Archive for September 2014 - Page 5

Q: Is it ok to plug my bass directly into my chain of effects pedals and out to my amp, or is it better to run the pedals through the effects loop, and plug my bass straight into my amp? A: I seem to be on a roll with the topics I have limited experience with personally, and so I’m...

This is one of the most spectacular Bach-inspired pieces for bass guitar I’ve ever seen. Joshua Young wrote this extremely intricate and beautiful solo bass fugue in the style of the 18th century composer, complete with melody, counterpoint and bass line. If you weren’t looking, you’d think “Dominatus” was being performed by three different people. Young takes his craft seriously...

Bassist John Gustafson, who spent time in the Ian Gillan Band and Roxy Music, has passed away of undisclosed causes. He was 72. Gustafson was born in Liverpool and started his early career in the late ’50s and early ’60s. His first group was one of the UK’s first rock trios called The Big Three, which he joined in July...

When we featured a video by bassist Mike Frost back in July, it really knocked everyone out. Now we get a look at the story behind this exciting musician. I’m betting as you read this, you’ll be just as impressed as we were. Mike is No Treble’s reader in the spotlight for the week of September 15, 2014. Bio: A...

If you’re looking to rock it out on bass, using an overdrive pedal can really help achieve that edge you need. In this lick lesson, I’m pretty much playing the same bass line repeatedly, but with different note lengths in the different sections: short note duration for verses, and long not duration for the chorus. This lick is in the...

Michele della Malva is a big fan of bassist Evan Marien (as are we). So when he bought some new music software, he decided to give it a trial run with a cover of two of Marien’s tunes: “Eldridge Mach 2” and “Aeon”. Michele created his own unique take on the tunes, and blended them together. He’s playing a Zoid...

With his band, Primus, bassist Les Claypool not only helped bring alt-rock to the world in the early 1990s, but also infused the music scene with tunes that were fun, funky, experimental, and one of a kind. The group’s influence is significant, making it the perfect subject for a book. And now one has arrived — . The book is...

Chris Thile and Edgar Meyer have recorded as a duo for the first time since 2008, and the results are breathtaking. The simple album title, describes what you’ll hear on the record from two virtuoso players. Thile handles mandolin (and guitar) and Meyer, of course, is on double bass (and piano). Meyer is MacArthur Foundation “Genius” Award recipient and four-time...

This week we check out a stunning bass by Italian company Black Beard Guitars called the Fahrenheit 4:51 II. Inspired by the Fender ’51 Precision bass, Black Beard calls this “the first electric bass… revisited.” Its pine body is finished in a roasted semi-gloss and adorned with a an aluminum pickguard that etched with floral patterns. The maple neck has...

Ever since Mumpbeak released their debut album, it has stayed in my listening rotation. The group’s dark, progressive and experimental sound is one that gets into your subconscious and stays there. Here’s a clip of the band’s core – featuring keyboardist Roy Powell, drummer Pat Mastelotto, and bassist Shanir Ezra Blumenkranz – performing the song “Oak.” Blumenkranz locks in with...

Just two weeks after announcing their “First Things First” tour, Neon Trees have decided to reschedule several dates due to Branden Campbell’s health. A statement on the band’s website says the bassist recently underwent open-heart surgery for a valve replacement and was advised to take it easy. “The intense touring schedule has been exhaustive and doctors have advised him to...

Finding Beatles albums in mono on vinyl is kind of like getting a copy of the original version of Star Wars on VHS — it’s something that allows you to relive a great experience, just the way you remember it. But, finding both has been extremely difficult for years. Although a CD set of mono mixes of The Beatles’ albums...