"Zero-Scale" Bass Solos: How To Start Improvising On Bass [No Scales Needed]

Taking bass solos; improvising on bass - it can be scary, right?!? Nobody wants to take a bass solo and sound like a fool, but how do you even get started? Is it even possible to learn how to improvise on bass?
Do you have to learn a whole bunch of scales that don't make sense? Do you learn all of the arpeggios and use the notes in them? Do you just use the roots of the chords? Or just play the same bass line you've been playing the entire song?
No! You don't have to do any of these. In fact, there's a simple way you can start taking beautiful simple bass solos that you KNOW are going to sound good. You're guaranteed to never get lost and you can be sure that you'll never hit a wrong note.
After all, improvising on bass is supposed to be fun, right!? Using the method in this video will take all the stress out of it so you can have a ball making up your own bass solos and have the confidence to do it over and over again.
Now while you don't NEED to know any scales to improvise on bass, they can certainly help you to create more complex and more interesting bass solos.
It can be so confusing navigating all the scales and modes - especially if you're just starting out. That's why I created the Ultimate Guide To The Modes For Bass. It will show you exactly what you can play in nearly any situation, without confusing you with technical jargon. Having just a little bit of this knowledge can take your bass solos to the next level.
The guide also comes with 24 practice tracks you can use today to start your journey towards mastery over the modes and learn how to improvise on bass. To get started, just sign up right here:
becomeabassist....
The guide will be sent straight to your inbox.
Of course if you have any questions about the lesson, just let me know. I'd be more than happy to help out.
Good luck and happy bass soloing!
Cheers,
Luke
P.S. The track that was used in this lesson can be found right here:
• Isn't She Lovely- Stev...

[@BecomeABassist]

One of the most common questions I got about this video was, _"How can I learn the melody of a song?"_ and a lot of the time, you may NOT be able to find tabs or notation for it. But what you *can* do, is try to learn it by ear and I show you how to get started with that process here: kzbin.info/www/bejne/gWPddYJofrmgrNU

[@jhay3966]

"Playing wrong notes gets everyone's attention" -Victor W.

[@ye_boi]

It's funny that in this context it is a bad thing, but outside it is quite desirable

[@RHINOSAUR]

@@ye_boi - Disagree. Each “bad” note resolves into a good one. This adds wonderful tension to a bass solo.

[@myrstika]

🤣🤣🤣

[@ivan2795]

Watched his video where he said there are no wrong notes xD

[@davidreichert9392]

To be honest, I prefer bass solos where the bassist still keeps the groove.

[@jdssurf]

Different styles of music though

[@silencedones4421]

If the solo doesn't match or fit the groove the bassist is only showing off. A great bassist will always think he is just ok. Stay humble and remember the bass is to fill in the octaves the guitar can't reach. Fill the spectrum before the ego.

[@hugebeebop2955]

​@@silencedones4421yall putting rules on music

[@michaelmerritt9657]

It’s crazy how we are all different right. I prefer to keep playing the bass line, but maybe with a little extra sauce. I love hearing other cats go crazy tho

[@Systolic_Gaming]

Watch my nerd ass play the groove and a solo at the same time

[@gfgnickname_not_chosen2598]

I see a problem here. The bassist is hot, but he's also a bassist. So does he get chicks or not?

[@BecomeABassist]

Sorry friend - I'm taken.

[@lorenzoiaccarini6966]

so you get... chick

[@CuteSceneChic]

Bassest are the hottest!

[@lorenzoiaccarini6966]

@@CuteSceneChic good to know lmao

[@estarling8766]

Ask Bill Wayman too.

[@emohawk1589]

at last someone who makes sense without confusing things (without feeding cats or talking to much about something completely different(sorry scott your amazing at bass but drag things out)) everything you say makes sense and isn't intimidating at all. taking out the stress of scales means a bassist can progress and get there as and when their ready while getting the confidence needed to move forward. good job buddy

[@denobassug3834]

Nice

[@jmbppmja]

Nice

[@ceec165]

Yes! This approach is more intuitive, IMO

[@mrzabie0138]

Been playing bass on worship teams for many years (I don't consider myself a really great musician) but I must say that this is some of the best advice I've ever heard. What a great teacher!

