Weekly Top 10: Whole Tone and Other Scales, The End of Rush?, Talking Technique, Top Bass Videos and More

This week, readers enjoyed two great how-to’s – one from Damian Erskine on when to use whole tone and other scales, and Ariane Cap’s second entry in her new “Talking Technique” series.

Add to that the reader favorite bass videos (including a bonus top 10 list), plus news from the world of Rush, our interview with Kung Fu bassist Chris DeAngelis, our bass of the week (and more), and you have this week’s top 10 list.

Thanks for reading, watching, commenting and sharing!

The End of Rush?

1. The End of Rush?

It seems the end of an era has finally come upon us. After hinting that their recent R40 tour could very well be their last, Rush drummer Neil Peart confirmed that he is retired from music. The prog-rock hero spoke about it in a new interview with Drumhead Magazine…

Where to Use Whole Tone and Other Scales

2. Where to Use Whole Tone and Other Scales

In this week’s “Ask” column, Damian responds to a reader’s question about when to play whole tone scales over the ?5, and altered scales over the dominant chords and more. Check out this great guide Damian put together…

Bass of the Week: Serek Basses Sacramento

3. Bass of the Week: Serek Basses Sacramento

Jake Serek of Serek Basses has a style that is rooted in the tradition of bass guitar history while advancing his own ideas. Check out his Sacramento bass…

Top 10: The Most Watched Bass Videos (November 2015)

4. Top 10: The Most Watched Bass Videos (November 2015)

Clear your schedule for the rest of the day… because it is time to celebrate the top 10 videos of the month. As always, this list is based on reader views. Thanks for watching, commenting and sharing. And enjoy…

Talking Technique: Permutation Variation

5. Talking Technique: Permutation Variation

In the last lesson, we introduced the Permutation Exercise. This time we’ll talk about some more pattern variations to increase your dexterity. The permutation exercise can be played to drill down on lots of different fingerings that come in handy…

David Piggott: Unbroken

6. David Piggott: Unbroken

So much can be said with just a bass guitar. Here’s a great example of that with David Piggott’s “Unbroken,” a song he wrote for his wife. Piggott uses some crafty measures to create a beautiful flow of notes, with some strings backing him up for good measure…

Costantino Riemma: One Man Bass and Drums

7. Costantino Riemma: One Man Bass and Drums

Costantino Riemma does it all in this video featuring the bassist playing both bass and drums… at the same time. And wow, does he do it well. In this clip, Costantino covers a lot of musical ground with “Smoke On The Water,” “Billie Jean,” “Pretty Woman,” and “Enter Sandman”…

Alusonic Introduces Django Bass Guitar

8. Alusonic Introduces Django Bass Guitar

Italy’s Alusonic Aluminum Instruments has introduced the Django bass guitar. The model aims to bring handmade quality to an affordable price point. The bolt-on bass is built with an alder body, a hard maple neck, and a grade A ebony fingerboard…

Funky Kung Fu: An Interview with Chris DeAngelis

9. Funky Kung Fu: An Interview with Chris DeAngelis

In our newest interview, we chat with Kung Fu bassist Chris DeAngelis about the band, tips on jamming and more. He even offers up a transcription to his bass line on “Snaggle”, from Kung Fu’s “Tsar Bomba”…

Bryan Ladd, James Spears, and Jason Patterson: Love Light In Flight

10. Bryan Ladd, James Spears, and Jason Patterson: Love Light In Flight

Here’s another great cover by the band featuring Bryan Ladd on bass. This time around, the trio of Ladd along with James Spears on Fender Rhodes and Jason Patterson on drums takes on Stevie Wonder’s “Love Light In Flight.” These guys get down. (And dig that Moogerfooger-driven bass solo!)

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