.

 

[Groove Doctor]

Ask them to yell out the chords for you.

I play guitar well so if I can see their hands then I know the chords they are playing. Maybe learn some basic guitar bar-chord shapes so you can see what chord they’re playing.

Lastly, put on songs you don’t know and learn to play along by ear on ONE LISTEN ONLY. Ear training takes time but is an invaluable skill that helps you with EVERYTHING.

 

[brianrost]

someone starts jamming some random chords, and the other someone picks it up without problem

The chords usually aren’t really random. Most jams are built off common chord progressions so you have to train your ear to pick them up.

 

[Bunk McNulty]

If you really want to throw a monkey wrench into the proceedings (especially when you're playing with guitarists who rarely step out of pentatonic scales), get a riff going based on Locrian mode. Everybody will get lost, which is when the fun really begins.

 

[Geogio]

Play like every note will cost a dollar.

Simplify, simplicity, bread & butter, space...

 

[jthisdell]

A guitarist needs to make it a little obvious as to what he is doing and where he is going next. If he is on G then it would be a natural for him to go to D or C or even Em but if goes to C# then I’m lost

 

[jthisdell]

While it can be intimidating playing with others who know more about music than you do, remember: no one got better playing with people who were worse.

Better players force you to learn faster and better. They bring you up.

The more you do something the better you get at it. The more you do something with people who are better, the quicker you get better at it.

Swinging above your class is not a setback; it’s an opportunity.

So true. But if everyone gets lost you can stop and ask them what they were doing and why. If they can’t explain the why part then you will know why you were lost.

 

[Bass4ThePublic]

I take Sean Hurley’s advice. Start with the most simple line, and if it needs more you’ll hear it, and add to it.

Start slow, use your ear.

 

[Bassquest]

Just jump in there with both hands and feet. Getting your head spinning around is where it's at for improving your playing skills. Dont be afraid to make mistakes.

 

[turf3]

Well, "Jam" can have a LOT of different meanings. Outside the little rock and roll box, "jam" can range from calling out songs - you know, with defined verses, choruses, and chord changes - and playing those, with open sections for solos; to calling a progression ("Rhythm Changes in Db! Everyone ready?"; to extended one-chord or two-chord vamps ("Impressions, in Db! Everyone ready?"; "In Memory of Elizabeth Reed, in Db! Eveyone ready?") to what the OP seems to be describing which is more or less unorganized chaos.

Frankly, if you're playing with people of the caliber of Ornette Coleman or Arthur Blythe or James Blood Ulmer, you can set up the "unorganized chaos" and get some quite interesting and artistically valid results. In most cases, though, it's just a buch of weed-inspired noise. At my advanced age (and no one I know smokes weed when we're playing music), this kind of thing doesn't come up much, and when it does, I take the opportunity to go have a bathroom break.

 

[Pdaddy1978]

What key is it in?
Where's the backbeat?
GO!

 

[turf3]

So to the OP's title question, my personal way of improvising on bass during a jam is to play the changes. (Which might be an extended one-chord vamp.) I watch closely to see where things are going next (like, when are we going to come out of the extended one-chord vamp and roll into the main structure of the tune). When things are loosely defined or not defined at all, having the bass drop out of its rhythm role to take solos generally causes the whole thing to fall apart (I am NOT playing with musicians of the caliber of the guys I mentioned above), so bass solos generally aren't on the table. I don't much care to play bass solos anyway, certainly not more than one chorus.

 

[u84six]

I find the chords, then determine the key, and then I quickly find a groove/pattern that causes the drummer to lock in. Now the guitarist is the one who’s lost, so he’ll eventually just solo over the groove in end

 

[BismarckHerring]

For me, it’s just trial and error. I pick a random note, then use my intuition to choose the next notes. Usually, I quickly find the scale to use. Then, I try to find a simple pattern that sounds okay and experiment with it until it sounds good. At this point I’ve usually figured out the chords. From there, I can concentrate on making it more interesting and react to what the others are playing.

Now that I think about it, I think I tend not to play the first note on the one. It’s less intrusive if you play a wrong note somewhere else in the bar. If it sounds really wrong, then I usually try to follow it up with a note a half step higher. If I’m lucky, it will resolve nicely. Other than that I rely on the intuition that I developed through experience. I can’t usually identify chords progressions by ear, but once I have a starting point my fingers seem to find the right notes - or maybe I should say: good enough notes - quite quickly.

Also, when someone changes the chord progression before I’m comfortable with the current one, I’ll look at them disapprovingly, and maybe say something about it afterward. Rule 1 of jamming is: keep it simple. If you notice that others have trouble following you, then don’t make drastic changes.