[@nick112441]

2:30 "We're not going to use any of this, at all" Thank God!! :D

[@BecomeABassist]

Haha! It makes way more sense to start at a simpler place and work up to using all the complicated stuff than starting complicated and working your way back to simplicity.

[@timlorenz4080]

Luke, you've really helped me take my playing to new levels. I had to laugh on the second example, the "delayed melody". It's one of the only times I've seen your "bass face". We all have one. Mine is comical, frankly. But it always shows up when I'm concentrating really hard. Thanks for showing me that even seasoned pros, still strive to crush a groove. Cheers!

[@BecomeABassist]

Haha! The bass face is so real!!! I’m always doing weird stuff with my mouth without realising it. I’m glad the video helped get your playing to new levels Tim - that’s really great news!

[@selfactualizer2099]

Wooten: if you hit the wrong note, either add it to the loop; or move up/down just 1 fret and you're back in key

[@holdencaustic]

You’re a great teacher-great delivery, and you take what others would complicate, and simplify it- great channel!!

[@BecomeABassist]

Glad you think so Jason! I always try to make things simple to follow and get started. I can't tell you how happy I am to hear this from you!

[@holdencaustic]

Become A Bassist - truth is truth: you know your stuff, you’re a player, and you teach the way it should be taught- hope you reach a million subscribers!

[@neildavidmorris842]

What an eye opener, thanks a million Luke. Now I feel like I can become a bass player, a musician even, and achieve my ambition to play jazz. What an inspiration.

[@samstar7206]

Out of all the bass lessons on KZbin Yours have been the best Quality and most helpful

[@annetee6567]

What a bunch of cool ideas to work with! I will try them immidiately.. Thank you so much!

[@BecomeABassist]

Awesome Anne! Let me know how you go with them!

[@bassmangotdbluz3547]

It's time for a rousing Tuba solo!

[@baranugur8617]

great work buddy, I am gonna understand all the videos you made, improve my bass skills and my English :) keep enjoying the bass, greetings from Turkey

[@jplater9191]

Love this lesson and your humility, being able to laugh about making mistakes while learning!

[@williamsederholm1768]

Thanks for these vids, Luke. I knew some of these concepts but this s great, real-world stuff that I can use within days.

[@BecomeABassist]

That's awesome William! Let me know when you're able to apply some of it. I'd love to hear about it.

[@alonsolazz]

Great work and inspiration, am an intermediate bass player. I can identify with your advice, actually after all this theory we learn, the most appealing this we can do is to have a great melody going.

[@BecomeABassist]

Totally - Melody is the key. Nothing works without it!

[@nicgundy]

Interesting; when I did a run through of a guitar on scales when I was 13, it helped know where every note’s at on the fretboard. Ever since that day improv has been a strong suit & best friend to my playing today!!

[@hardikdhakan6876]

Just wondering how did you go about it? For me pentatonic shapes are easy. I'm looking to get all mode shapes down.

[@RumRum001]

ionian starts in the 1(tonic) dorian starts on the 2 etc...major scale starting on the different degrees of the scale

[@iAlberto923]

This approach was super useful to know which notes to play and then remixing them. Thank you!

[@BecomeABassist]

Fantastic to hear! I'm glad to hear you found it useful!

[@user-ck5dw9wm1v]

Long time bass player and I say salute to you for taking the mystery out of good solos

[@rossfromhonolulu]

Calm your farm?

[@badboy250984]

Thanks for the tip. I never actually thought about that, I'm working on a bass solo at the moment for a song that already have a 2min bass solo. Due to technical reason I couldn't play the whole solo exactly the same so I have to improvise something to make it sound good but not too sluggish. I dig myself a hole to try learn all the chord scale and link them together without thinking how it sound. Maybe I should look at all the notes on the existing piece that I can play and mix them to try things out.

[@djfglobal3377]

Its easy overthink things all way around until You arrive at the solution You ruled out as being too easy in the first place . Anyhow, you’ll figure it out! Good luck

[@kai-mm2gd]

It took me a minute to realize but I’m playing this same song and trying to improvise a solo for it right now

[@musicsinourblood7306]

When he said “Calm your farm” I laughed

[@floydmaster9319]

What's the meaning of it?

