The No.1 Soloing Problem For Bass Players

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This lesson addresses one of the biggest problems I see in students when trying to solo through chord changes. As bass players we deal with root notes of chords A LOT! So when it comes to that time to solo we automatically aim for the root note and then take it from there.
In this lesson we have an exercise that aims to shake you out of that habit by aiming for the other chord tones.
Lesson Material available here: www.talkingbass.net/the-no-1-s...
Visit www.talkingbass.net for more free online bass lessons, articles and downloads from Mark Smith and subscribe to receive the free Scale Reference Manual.
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Пікірлер: 109

  • @R.H160
    @R.H1607 жыл бұрын

    holy crap, god damn! thank you so much! I've been playing for like 16 years and because i don't solo that much I've always been terrible at it. and this is EXACTLY my problem. playing along with your video has given me an unprecedented level of bass solo freedom! i finally don't suck shit at bass solos. my brother even noticed haha

  • @jonathantegnell9935
    @jonathantegnell99354 жыл бұрын

    For soloing, especially in jazz, I'd stress the importance of phrasing. That's almost more important than note selection. Avoid starting your phrase on the downbeat. Start your phrase late or early. Don't play a string of notes. Imagine them as discrete packages with air in between.

  • @stanwellback

    @stanwellback

    3 жыл бұрын

    Good point. A perfect example is Andy Fraser, particularly on the Fire and Water album by Free. The spaces he leaves silent work as well as the notes he plays. I learned a lot by listening to his bass lines.

  • @davedave8608

    @davedave8608

    2 жыл бұрын

    amen

  • @justinvandyke7781
    @justinvandyke77818 жыл бұрын

    The #1 soloing problem for me is that when I take a solo, nobody is playing the bassline anymore

  • @albertrd.9342

    @albertrd.9342

    6 жыл бұрын

    I agree, it makes the song sound empty.

  • @BazzTriton

    @BazzTriton

    5 жыл бұрын

    Yes,, yes

  • @BazzTriton

    @BazzTriton

    5 жыл бұрын

    We must talk to the pianist,

  • @magisterprimus7611

    @magisterprimus7611

    5 жыл бұрын

    ah ah ah ah I totally agree....I'm one of those!!! :-)

  • @ciaranpmryan

    @ciaranpmryan

    5 жыл бұрын

    That’s usually why the guitar and drummer would ‘break it down’ over a bass solo. By them even simply accenting the first beat and doing nothing for the rest of the bar, it helps to shift the focus on the basssolo itself. Then, as they build the song back up it doesn’t sound so strange that there’s no bottom end bass line since people are already focussed on the bass solo.

  • @kenmahinay5796
    @kenmahinay57965 жыл бұрын

    2019 here and still very helpful... Thank you for this.

  • @spiderxbass
    @spiderxbass8 жыл бұрын

    Simple stuff and at the same time super important. The way you explain the stuff is great. Really good advices, great job.

  • @earlgarcia6106
    @earlgarcia61064 жыл бұрын

    This is great! We use to not allow each other to play the root during a solo...then a 3rd and so on..gets you out of usual patterns your hands fall into

  • @TheNicozappa
    @TheNicozappa7 жыл бұрын

    wow! you're a great teacher! it's very difficult to get lost in your explanations!

  • @handychandra6238
    @handychandra62384 жыл бұрын

    You open my left brain in playing bass. Great understanding

  • @richardburchett
    @richardburchett7 жыл бұрын

    I had a teacher of your caliber for just one year in college, a true jazz bassist with a great knowledge of both the instrument technique and music theory. I wish I had more time with him, but I learned that growing as a player meant having a short explanation of proper knowledge followed by a lifetime of practice and application. Thankfully there were plenty of opportunities to try to put it in practice. I think the most enlightening thing you said here was that after familiarity with the chord tones, the trick is coming up with melodic phrases that use those different tones as starting and ending points. I can't wait to try to put that approach into practice. Maybe in another 20 years I can reach another level of playing.

