Weekly Top 10: New Bass Transcription, Talking Technique, Advanced Bass Lesson, New Gear, Top Bass Videos and More
Time to celebrate the best of the best from the world of bass – aka the weekly No Treble reader’s top 10.
Here are the most read stories, columns and lessons, and the most watched videos of the week.
Thanks for reading, watching, commenting and sharing.
1. Tal Wilkenfeld: Under the Sun
Back in March, Tal Wilkenfeld visited Paste Studios in New York and recorded this live performance of “Under the Sun”. Like the Tal’s solo performance of “Chelsea Hotel”, we once again get to experience not only her bass playing, but also her vocals…
2. Bass Transcription: Gheorghe Postoronca’s “Crazy Train”
“Crazy Train” by bassist Gheorghe Postoronca was right at the top of my list of pieces to transcribe this month. In fact, regular readers of my column might have noticed an absence of transcriptions recently, and this is purely because this piece took so long to get written down!
3. Federico Malaman and Mohini Dey: Maladey
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”…
4. Talking Technique: Pedal to the Metal
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…
5. DigiTech Introduces Dirty Robot Stereo Mini-Synth Pedal
The mad scientists at DigiTech have unleashed the Dirty Robot, a stereo mini-synth effect for bass and guitar. The pedal features seven controls and two synth voices: straight envelope-style synthesis (V1) or vocal formant synthesis (V2)…
6. Overcoming Learning Disabilities in Music
Damian received a very specific question from a reader this week who asked about overcoming learning disabilities when learning to play bass. Once again, Damian published a column that focuses on learning in a way that can benefit us all…
7. Hans Zimmer with Yolanda Charles: Tribute to Prince
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…
8. Bass Mute Clamp Now Available
Bassists looking for that old school thump have a new option with the Bass Mute Clamp. The aptly named device clamps to your bass strings and can be adjusted to vary the amount of muting. It works with four, five, and six-string basses and over a variety of string spacings…
9. Advanced Bass: Stitt & Trane Blues
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. In this lesson, we’ll cover just one of the stepping stones practiced ubiquitously by all of the masters…
10. Carlos Sanxes: Hijo Del Viento
Jules Dozer sent us this video saying “this is my friend Carlos Sanxes, a professional bass player living in Norway but originally from Spain!” “Hijo Del Viento” is an original composition written by Sanxes, “as a token of appreciation for the work and legacy of my friend and inspiration Carles Benavent,” the bassist shared…