[@ALTheFreeMan]

Thank you for this video!! Tonight at church, I was put on the spot for the first time in my short bass playing career. I just kept playing the bass line, lol, but next time I’ll be ready!!

[@BecomeABassist]

You can do it @AL The Free Man!

[@garryedwards2917]

Listen from 6:16 & cut through the zzzzz

[@danielskrivan6921]

That's a great step 2 for me. Step 1: how do I play the melody instead of just the root notes?

[@BecomeABassist]

Great question Daniel. There are a few ways. You can try to find tabs for the melody itself, but a MUCH better way would be to figure it out yourself. Start by singing along with the melody and get really comfortable with that. Once you can do that pretty well, sing JUST the first note of the melody and keep it in your ear. Then, start searching around for it on your bass. At the start, this is going to feel weird and 'wrong', but keep at it. Eventually, you'll find the note on your bass that matches with the note of the melody. If you wanted to check your work and make sure you got it right, you could use a free tuner app, sing the note of the melody into it and it will tell you what the note is. Then play the note on your bass. If it's the same note, then you're golden! If not, then you might be hearing things differently, so you go back to the start. Over time, this process will become easier and easier. Rather than taking a long time to get a single note, it'll just take a second or two. Then instead of just focusing on one note at a time, you'll find yourself doing 2, 3, then 4, and eventually entire phrases at once. By the way, you don't have to have a good singing voice to do this. You just have to work on your ability to match pitch. I talk about this kind of thing in this lesson, although it's not exactly what I'm talking about for learning melodies by ear. kzbin.info/www/bejne/kInYg5R5bb-drrs Does this make sense Daniel? I may have to make a lesson about this exact thing.

[@danielskrivan6921]

It makes sense for the most part! Actually I didn't know about voice tuners, this is something that will really help me. How do I know if the note I'm singing is the same as the note I hear in the song? If I know what note the song is then I should just be able to find it on the bass.

[@BecomeABassist]

At the start, before your ear is well-developed, you'll probably end up guessing. Sometimes you'll be right and other times, you'll be wrong. And that's great! Every mistake you make is a chance to learn how to do it better. Over time though, you'll start to get a sense for when you're singing the melody vs. something else. In the meantime, if you know any musicians who have a bit more experience than you do, you could record yourself playing along with the melody once you figure it out. Just using the voice recorder on your phone would be fine. Show it to them and they should be able to tell you whether the notes you chose are actually the ones on the recording. If you do this with 3 songs and really go deep with them, your ears will start to separate the melody and the chords and the bass line and whatever else is in the song.

[@danielskrivan6921]

Thanks for the advice!

[@BecomeABassist]

No worries. Let me know how you go with it!

[@chrisegarner]

Any advice on soloing in a song which just uses a simple 4 chord progression? I love the stevie wonder example but not all songs have such a clear melody line like that

[@andrewboyle7442]

Doing a gig of 40 jazz standards where you don’t know any of the melodies ,let’s see him solo to them. 😂

[@mattcartwright9442]

Yes Chris just use the vocal melody as the melody if the song doesn't have a distinguishable or memorable melody. BTW that Stevie wonder tune is a 4 chord song. At least the main chord progression is. So is the bridge actually just replaces two of the chords from the main progression with other chords

[@maks886]

So I'm not the only one who pulls out my tongue while playing

[@BecomeABassist]

Oh no - you're definitely not alone there...

[@cello_melow]

This is a powerful concept. Should be obvious and common wisdom but it's not. Tim Pierce gives the same advice for his quite musically advanced audience, but most lessons on improvisation will focus on scales and arpeggios. Needless to say, learning to play iconic melodies is an effective way to learn how to write your own, on the spot.

[@BecomeABassist]

Definitely! The scales and arpeggios can be useful, but the goal for me is to make melodies. They might contain scales and arpeggios, but a lot of the time, I'm not thinking in those terms. I wish I'd listened to the 'learn to play melodies' way earlier in my life. It would have made a huge difference to the younger me.

[@andresquintana4291]

Thanks Luke for another lesson that makes Bass playing much easier

[@jfufighter]

Epic video! That note “A” actually can work if it is sustained and depending on what follows the note. At that point in the song, if I’m not mistaken, the note “A” is in the next chord or at least the next phrase etc. So sustaining the note, though “wrong”, can be a leading tone to the next phrase.

