Top 10: The Best Bass Columns, How-Tos and Lessons (October 2010)
Get your bass on! Here are the most popular bass columns, how-to’s and lessons for October, 2010.
1. Should Bassists Be Multi-Instrumentalists?
Damian Erskine answers a reader’s question about bassists picking up secondary instruments.
2. Custom Shop: An Interview with Oscar Prat
Oscar Prat shares his story about getting started as a luthier and how he feels about “more than four” string basses.
In his quest for his sound, Russ Sargaent spent years swapping out his bass, experimenting and “losing money hand over fist”. Then he realized… the sound was always inside of him.
There comes a time in every player’s life where you have to make the next big step in your practice methods: you must do some transcriptions. This handy 6-step guide will help you get there.
5. Cables 101: Instrument vs. Speaker Cables
Many people have made the mistake of using an instrument cable instead of a speaker cable to run an amp. Columnist Jeff Gorham shares why this is not a good idea, and how and why to avoid it.
6. Working with Tricky Drummers
Damian responds to a reader’s question about “how to play with jazz drummers who seem intent on messing everyone up with syncopation.”
7. Rhythm Series: Improving Your Time
Having good “time,” or sense of pulse, is an essential skill for all musicians and bassists in particular. Dr. D. shows us the way.
8. Walking Bass (and getting away from tab)
Want to create walking bass lines? Damian Erskine helps a reader with some suggested methods, and encourages getting away from tab in the process.
9. Common Upright Bass Tunings (Part 1 of 2)
One of the beautiful things about upright bassists is their unwillingness to conform. When it comes to tuning, we often refuse to conform not only to the practices of other instruments in our family, but also to each other! Dr. D. breaks down the variations in this 2 part column.
Whether you’re playing a small gig, major venue, or are signing a recording deal it’s crucial that you know the value of a contract and how to navigate one. Evan Kepner describes what it takes to put together the right agreement.
