Archive for February 2015

Ibanez has introduced the BTB Volo to their conceptual Bass Workshop Series. The Volo is a fresh take on the company’s BTB model that is aimed at players looking to explore the higher registers. The five-string bass features a shorter 33-inch scale and comes factory tuned from E to C.

During one of the Bass Bass events during NAMM last month, Juan Nelson showed up. I went over to talk to him, mostly to ask him about the news about Ben Harper reuniting with the Innocent Criminals. Juan was pretty excited, but I believe I may have been even more. Here’s Ben & the Innocent Criminals performing live in at...

The Order of Things, the seventh album from metal band All That Remains, has been released on Razor & Tie. The record is pure, often melodic, metal with a low end and backing vocals supplied by bassist Jeanne Sagan. Most of the album was recorded in the band’s home base of Massachusetts, with additional vocal work handled in Los Angeles....

Aguilar introduced the Super Double Pickups at NAMM this year. The pickups feature dual rows of Alnico 5 pole pieces that the company says dishes out a “thick yet articulate tone” as well as hum-canceling performance. The pickups come in versions for four, five, and six-string basses. Aguilar builds them in their New York City factory with 42-gauge Formvar wire....

This is bassist/vocalist Lily Burns fronting a band and performing her original tune “If You’re Tired”, live at Berklee’s David Friend Recital Hall. The song takes many interesting twists and turns along the way, matched by some equally fun camera work. We’ve just discovered Lily and her music. We’ll be keeping our ears open for more.

Hoping to fly with your bass in tow? The U.S. Department of Transportation has ruled that traveling musicians can place their instruments in overhead bins, if there’s space available, and if not, a second seat may be purchased for an instrument. Additionally, the DOT offers this advice: “Because the rule does not require that musical instruments be given priority over...

Chip Shearin is one of the most well rounded musicians in the world. He’s a top tier bassist who has worked with artists including Donald Byrd, Marion Meadows, Aretha Franklin, Janet Jackson, Christina Aguilera, Ceelo, and many more. He produces commercial music for advertisements, television shows, and even composes film music. Millions have heard his playing in one form or...

Jesús Rico Pérez shared his latest – and impressive – solo bass performance a few days ago. Enjoy “Wandering” – a composition featuring some sweet fretless tone, and harmonics.

Led Zeppelin marked the 40th anniversary of its double album Physical Graffiti with the release of deluxe and super-deluxe versions of the 16x platinum record, originally released Feb. 24, 1975. The release is also part of the band’s campaign of reissuing its albums in remastered packages featuring previously unreleased companion audio. Certain packages also contain hardback books about their albums...

Q: I’ve been trying to learn how to figure out what notes are available for any given chord type. I’ve read columns here (yours are very helpful), Googled it, bought books… I just seem to get more confused at every turn. Once I think I’ve got it, I’ve lost it. Do you have any quick and dirty tricks for remembering...

I’ve been checking out a lot of reggae lately, but one album always sticks with me: Steel Pulse’s Tribute to the Martyrs. My friend John gave it to me years ago and I still play it regularly, thanks in large part to the heavy bass grooves emitted by Ronald “Stepper” McQueen. As the title suggests, the album focuses on political...

1975 was quite a year for Rush, which released two albums, both of which have been newly remastered and re-released this year on vinyl. The first, Fly By Night, was reissued in January, and now the second album from 1975, Caress of Steel, has been given the star treatment. The original analog masters of the album from the Canadian trio...