[@richardchristensen1768]

Thank God I've gotten so frustrated looking for the right bass lesson channel and had been watching another very popular ( full of suck up subscribers and comments) teacher whom spazzingly yacks your ears off for the first 3/4 of the video about nothing to do with learning bass which damn near had me ready to smash my bass into my iPad or stoke the fire pit!! 2 minutes into your lesson I have happily subscribed! Thanks for your content! I am again inspired!!!!! Whew!!

[@BecomeABassist]

Haha! Awesome Richard - so good to hear! I'm happy my approach works for you.

[@evindgard]

Thank you sooo much!! You really helped me. I got stuck preparing a solo for Treasure by Bruno Mars which contains slap-style. You gave me some great inspiration.

[@pastorsharonjackson9530]

Can you please teach numbers for the ppl that use number instead of the c d e

[@BecomeABassist]

I do have this video: m.kzbin.info/www/bejne/qYe3mopqmahohLc I should warn you though, there’s a lot of talking in it.

[@pastorsharonjackson9530]

@@BecomeABassist Thank you so much

[@eknathkiran1810]

Do you have any idea how awesome you are?

[@neveratrivers]

Thanks for your videos - very helpful. Great stuff

[@thomasfioriglio]

Wonderful as always Luke! You have a natural teaching style that simply explains things and makes them easy to understand. And I love how you leave your mistakes in there. Cheers!

[@max-pax]

method #4, i. e. playing notes from melody in different order is 100% playing scale notes however it's true that many teachers don't explain what are scales for and how to use them and which notes are more universal (1st, 5th, 3rd, 4th) and which are more "specialized" (2nd, 6th and 7th) My eyes opener was to learn that when a song is in key C-Major, I can use any high register note from C-major scale at any time and it will fit, no matter what chord is being played - as long it's diatonic (i. e. consists of C-major notes, like Gmaj7 or A minor or B diminished etc) Good video anyway

[@RM-gn2nj]

I know what your saying Luke, I tell students to learn the melody like you said but know it inside out. Then embellish it rhythmic ideas etc. Also use the bassline of the song and mess with it. Ultimately learn the chord tones and the scales that apply.

[@la196]

That shirt is too funny! Really great tips on these videos. Thank you.

[@BecomeABassist]

Glad you like the shirt AND the videos! Haha!

[@alexhamilton4084]

I mentioned Andy Fraser of the band Free in another video comment section. Have you ever heard the bass solo at the end of the live version of Mr Big by Free? It’s my all time favourite bass solo. Another favourite is the bass solo intro to N.I.B by Black Sabbath. Simple but effective. Good on ya Luke. Keep it up. 👍

[@monstruono1]

Love it! Very helpful

[@theyhaventfedmesince]

Or you could play that A note again to legitimise it. Or you could play that A note again to legitimise it. Or you could play that A note again to legitimise it.

[@BecomeABassist]

Or, if you want another option, you could always repeat the A note. You know, to legitimise it.

[@kevinyang2312]

Hey Luke! I just want to say thank you to your awesome technique for making bass solo. It is super helpful, keep on the great work

[@hunterfagan6272]

If youre improvising, how would you just know the melody?

[@BecomeABassist]

The same way you'd learn bass lines. You'd have to learn it yourself, either by ear, or using sheet music or tabs.

[@hunterfagan6272]

Become A Bassist im talking if youre not expecting a solo and someone tells you to take a solo

[@BecomeABassist]

If you don't have the chance to learn the whole song before the gig/jam/rehearsal, then you'll have to rely on your ears to guide you. In an ideal world, you'd know where to expect a solo and then look at the melody for that song in advance.

[@allendavis7982]

That's great information. Thanks for taking the time to make this video Luke. This helped me immensely to understand how to begin constructing a solo. AWESOME STUFF keep it coming!

[@mayalrosas2096]

i have rehearsal for pink Floyd have a cigar and i have to improvise like half of the song and its my fist concert awo

[@HeyoSpectral]

The first song is called Isn't she lovely by the way. i love that song lmao

[@brunocyclist]

That's a beautiful bass you've got there! What brand is it?

