Book excerpt: Do you usually shake your head no when offered a chance to solo? Maybe you think it's not a part of the job. After all, you didn't learn the instrument to sound like a guitarist, right? However, a bassist who avoids soloing is like a baker who refuses to frost their cakes. Sure, frosting is decoration, and too much is dangerous. But your bass playing is meant to be more than just a dry foundation. Maybe you've tried soloing and the effort fell flat. You even learned the scales, memorized patterns, followed advice, and attempted transcribing, only to produce less-than-stellar solos. What if you discovered a way to break past your limitations and solo with freedom and authentic self-expression? Topics in Jazz Bass Vol. 2: Soloing is a groundbreaking resource that can tie all of your efforts together and get you soloing with confidence. Through this book, you will: Discover powerful ear-training techniques to unlock your inner soloist. Develop a melodic, compositional approach to building a solo. Finally understand what the players around you are doing and know how to step up when called upon. Complete with audio examples and a new pick-your-path approach, this book promises to engage you wherever you're at on your musical journey. Written by Danny Ziemann, touring jazz bassist and six-time author, Soloing draws from his extensive performance history, degrees in music education from the Eastman School of Music, and years of teaching experience to provide you with expert-level training. Walk into your next gig ready to nod yes when asked to solo. Buy Topics in Jazz Bass Vol. 2: Soloing today.