Weekly Top 10: Competing with the “Virtuosos”, New Bass Lessons, Top Videos, New Gear and More

We had a great week last week, with a heavy dose of great lessons and columns. Add to that some new gear, top bass videos and more, and you have this week’s reader favorites.

Thanks for reading, watching, commenting and sharing.

Competing with the “Bass Virtuosos”

1. Competing with the “Bass Virtuosos”

A reader wrote in to Damian this week saying he feels a bit defeated lately, in large part because whenever he watches videos on Youtube, he feels he doesn’t have what it takes. Damian responds with some excellent advice in this new “Ask” column…

Talking Technique: The Power of Slow

2. Talking Technique: The Power of Slow

Ariane’s new Talking Technique lesson focuses on “The Power of Slow” – the power of meditative, slow practice. Check this out…

Creative Bass Lines: Funking with the Dorian Mode and the Blues Scale

3. Creative Bass Lines: Funking with the Dorian Mode and the Blues Scale

Rufus Philpot is back with another edition of “Creative Bass Lines”. This month, he takes a look at a few 16th grooves that utilize vocabulary from both the Blues scale and Dorian mode. Follow along with the lesson, video and transcription…

Strictly 7 Guitars Announces Python, Copperhead, and Sidewinder Basses

4. Strictly 7 Guitars Announces Python, Copperhead, and Sidewinder Basses

The extended range specialists at Strictly 7 Guitars have officially launched a new line of bass guitars. The series includes three models: the Copperhead, the Sidewinder, and the Python…

Eastwood Custom Shop Unveils the Classic 5 Bass

5. Eastwood Custom Shop Unveils the Classic 5 Bass

Eastwood will be introducing a five-string version of their Classic hollow body bass as part of their crowdfunding platform. The Classic 5 Bass will be built with a bound laminated maple body, maple top, and bound f-holes…

Five Bass Videos We’re Thankful for in 2016

6. Five Bass Videos We’re Thankful for in 2016

It is a Thanksgiving tradition here to celebrate five bass videos we’re thankful for from our archives. Here are the top five reader favorite videos from 2016. Happy Thanksgiving, and enjoy…

Bassbaba Sumon Releases “Soul Food (Part 1)”

7. Bassbaba Sumon Releases “Soul Food (Part 1)”

Bangladeshi bassist Bassbaba Sumon has released the first half of his debut solo bass album, entitled Soul Food (Part 1). The five-song instrumental album features culinary-inspired titles with heavy hitting guests including Felix Pastorius, Robert “Bubby” Lewis, Josh Cohen, Bob Franceschini, J.D. Blair, Mark Don and Erfan Nazezadeh…

Planet MicroJam: Drunken Longing

8. Planet MicroJam: Drunken Longing

I stumbled upon this video a while back and then re-discovered it later. Planet MicroJam is an interesting band with an equally interesting sound. Featuring Artie Sadtler on fretless bass, the band also includes David Fiuczynski on fretted and fretless guitar, Yazhi Guo on percussion, Freyja Garbett on microtonal keyboards, and Ayinde Webb on drums…

Bass of the Week: Cunningham Bass & Guitarz RLJ-5 Splendour Jazz Bass

9. Bass of the Week: Cunningham Bass & Guitarz RLJ-5 Splendour Jazz Bass

Jamaica-born, Australia-based luthier Dwight Cunningham creates some stunning basses, including this gorgeous RLJ-5 Splendour Jazz Bass. The semi-hollow bass features a myrtle and alder body loaded with a Nordstrand Bigman pickup in the bridge position with a split coil in the neck position…

Arshak “Quartet Nuance”: Don’t Try This at Home

10. Arshak “Quartet Nuance”: Don’t Try This at Home

Be careful: Pianist Arshak Sirunyan and his Quartet Nuance get dangerous on the song “Don’t Try This at Home”, recorded live in Silver Spring, Maryland earlier this year. Bassist Cheikh NDoye kicks the song off with an insane groove that sets the mood for the song…

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