[@eknight101]

it looks like an ibanez and those pickup shapes appear to be bartolini. Not 100% tho

[@13IanH]

This is great. I've been scratching my head, trying to work out how to improvise solos. The way that you gradually took us from the idea of playing the basic melody through to the true improv ideas at the end really gave me a light bulb moment. I'm really enthused about trying out this method to some of the songs I love. Cheers!

[@mindful_gus]

Calm ya farm..... BAHAHAHAHAHAHA!

[@pittarak1]

Thanks Luke, makes sense - now when I think about, doesn't the bass solo in 'Brown Eyed Girl just mainly play the melody?

[@BecomeABassist]

If I remember right, the bass just plays the regular bass line rather than the vocal melody, but that’s also an option if you’re really stuck and don’t know what to play. It’s already a part of the song, so you know it’s going to work well.

[@nickjowett]

Very informative lesson. And anyone that's played live has to appreciate the story at the end :) Thanks for being so straightforward and honest Luke, as a teacher and a human being. Keep up the great work!

[@firsthitfromdabong5532]

Good job dude .... and thanks!

[@dylanscaife7470]

this guys fucking awesome shiii

[@arnoldszwarzenegger6832]

wtf is that bug shirt

[@BecomeABassist]

It's the Beatles!

[@_omega420]

Duh

[@robertthompson148]

arnold szwarzenegger I hate it when people wear things I don’t like. Makes me want to ask, “wtf?”. Right? WTF? WTF ? WTF?

[@fuzzydark1395]

Yes but after all, you still need to know the notes that belong to the original song. But what if it's a solo improvisation, no music (any particular song) or other instruments? Standalone improvisation.

[@BecomeABassist]

If thats the case, then essentially everything is fair game @FuzzyDark. You wouldn't have to be too concerned with keys, chords or any existing melody because there would be no 'wrong' notes or rhythms.

[@Take5Geri]

thanks Luke McIntosh Your approach sure sounds good to me since I want to get started playing a bass. Great knowing there are ways to learn without making it so mentally stressful or not attainable. .

[@BecomeABassist]

I'm glad you like it - and you're 100% right. It doesn't have to be complicated to get started. In fact, a lot of the time, the simpler it is, the more impact it has!

[@DanRichardson-ty3lq]

Your intro is way too long. How about you get to the point ? Do we want to hear you talk ? NO !!!

[@BecomeABassist]

Likewise Dan 😃

[@RIDDLE0MASTER]

Nice Beatles shirt!

[@scottdavis7620]

The scruff suits you, Luke. Thanks for the lesson and stay righteous!

[@BecomeABassist]

Haha! Thanks Scott. Glad you like it! (The scruff - I guess the lesson too!)

[@joelsantiago2699]

i noticed your always using the middle finger rather than the index finger of your right hand. is there technique need to follow on this?

[@BecomeABassist]

That's just a personal preference of mine. I think most people prefer to 'lead' with their index and that's totally fine as well.

[@christianvinas4471]

Luke you're great! Thanks from Argentina!

[@BecomeABassist]

You’re welcome Christian. Thanks for checking out the video

[@greglee50]

I knew it would be a mistake I got that the , I got the numbers on the tab board , 3rd fret fine 4th fret fine but in between there’s number 10 don’t get it . Could you help cheers Greg

[@IntoTheBass]

A well done video that's well worth watching. - Thanks for your 'Honesty' as well(well,...well,...well,...).

[@brenofigueiredo9016]

Thanks for the free content and for explaining the topic so clearly!

[@Vicef]

but how do u get the melody?

[@BecomeABassist]

You can try to learn it by ear, you can get someone to show/teach it to you, you could search for the music or tabs online or look for videos of people playing the melody and copy them. You’ve got plenty of options.

[@joekrim6557]

As i progress in learning to play bass .. I come back to more advanced stuff like luke's and that AHA moment where the last time it may have been too advanced for me at that time but it makes sense now .. And now im ready to learn this lesson as my understanding of the bass over 7 mos allows me this..i have memoried and can find the notes...say a Bb ... I can move to a higher or lower Bb string sizewise. A C for instance may not sound correct or deliver the emotional in the wrong octave so when im learning strictly by chords i can get to another octave as nesessary to make practicing a true learning experience mood

[@DeFiSiYT]

Took me the whole video to finally get the t-shirt reference... 🙃 Great video too... I've got a long way to go...