  • @zeilenschinder

    @zeilenschinder

    6 жыл бұрын

    Mark delivers the "short explanations of proper knowledge" in spades. Now I just need the perseverance to put them into practice.

  • @austinjohnson9706
    @austinjohnson97064 жыл бұрын

    You are by far the best bass guitar teacher on this platform. Thanks for what you do

  • @grillosaint
    @grillosaint8 жыл бұрын

    great class, very practical info

  • @itai666999
    @itai6669993 жыл бұрын

    unbelievable how much this lesseon changed my perspective on soloing. THANK YOU SO MUCH!

  • @gerardpaulthompson600
    @gerardpaulthompson6007 жыл бұрын

    SIMPLY THE BEST..GREAT GREAT GREAT. THANK YOU SIR

  • @acmullane
    @acmullane7 жыл бұрын

    nice post- just watched it and lashed out a solo I've been struggling on for weeks, many thanks, subbed

  • @MC-ep8cu
    @MC-ep8cu6 жыл бұрын

    You are the best teacher on youtube

  • @bassman4588
    @bassman45886 жыл бұрын

    Great lesson! Thank you Mark!

  • @treylem3
    @treylem34 жыл бұрын

    Great., very helpful as always Mark, thanks

  • @dirtydex
    @dirtydex8 жыл бұрын

    This was extremely useful. Much appreciated.

  • @Fili2009able

    @Fili2009able

    4 жыл бұрын

    Hola Putin como estas amigo Ruso

  • @Purpleskyshorizon
    @Purpleskyshorizon8 жыл бұрын

    Great lesson as always Mark!

  • @apolinariofontiveros6196
    @apolinariofontiveros61966 жыл бұрын

    Very informative and helpful for a beginner like me thank you

  • @kasthebass
    @kasthebass8 жыл бұрын

    Great lesson; i play bass for nine years and have my chops going on, but this lesson really takes me further, thanks!

  • @sebbe91
    @sebbe914 жыл бұрын

    Great upload, this was an eye-opener for sure!

  • @JT-hx6nt
    @JT-hx6nt8 жыл бұрын

    Nicely done there Mark, thank you... nice little 'crawl, walk, run' exercise...

  • @arysthideschitomba
    @arysthideschitomba7 жыл бұрын

    im Angolan and I like follow ur channel just to watch ur amazing lesson... God bless u

  • @Fenitoina1
    @Fenitoina18 жыл бұрын

    Great help!!!

  • @jameskyle3466
    @jameskyle34663 жыл бұрын

    This is brilliant, this is an issue I face not only in soloing, but writing interesting lines in general.

  • @Flo-hs8uc
    @Flo-hs8uc7 жыл бұрын

    Great job mate!

  • @aaronboelbaai7813
    @aaronboelbaai78136 жыл бұрын

    great lesson...thanks

  • @Ream359
    @Ream3598 жыл бұрын

    thank you... help me a lot

  • @NeilAnthonyMansueto
    @NeilAnthonyMansueto2 жыл бұрын

    I really like the way you teach. Thank you.

  • @brentolsenthanksformaking2528
    @brentolsenthanksformaking25283 жыл бұрын

    Thank you for your teaching

  • @user-zt2wc3uh1l
    @user-zt2wc3uh1l6 жыл бұрын

    Nice solo at the end...very colorful and melodic.

  • @RootsBassCanada
    @RootsBassCanada7 жыл бұрын

    thank you! Imma try this in our next rehearsal.

  • @ljgarrison6910
    @ljgarrison69104 жыл бұрын

    This is good information. Nice.

  • @gussug7658
    @gussug76585 жыл бұрын

    very helpful

  • @Airconcleaner
    @Airconcleaner4 жыл бұрын

    tnx, very helpful.

  • @kofosuonbass
    @kofosuonbass Жыл бұрын

    It’s Mark’s colourful solo at the end for me!

