Weekly Top 10: Learning Arpeggios and Scales, Memorization Tips, Top Bass Gear, Lessons and Videos

This week was an exciting one for us. First, we announced Joe Hubbard has joined our list of excellent contributors. Joe will be offering up lessons here, and his first one already made the top 10.

We also introduced some new (to us) bassists through some excellent videos, while re-introducing ourselves to an old favorite.

Last but far from least are two expert columns by names you know well – Damian Erskine and Dr. D (Donovan Stokes).

Add to that some new gear news and Bass of the Week, and you have one excellent top 10 list of reader favorites.

Thanks for reading, commenting, watching, sharing… and learning!

Should Hobby Bassists Learn Arpeggios and Scales?

1. Should Hobby Bassists Learn Arpeggios and Scales?

Should hobby bassists learn arpeggios and scales? That’s the question Damian received and answered in this week’s column. Damian delivers a thought-provoking answer which goes even beyond just this question… Check out what he has to say.

Bruno Tauzin: 30 Best Funk Bass Riffs

2. Bruno Tauzin: 30 Best Funk Bass Riffs

Bass lines are the heart and soul of any good funk song. That’s why Bruno Tauzin decided to continue his “Best Bass Riffs” series with 30 of his favorite funk bass riffs. From Sly and the Family Stone to James Brown to Parliament, the bassist covers a lot of ground in just under six minutes…

Memorization: Tips for Bass Players

3. Memorization: Tips for Bass Players

Dr. D received the following question from a concerned double bassist: “How can I keep from having memory slips on stage?” Even experienced performers may have the occasional memory faux pas on stage. However, there are some things we can do to minimize the risk. Dr. D offers some tips…

Harmless Funk: Cissy Strut

4. Harmless Funk: Cissy Strut

It has been a long time since we featured a video with bassist Dave Marks. Time to correct that. Dave just sent me a video with a newer project, Harmless Funk – a jazz/funk quintet he’s been playing with this year. Here they are doing one of the all-time great funk instrumental tunes…

Bass Lesson: Interval Shapes

5. Bass Lesson: Interval Shapes

In this lesson, we will cover a basic concept for interval shapes to develop your technique, while attuning your ears to hear the root motion of common harmonic progressions in jazz. Follow along with the notation and video…

Ellen Andrea Wang: Perfect Danger

6. Ellen Andrea Wang: Perfect Danger

One of my favorite musical discoveries in recent memory came from our friend Erlend Øvsttun Amsen, who wrote in suggesting we check out Ellen Andrea Wang. “To make a long story short, she’s a Norwegian double bass player/vocalist who’s done impressive stuff in various genres – often with the band Pixel, but lately with a burgeoning solo career,” he wrote…

Sandberg Guitars Now Shipping Forty Eight Bass

7. Sandberg Guitars Now Shipping Forty Eight Bass

Sandberg Guitars is now shipping the Forty Eight, a bass that throws back to old school rock and metal. The model is available in several finishes including a metallic hardcore aged red. The Forty Eight is built with European ash body for matte finishes or an alder body for aged finishes…

Ken Smith Basses Introduces Single Cut Body Option

8. Ken Smith Basses Introduces Single Cut Body Option

Ken Smith is now offering a single cut body shape as an option to their neck thru models. The option is a first for the company, which has only offered double cut designs in the past. The first bass to receive the single cut treatment was a BSR5MS…

Rob Mullarkey: Just My Imagination

9. Rob Mullarkey: Just My Imagination

I discovered this video of Rob Mullarkey thanks to Steve Lawson, who called it “properly beautiful.” Rob took “Just My Imagination” – his all time favorite Temptations track – and improvised over it using only his “Lakland 44-51 and an old Boss RC2 looper pedal.” Properly beautiful indeed…

Bass of the Week: Sadowsky Bass #7210

10. Bass of the Week: Sadowsky Bass #7210

Roger Sadowsky and his crew have been making some of the world’s best basses for decades, and bass #7210 is another fine example. The instrument is one of the company’s 21-fret standard style five-stringers with some gorgeous styling…

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