[@chordspinner]

So, ten minutes in, you're playing all the right notes .......... but not necessarily in the right order?

[@suddenlyawetrat2587]

7:35

[@dustymorris9191]

what kind of bass is that! it very nice

[@BecomeABassist]

In this video, it's an Ibanez SR1000

[@Ladydeekingdomchild]

You just have This calmness humbleness in your voice lol 💖🙇‍♀️

[@AJbassist]

i love this lesson , ps u look good with beard

[@BecomeABassist]

Haha! You're too kind!

[@hurricaneputz]

"Ha ha!!!" 7:54

[@MusicianDirector]

Thank you so much for the video

[@BecomeABassist]

You're welcome! I'm glad you like it.

[@Marc-NZ]

I can feel how you love it..it makes the video really instructive..thank you

[@AgbohlahBismark]

You are a very good and a talented teacher and a good mentot

[@AgbohlahBismark]

So far so good,you are the best I have encounter so far.Keep it up

[@andrewcherry5278]

N

[@itsyeboijosh4488]

wasted 3 minutes of my time on this video!

[@BecomeABassist]

I'm just glad you spent them with me @It'sYe BoiJosh

[@leandrosalcedo1324]

bravissimo

[@kaushikbhattacharjee5273]

Can u plzz make a video on how to choose notes (scales) for a bass solo/groove.

[@hank3266]

Thank you. Very good teacher.

[@BecomeABassist]

Cheers Stefan. Hope the video helps!

[@MrSacman88]

Great concepts .... Liked & Subscribed!

[@bartulaminecraft]

I want u to know that u saved my god damn bacon Thank you Very much

[@randylevine2302]

Wow ! You just open up the door to soloing for me , thank you so much .

[@numerounse]

thanks for sharing! good lesson...

[@1okanaganguy]

From solo to soli: In service to the song, not to stand out as a prodigy...which I'm not.

[@emmanuelameyaw9735]

Melody is boring..😀

[@BecomeABassist]

Interesting take @Emmanuel Ameyaw. If melody is boring to you though, what do you find *_not_* boring?

[@TheChristianherud]

11:00 (the wrong-note-problem): A friend of mine was told by T.M. to just play that note again. Louder. With more self-consciousness. „It‘s Your f***ing solo, not anybody elses. And whoever thinks, that he can do better, should prove himself on stage“

[@BecomeABassist]

Haha! This is very true - often the people doing the loudest criticizing are the ones with the *least* skin in the game.

[@ryandicecco4194]

The wedding gig story gold! Happens to the best of us! Well done to get one clap. I reckon even Jaco would struggle to get a clap during the dinner set hahaha

[@oscarloke8276]

this is sooo good, even the solo you pulled off in the vid

[@mjrmandor1136]

Wow, that's a nice looking bass! What kind is it?

[@rafbass]

That’s very useful! Thanks!

[@edniepert5730]

I thought that the bass is better played in the lower register (1-12 frets). I have bad wrists and can’t play that high up on the lower strings very well. What can you suggest for me?

[@BecomeABassist]

There's nothing that says you have to do this above the 12th fret @Ed Niepert. Just learn the melody of whatever song you're learning in the lower part of your bass and use *that* as your starting point. Everything else stays the same.

[@winterfox00finger68]

See my problem is i know all the scales including the 12 bluebars, but i dont know how to make solos

[@BecomeABassist]

That's a fixable problem @Winterfox00 Finger - instead of spending time learning more scales, you can focus on learning some melodies and using them as the basis for your improv!

[@plywoodcarjohnson5412]

I've liked and subscribed. Do not take this the wrong way. Do a video on bassplaying farmers in Australia. Maybe skip over to New Zealand as well, yeah? Bungyjumping. Or Basejumping!

[@BecomeABassist]

Do you know a lot of bass playing farmers in Australia? I don’t think I know any.

[@micheldindaine8403]

I Luke I've been whatching your videos for quite some times now , and I must admit that I love the way you explain the use of the differents components of music applied to the bass playing. Stay as clear and simple as you are.