  • @michaelmendola5246
    @michaelmendola524611 ай бұрын

    You’re awesome bro !,,

  • @jodi183
    @jodi1836 жыл бұрын

    Find ii-V-I bebop licks that work on the bass, then practice them from memory in all twelve keys starting slow & increasing speed so that you don't have to think about it. Practice them in song forms using them over those ii-Vs (blues is a good start). These progressions are in every jazz standard. This way of practice, using licks, is very "academic" but eventually your ear will hear those bebop lines and you will be able manipulate them into your own sound. Otherwise, you really aren't really using the jazz language. This takes a lot of time, I've been working on this, and it has helped my playing a lot. Also transcribe bass solos that you like (Paul Chambers, Oscar Pettiford are good starts). And memorize them. Practicing with guide tones is a good way to internalize changes, but you won't get too far with your solos. Learning the bebop language will open up your solo playing & you won't get lost in the changes. The majority of the great players, even the modern ones learned the language this way. Once you start using it you hear it in nearly every solo.

  • @jonaspalaperichter2203
    @jonaspalaperichter22038 жыл бұрын

    very very !!! GOOOOD !!!

  • @daprofemusicstickers
    @daprofemusicstickers8 жыл бұрын

    good info

  • @shawnhuff3597
    @shawnhuff35978 жыл бұрын

    one word jaco great bassist for this learning lesson

  • @Pablito_gonzalez
    @Pablito_gonzalez7 жыл бұрын

    amazing man ! podrias explicar algo sobre el fraseo de melodias vocales en el bajo ?

  • @adityas7091
    @adityas70918 жыл бұрын

    Mark, any lesson recommendations for learning positioning, articulation and sound identification on fretless bass? I just started playing it, and I feel like you taking a lesson would make things very clear to me. Thanks!

  • @heryperez7379
    @heryperez73798 жыл бұрын

    Dude you're sick!

  • @yahweexalts8307
    @yahweexalts83072 жыл бұрын

    Best teacher I ever met but try to show closely the fretboard

  • @gerardthompson1
    @gerardthompson14 жыл бұрын

    GREAT

  • @killmeorikillyou1
    @killmeorikillyou18 жыл бұрын

    I'd like to see more slap lessons, if possible. May be breaking down a few popular difficult slap riffs? Or some advanced techniques for improvisation.

  • @TheGrahamBrechin
    @TheGrahamBrechin7 жыл бұрын

    what bass are you using in this video? sounds good

  • @carlosvillarroel6665
    @carlosvillarroel66655 жыл бұрын

    The lesson is very usefull, thank you. But how to develop vocabulary on bass solo (Improvisation, scales, articulation, modes, Rythm Changes, intervalic jumps, Arpeggios... i know that but i still feel that my vocabulary is very poor) any tip, advice or trick?. Cheers master.

  • @progmind4274
    @progmind42745 жыл бұрын

    If a bass player has problem with solos there are three reasons for this: 1. Never studied triads arpeggios, scales, modes (harmonic min and melodic min are unknown, like diminished and esatonal or Bach armonic major mode...) in all positions of freatboard, using all tonalities! 2. Never studied rhythmic variations on scales excerpts, so the hands never can create an intersting "rhythm pattern", even using a single note of chord; 3. The most important thing if You want play a good solo is.... EARING OTHERS MUSICIANS AND LEARNING SOLO LANGUAGE, TRANSCRIBING SOLO LINES AND PLAY THAT SOLO EVERY DAY, SEARCHING FOR LITTLE VARIATIONS IN THAT SOLO!!!! Music is a language, and like a child We must learn this language hearing the great soloists and writing scores of those solos... If You walk this way EVERYDAY (scales, chords, arpeggios, technique developement, hearing solos) You can play good solo lines in only three years (not at the same level of Jaco, La Faro, Mingus, Chambers, Mc Bride, Feraud, Deidda or Sheenan, Wooten etc....!!!! :-) :-) :-)) But your hands and your mind can created solid and melodic solo's ideas.... If You believe that after playing Emmaj7 scale and arpeggio at 150bpm (16th) You can make solo line You are crazy... Technique and harmonic knowledge is 60% of your problems... 40% is learning the language of great soloists, and after that your mind and your hands can make good things!!! Sorry for my English, I don't practice english technique with metronome everyday!!!! :-) :-) :-)

  • @chirshidalgo2998
    @chirshidalgo29988 жыл бұрын

    Can you mix the root with 3rds with 5th and 7th in the same line or do you have to keep playing the same pattern? Thank you.

