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Archive for March 2016

TWA Now Shipping WR-3 Wah Rocker Pedal
Pedals & Effects

TWA Now Shipping WR-3 Wah Rocker Pedal

TWA is now shipping the WR-3 Wah Rocker, a pedal based on the discontinued Guyatone Wah Rocker. While the pedal retains the original’s Threshold and Decay controls, it also brings a host of updates. Foremost for bassists, the WR-3 includes the circuitry from the Bottom Wah Rocker for extra low end. It’s activated via the Guitar/Bass switch. It also has...

Talking Style: The Tresillo Rhythm
Talking Style

Talking Style: The Tresillo Rhythm

The tresillo is derived from the fundamental Latin music groove called “habenera”. It can also be thought of as a variation on the Afro-Cuban son clave. Ragtime pianist and composer Jelly Roll Morton famously called the tresillo that “Spanish tinge” that is a necessary ingredient for New Orleans jazz. The prominence of the tresillo in African-American music traditions and, particularly...

Tedeschi Trucks Band: Tiny Desk Concert
Bass Videos

Tedeschi Trucks Band: Tiny Desk Concert

Tedeschi Trucks Band made a stop at NPR’s offices and packed the biggest band I think I’ve ever seen in for NPR’s “Tiny Desk Concert”. Anchored by bassist Tim Lefebvre, the band performs some tunes from their latest album, Let Me Get By. The set includes “Just As Strange”, “Don’t Know What It Is” and “Anyhow”.

Amon Amarth Releases Concept Album
New Albums

Amon Amarth Releases Concept Album

Swedish death metal band Amon Amarth has released its 10th studio effort, Jomsviking, named after a legendary order of viking mercenaries. Ted Lundström handles bass on the album, as he has throughout the band’s recording career. While Jomsviking, which tells a story set in the mercenaries’ world, is the band’s first concept album, it remains in familiar territory for the...

GHS Announces Limited Edition Infinity Steel Bass Strings
Accessories & Strings

GHS Announces Limited Edition Infinity Steel Bass Strings

GHS Strings has unveiled the Limited Edition Infinity Steels, a set of coated roundwound strings for bass. The set revisits their Infinity Steels with updates for modern players. Each string is coated using a process called MST, or Metal Surface Treatment, that coats the outer wires, which are then wrapped around the core. GHS also tweaked the core to cover...

Cutting Through a Big Band: A Discussion for Bass Players
Ask Damian Erskine

Cutting Through a Big Band: A Discussion for Bass Players

Q: I’m playing in a jazz band of over 40 people in a song featuring bass guitar. I’m looking for a pedal that will make my sound distinct and rise above the band but not distort it. Any recommendations? Thanks. A: Personally, I wouldn’t change my sound much at all. You might leave yourself a little room on your volume...

Scott Varney: Carry On
Bass Videos

Scott Varney: Carry On

Bassist singer-songwriter Scott Varney is back with a video for his song “Carry On.” Besides stellar bass playing, the song has poignant lyrics that he dedicates to “all those who have lost.”

Bad Company Transcriptions Published
Sheet Music & Instruction

Bad Company Transcriptions Published

If you love the bass lines the late Boz Burrell played in Bad Company and long to recreate them, you’re in luck. Eric Beaulé has transcribed a dozen Burrell bass lines in the eBook, Boz Burrell, Bad Company Bass Transcriptions. Written in standard notation and TAB, the book covers some of Bad Company’s top songs. Burrell, who often played fretless,...

Reader Spotlight: Pim Meester
Reader Spotlight

Reader Spotlight: Pim Meester

Meet Pim Meester, a bassist, teacher and student living in The Netherlands. Pim has a great story to tell, and anyone who lists Juan Nelson as an influence is big in my book. His gear list is pretty special too. Here’s his story… Bio: I’m a 21 year old Dutch bass player. I play in several bands, and I really...

B&G Handmade Guitars Announces Big Sister Bass
Basses

B&G Handmade Guitars Announces Big Sister Bass

B&G Handmade Guitars has unveiled the Big Sister, a bass to support their Little Sister guitar model. The semi-hollow bass, which comes in fretted or fretless, was designed for old school flair. “This Big Sister idea was born with the release of the Little Sister guitar,” B&G writes. “We wanted to apply the same traditional materials & techniques, unique chambered...

Derek Blakley: Haji’s Kitchen Medley Bass Playthrough
Bass Videos

Derek Blakley: Haji’s Kitchen Medley Bass Playthrough

Our friend David Piggott shared this awesome clip of Haji’s Kitchen bassist Derek Blakley playing through a medley of his band’s tunes, and I’m glad he did. Blakley brings real tenacity to his bass lines. The clip was put together to show the “flashiest” parts in the songs as a demo to play at the NAMM Show. “This medley is...

Asking Alexandria Releases “The Black”
New Albums

Asking Alexandria Releases “The Black”

Metalcore band Asking Alexandria has released its fourth album, The Black. The record, the band’s first with new vocalist Denis Stoff, appeared on the heels of a harrowing accident involving bassist Sam Bettley, who, in March, flipped a van after blowing a tire. Bentley shared photos of the accident on Instagram, saying he was “lucky to be alive.” Check out...