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Archive for March 2016 - Page 8

Byron Santo Explores Scale Formulas in Free Book
Sheet Music & Instruction

Byron Santo Explores Scale Formulas in Free Book

Bassist and bass teacher Byron Santo is offering his latest instructional bass book, #IV, free of charge. The 2,051-page book is his exploration of scale formulas, and is intended to be used for educational purposes, inspiration and composing, fret board knowledge and technique exercises. The book’s neck charts are for four-to-seven string basses. Santo, who has suffered an injury that...

Lefty or Righty? A Discussion for Starting Out on the Bass Guitar
Ask Damian Erskine

Lefty or Righty? A Discussion for Starting Out on the Bass Guitar

Q: I play the upright bass and I use my left had on the neck and my right hand to use my bow. I’m looking to play the bass guitar, but I can’t decide if I should play right handed because that’s my dominate hand or my left because you can really only use your left hand on the neck...

Shaun Martin: The Yellow Jacket
Bass Videos

Shaun Martin: The Yellow Jacket

Here’s pianist Shaun Martin and his band performing “The Yellow Jacket”, one of the tracks on his album, Seven Summers. Keith Taylor lays down the low end on this one. Great tune, great band, and a tasty bass solo on this one. If you dig it, the album is .

Violent Femmes Back With First Full-Length Album in a Decade and a Half
New Albums

Violent Femmes Back With First Full-Length Album in a Decade and a Half

Violent Femmes have released their first full-length studio album in 16 years. We Can Do Anything, features the alternative band’s founding bassist Brian Ritchie. Best known for classic 1980s songs like “Blister in the Sun” and “Kiss Off,” the group’s previous album, Freak Magnet, was released in 2000. The album, the band’s ninth, was recorded Brooklyn, Nashville, Los Angeles, Milwaukee...

Reader Spotlight: Jason Everett
Reader Spotlight

Reader Spotlight: Jason Everett

Meet Jason Everett, a multi-instrumentalist who plays some pretty interesting basses. He also describes his music as “odd-metered, ethnically-inspired, groove oriented, and eclectic” – and we think the combo is fantastic. Jason is this week’s No Treble reader in the spotlight. Here’s his story… Bio: Jason Everett (aka Mister E) is a multi-instrumentalist, composer, arranger and producer who plays a...

Top 10: The Most Watched Bass Videos (February 2016)
Top Ten

Top 10: The Most Watched Bass Videos (February 2016)

Clear your calendar for the afternoon… because it is time for the top 10 videos of the month, based on No Treble reader views. Enjoy! 1. VoBa Sound Experience: Dazed and Confused We’re seeing some seriously great bass and vocal duet videos lately. This one was sent in by bassist Roberto Pace, who performs with vocalist Chiara D’Emilio in their...

Soften The Glare: Controlled Chaos
Bass Videos

Soften The Glare: Controlled Chaos

Former Mudvayne bassist Ryan Martinie has a new trio with guitarist Bon Lozaga and drummer Mitch Hull called Soften The Glare. It’s not in the same vein as his previous outfit, but the group has some serious attitude. The trio, who lists their genre as Instrumental/Prog/Jazz/Rock/Funk/Chaos on their Facebook page, bring equal parts funkiness and heaviness to their song “Controlled...

Michael League Works with Bandmates on Bill Laurance Album
New Albums

Michael League Works with Bandmates on Bill Laurance Album

Snarky Puppy keyboardist Bill Laurance has released his third solo album, Aftersun. Laurance’s bandmate in the fusion group Snarky Puppy, bassist Michael League, plays on the album which he also co-arranged and co-produced with Laurance and Snarky Puppy drummer Robert “Sput” Searight. Aftersun was recorded in New Orleans in August and September 2015. Aftersun is available on and as a...

Bass of the Week: Wahlbrink Hades 4-String Salmo Salar
Bass of the Week

Bass of the Week: Wahlbrink Hades 4-String Salmo Salar

Germany’s Wahlbrink Basses created the Hades as a workhorse bass that is “less fancy” than their Art-Line, but even so the model is a beauty. Here we’re checking out a four-string Hades dubbed the Salmo Salar, or Atlantic Salmon. The clean white finish is accented by a pickguard covered with genuine salmon leather, which Wahlbrink describes as “tough, pleasant to...

Buying Your First Double Bass (Upright Bass): Part 2
The Lowdown with Dr. D

Buying Your First Double Bass (Upright Bass): Part 2

Now that we have had a short introduction into the various sizes and materials of double basses, we are ready to get our own upright bass. Here are a few thoughts on the final steps. Renting For those folks who aren’t ready to commit financially, renting can seem attractive. If you are just dipping your toes in the water, this...

Tower Of Power: What Is Hip? (Chicago 1977)
Bass Videos

Tower Of Power: What Is Hip? (Chicago 1977)

On this day in 1951, Rocco Prestia was born, and we thought we’d celebrate with this old school clip of Tower of Power. Here’s the band performing “What Is Hip?” in Chicago in 1977.

Kiyoshi Kitagawa on Kenny Barron Trio Release
New Albums

Kiyoshi Kitagawa on Kenny Barron Trio Release

The Kenny Barron Trio’s Book of Intuition was recorded in just two days in June 2015. The jazz trio features pianist Barron, drummer Johnathan Blake, and bassist Kiyoshi Kitagawa. Both Blake and Kitagawa are longtime Barron bandmates. Blake has worked with the pianist for a decade, and Kitagawa, who is also known for his solo compositions as well as his...