  • @SawyerPvP

    @SawyerPvP

    7 жыл бұрын

    Chirs Hidalgo you most definitely can mix them!

  • @BKF0
    @BKF08 жыл бұрын

    The biggest problem I have is running out of fretboard (I play a 20-fret Jazz bass)

  • @samlawrence7040

    @samlawrence7040

    8 жыл бұрын

    +Firstname Lastname Same

  • @darksoulmetal1255

    @darksoulmetal1255

    8 жыл бұрын

    +nemo227 interesting. It's almost as if all uprights don't have frets.

  • @darksoulmetal1255

    @darksoulmetal1255

    8 жыл бұрын

    +nemo227 true. I'm gonna google it.

  • @Spazzsticks

    @Spazzsticks

    8 жыл бұрын

    +nemo227 thus your upright has no bounds *wink* ;)

  • @AlpanBass

    @AlpanBass

    6 жыл бұрын

    jaco he was playing with 20frets bass

  • @reubenreedsanderson3301
    @reubenreedsanderson33017 жыл бұрын

    It's hard to hear your bass. Can you turn it up for future videos?

  • @RootsBassCanada
    @RootsBassCanada7 жыл бұрын

    so would it be okay to start soloing on the 2nd, 4th, or 6th as well?

  • @SawyerPvP

    @SawyerPvP

    7 жыл бұрын

    RootsBassCanada it might sound dissonant because they're not harmonies like the root, third, and fifth are, but if you like the way the sound...play them! Certain out-of-key notes sound great thrown into a bass riff too, like the flat fifth. Not sure I'd start the solo on it though

  • @ronHpyrotech

    @ronHpyrotech

    7 жыл бұрын

    @TalkingBass do you have a lesson on modes? This is an exercise in your modes. I maj, II min, III min, IV maj, V dom, VI min, VII 1/2 dim . You're playing all of the scales within a key starting on the root, then the 2nd to 2nd, 3rd to 3rd, 4th to 4th, etc. the key is that, well you're in the same key that the root is. That's how you can learn all of the scales within one key. Mark, really enjoy your lessons, torturing myself with muted palm slaps, ghost notes, double thumbing, and all that fun. Love your lessons.

  • @leocomerford
    @leocomerford5 жыл бұрын

    4:56 A bloody pox on Trivago. D:

  • @bigbeartholomew9148
    @bigbeartholomew91484 жыл бұрын

    Just to save our own sanity ! Loll

  • @faceitnow7936
    @faceitnow79366 жыл бұрын

    I signed up but it won't axcept my password. i tried twice.Can you tell me what's up with that.Perhaps I did something wrong.BUT I don't think so. I tried twice and it told me there was already someone with that e-mail already signed up?????

  • @johelgoni9438
    @johelgoni94387 жыл бұрын

    Why your pickups have a light?

  • @mr.doddlydodo3332

    @mr.doddlydodo3332

    7 жыл бұрын

    Johel Goñi I was wondering the same thing

  • @intoxicatedozzy4662
    @intoxicatedozzy46627 жыл бұрын

    Why couldn't you be my music theory teacher in high school?!

  • @ryublesky5829
    @ryublesky58297 жыл бұрын

    Please volume up bass sound !!! It is difficult to listen bass sound

  • @ljpagbe

    @ljpagbe

    2 жыл бұрын

    Use headphones...

