Archive for April 2016 - Page 2

Q: What advice do you have for someone who has problems with playing 16th notes and has learning disability in math? I have goals to play music in my own gigs and play at a couple venues, but I’m doubting whether it’s even possible to play on one’s own. A: I don’t think that a learning disability should hinder you...

Mike Flynn sent me this video of a new project he’s involved in, and I ended up watching the video a handful of times (and counting). “I’ve just started a new project, Rae Forrest, with a British singer Paula Rae Gibson – it’s kind of electronica meets singer songwriter stuff – into Massive Attack, deep jazz house, Goldfrapp/Porishead – but...

London-based bass guitar and Chapman Stick player Simon Fitzpatrick has released his bass version of Gustav Holst’s classical work, The Planets Suite. The album features multilayered basses, with support from the Chapman Stick and Minitaur synthesizer. Check out Fitzpatrick, currently a regular member of Carl Palmer’s ELP Legacy band, as he plays multiple basses on “Mercury, the Winged Messenger”: If...

Meet Remy Gail, a bassist who grew up in a musical environment, but didn’t take up bass until later in life. She keeps busy in a gigging band that plays around the tri-state area around her home town of Franklin Lakes, NJ. Remy is No Treble’s reader in the spotlight this week, and here’s her story… Bio: From the day...

The Blues is one of the major building blocks for jazz and improvised music, making it a logical starting point for applying your improvisational concepts. The problem exists when people learn some concepts and then attempt to jam along with no specific goals in mind. This is a big mistake! In this lesson, we’ll cover just one of the stepping...

Federico Malaman is flat out a wizard of the bass. And he may have met his match with bassist Mohini Dey. In this clip, the bass duo shows off their skills in this tune, “Maladey”.

The Yellowjackets have released their first album with Australian virtuoso bassist Dane Alderson. The album, Cohearence, features jazz fusion, a rendition of the folk song “Shenandoah,” and a closing track with a chamber-jazz feel. The band, which released its debut album under the Yellowjackets name in 1981 after forming in 1977 as the Robben Ford Group, introduced the music on...

This week we’re checking out the Tom Clement Basses Angel bass, an instrument that the luthier describes as borrowing ideas from the Gibson Thunderbird to combine retro vibe with custom features. The bass was designed alongside long-time customer Jon-Inge Paulsen. “The name Angel reflects on the people we love, the people who mean the world to us, the people we...

Today’s lesson is all about building cool grooves using the pentatonic scale with pedal tones, a technique often found in heavy metal. We’ll use a G minor pentatonic scale in the first area of the bass (more on that in the video). To create the pedal effect, we’ll be playing the root of the scale in between each note. The...

My good friend Steve Lawson shared this video a couple of days ago, saying “the great Yolanda Charles sings and plays bass on ‘Purple Rain’ last night with Hans Zimmer. Guthrie Govan AND Johnny Marr on guitar. Amazing Prince tribute.” It sure is. RIP, Prince.

A new book from Hal Leonard Corp. aims to help aspiring music artists. Five Star Music Makeover: The Independent Artist’s Guide for Singers, Songwriters, Bands, Producers, and Self-Publishers, written by five industry experts, covers five key skills: improving vocal production/technique, songwriting, recording an EP, music publishing, and promoting your music. The authors share industry insider stories, inspiration via celebrity interviews...

Time for our weekly tradition of celebrating the best of the best from the world of bass. Here are the top 10 No Treble reader favorite stories, columns and videos for the week of April 16-22, 2016. Thanks as always for reading, watching, commenting and sharing. 1. Bass on a Budget: 10 Basses Under $1,000 for 2016 Tax season is...