Top 10: The Top Bass Videos, New Gear from Fender, Fodera and Epiphone and Self Improvement for Bassists

Last week, No Treble readers enjoyed our top 10 video spotlight, with the top bass videos from September, as well as a couple of newcomers. Scott Ambush’s Solo at Richmond Jazz Festival and Tal Wilkenfeld’s jam with Ben Harper and Jackson Browne were especially popular.

On the gear front, the Alusonic S-Special Aluminum Bass was our bass of the week, Fender reintroduced the Jaguar Bass, Epiphone announced New Tobias Toby models and Fodera unveiled their new Emperor 5 Standard.

In the self improvement category, Damian Erskine shares his insight on the topic of Scalar Practice, and Hal Leonard released Bass Aerobics.

Check out these and the rest of the top 10 for October 16-22, 2011.

Top 10: The Best Bass Videos (September 2011)

1. Top 10: The Best Bass Videos (September 2011)

From a wacky snowboard bass, to the return of BassGirl and lots of solo bass performances, here are the top 10 bass videos in September 2011, based on views by No Treble readers. 1. BassGirl: Amerika Annie sent us this new video of BassGirl, who we’ve featured before to rave reviews. Annie says, “[Here’s BassGirl’s…

Scott Ambush’s Solo at Richmond Jazz Festival

2. Scott Ambush’s Solo at Richmond Jazz Festival

Spyro Gyra’s Scott Ambush balances between funky and soulful on this solo from the Richmond Jazz Festival earlier this year. The band grooves hard while playing around their tune “On the Road.”

Bass of the Week: Alusonic S-Special Aluminum Bass

3. Bass of the Week: Alusonic S-Special Aluminum Bass

Alusonic takes metal bass to a new level – the Italian bass builders make their instruments out of aluminum, citing characteristic and environmental reasons. The special Anticorodal and Ergal alloys that they use are naturally light, rigid and produce a balanced, fat sound while Aluminum is completely recyclable, making it more eco-friendly. On top of…

Ben Harper, Jackson Browne and Tal Wilkenfeld: “Steal My Kisses” Live

4. Ben Harper, Jackson Browne and Tal Wilkenfeld: “Steal My Kisses” Live

When I found out this video existed (much less the performance), I was highly jealous of the entire audience who was able to witness it. Luckily, someone in the audience was able to capture it for the rest of us. In this video, Ben Harper, Jackson Browne and Tal Wilkenfeld perform Harper’s “Steal My Kisses”,…

Bass Aerobics

5. Bass Aerobics

Hal Leonard has released Bass Aerobics, a new book in their Bass Builders series, offering a 52-week, one excercise per week workout program for bassists. Authored by bassist Jon Liebman, Bass Aerobics focuses on developing, improving and maintaining technique on the bass guitar, for beginner through advanced players. The 112 page book is designed to…

Fender Reintroduces Jaguar Bass

6. Fender Reintroduces Jaguar Bass

Fender is once again shipping the Jaguar Bass, which was discontinued last year. Originally introduced in 2006, the Fender Deluxe Jaguar Bass now comes in three finishes: 3-Color Sunburst, Candy Apple Red, and Cobalt Blue. The Jaguar bass features an alder body, a C-shaped maple neck and a rosewood fingerboard with 20 medium jumbo frets….

Esperanza Spalding and Gretchen Parlato: Useless Landscape (Inutil Paisagem)

7. Esperanza Spalding and Gretchen Parlato: Useless Landscape (Inutil Paisagem)

Today is Esperanza Spalding‘s birthday. What better way to help celebrate than with another awesome video by the bassist who beat Justin Bieber? Here, Esperanza performs a beautiful duet with Gretchen Parlato on the Antonio Carlos Jobim tune, “Useless Landscape (Inutil Paisagem)” Happy birthday, Esperanza!

Epiphone Announces New Tobias Toby Models

8. Epiphone Announces New Tobias Toby Models

Epiphone has reintroduced the Tobias Toby, now in a Standard IV and Deluxe IV models. The entry level instruments are built around master luthier Michael Tobias’ original designs from 20 years ago. Both basses feature bolt-on construction with a basswood body and hard maple neck. The neck is shaped using Tobias’ Asymmetrical Neck Profile, which…

Practical Scalar Practice

9. Practical Scalar Practice

Q: I’ve been reading a lot of posts online and doing searches about which scales work over what chords. I’ve found a lot of good information, but I’m not really sure how to actually practice and internalize the information once I have it. Any advice? A: This is something that I’ve been working on with…

Fodera Unveils Emperor 5 Standard

10. Fodera Unveils Emperor 5 Standard

Fodera has introduced a new bass to their Standard series: the Emperor 5 Standard (E5S). As with their Yin Yang Standard, the E5S is a version of their existing model offered at a more competitive price point by offering one configuration with no options. The basses are still made in their Brooklyn, New York workshop…

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