  • @rebkong
    @rebkong8 жыл бұрын

    your right hand is driving me nuts

  • @kdt85

    @kdt85

    7 жыл бұрын

    iron sheik how so?

  • @js4512
    @js45123 жыл бұрын

    Is it just me, or does that bass need a setup ? All I hear all lesson long is buzz buzz buzz.....14 th fret d string buzz drives me nuts!!!!

  • @alexhamilton4084
    @alexhamilton40845 жыл бұрын

    What's this obsession with 7th chords on these bass lesson videos? And why are most bass player/teachers obsessed with Jazz, Funk, etc? Why no lessons for rock or blues bassists? Not budding every bass player likes Jazz or Funk.

  • @kellnola

    @kellnola

    2 жыл бұрын

    better learn to :)

  • @Veni_Vidi_Vortice
    @Veni_Vidi_Vortice6 жыл бұрын

    Good lesson Mark, but the enjoyment factor was somewhat spoiled by the sound of buzzing frets which made me wince at times. Your guitar tech guy could fix that for you quite easily if you mention it to him next time you visit.

  • @fg87fgd
    @fg87fgd7 жыл бұрын

    My biggest soloing problem: Does the music actually require a bass solo at all?

  • @cuervorockero

    @cuervorockero

    7 жыл бұрын

    Norbert Vossiek why not? that's the question to ask mate 😉

  • @talkingbasslessons

    @talkingbasslessons

    7 жыл бұрын

    Norbert Vossiek I think this brings up an important point. Remember that when we're discussing stuff like solo improvisation we're often talking about jazz and jazz related styles. I know there are a lot of rock/metal/funk/country players out there watching these videos and wondering "what's the point of bass solos". It's rare you're going to have to weave an improvised solo through a bunch chord changes in some of those other styles. That said, if you are interested in learning to improvise then jazz is an obvious path of study.

  • @cuervorockero

    @cuervorockero

    7 жыл бұрын

    TalkingBass - Online Bass Lessons great answer. I'm a rock bassist my self and here I am learning from you. I would like to see what you could do on rock. I have the same bass as you and getting the darkglass microtube 900 in a bit. please do a video on more heavy stuff of the spectrum. you have been helpful to many of us. thank you

  • @iamabodybuiilder8427

    @iamabodybuiilder8427

    6 жыл бұрын

    I love rock music. I am going to post some videos on my channel showing how to play rock basslines.

  • @juanmanuelroman8377

    @juanmanuelroman8377

    6 жыл бұрын

    Arts require nothing. Play whatever you want and let's see what happens. You don't like it? Sounds like shit? Well, don't do it again if you don't want to.

  • @mertuzun3125
    @mertuzun31253 жыл бұрын

    you certainly look like patrick from coupling i guess lol

  • @talkingbasslessons

    @talkingbasslessons

    3 жыл бұрын

    Ben Miles plays bass

  • @visog
    @visog8 жыл бұрын

    Really!? I thought the no. 1 biggest problem is that they do it.

  • @ctdvargas
    @ctdvargas4 жыл бұрын

    This man seems perpetually annoyed that he has to do simplistic shit like this for us dummies all the while having professional level schooling and talent.. This would be like a physicist teaching kids in middle school long division or pre algebra. MInd numbing to say the least, but we appreciate it though!!!!

  • @kevinturvey8213
    @kevinturvey8213 Жыл бұрын

    the no 1 problem is that no-one actually wants to hear a bass solo...

  • @BigJoenads
    @BigJoenads7 жыл бұрын

    All his basses are so ugly 😢

  • @talkingbasslessons

    @talkingbasslessons

    7 жыл бұрын

    Really!? I get people not liking the Ibanez but everybody loves the P bass and the Jazz is a Marcus Miller sig edition. If you don't like that then I have no answer!

  • @camerongraham1346

    @camerongraham1346

    6 жыл бұрын

    Did you really have to make that comment?

  • @David_Ralte.

    @David_Ralte.

    3 жыл бұрын

    Really? Lets see what you got then...

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