Archive for July 2017
Bass of the Week: Justin Chancellor’s Warwick Custom Shop Masterbuilt Streamer Stage II
Tool’s Justin Chancellor has always been known for his impeccable style and tone. While he is typically associated with a Wal bass, this week we’re taking a look at his new Streamer Stage II from the Warwick Custom Shop. The bass is built with neck through construction with Warwick’s “hidden neck” option, which means the thru-neck is only seen from...
Talking Technique: “Burps” in Walking
After the Talking Technique Episode on “Killer Dead Notes,” I got a question from Lionel who wanted to know about “the best technique and timing to get those really nice burps in walking bass lines.” I love the way he phrased that question – he asked specifically for not only the technique itself but also the timing. In this episode,...
Forq: Cowabunghole
Forq’s next album, Thr?q, is releasing on August 4th. The band recently shared their next video in anticipation of the release. Once again, Michael League handles the low end – and the bass faces.
Epiphone Unveils Masterbilt Century Acoustic/Electric Bass Guitar
Epiphone has added a four-string to their Masterbilt Century series called the Masterbilt De Luxe Classic Acoustic/Electric Bass Guitar. It carries all the features of the Century line including a solid spruce top with traditional longitudinal bracing, an ebony fretboard, and five-piece maple/mahogany neck. Available in Vintage Sunburst and Vintage Natural finishes, the bass is fitted with a Shadow NanoFlex...
Zander Zon: Final Masquerade
Zander Zon pays tribute to the late Chester Bennington in this solo bass performance of Linkin Park’s “Final Masquerade.” “I still remember hearing ‘Crawling’ for the first time when I was 19 years old. Chester’s vocals were epic and Linkin Park became one of my favourite bands,” Zander shared. “So much energy, soaring melodies and endless inspiration. Arranging ‘Numb’ was...
Rex Brown Releases Solo Debut Album
After much anticipation, former Pantera bassist Rex Brown’s solo album is finally. Smoke On This… showcases the musician’s many sides. He plays bass and guitar as well as taking lead vocals. While his past with heavy metal shines through, the album is also heavily influenced by classic rock acts ranging from the Beatles to Led Zeppelin. “For me, it’s about...
Phil Jones Bass Introduces D-1000 Amp and C9 Bass Cabinet
Phil Jones Bass has unveiled two new additions to their line up with the D-1000 bass amp and the C9 bass speaker cabinet. Each builds upon their predecessors with more power and portability. The D-1000 is rated at 1,000 watts while weighing in at just 5.3 pounds. Housed in an anodized black aluminum chassis, the design is described as high-efficiency...
Rush: Cygnus X-1 Isolated Bass, Drums, and Vocals
YYNOT’s Tim Starace shared this isolated track on our Facebook Group recently. We waited to share it today, which is Geddy Lee’s birthday. “Pure Geddy goodness from my vault. I present to you the isolated bass (for the most part) from ‘Cygnus X-1, The Voyage’,” Tim shared. Happy birthday, Geddy!
Esperanza Spalding Announces New Album
Seven seems to be a lucky number for Esperanza Spalding. In a new 77-second video, the bassist announced her new project, entitled Exposure, which will be written and recorded during a 77-hour Facebook Live stream in September. The finished product will be limited to 7,777 CDs. Spalding announced the innovative new album in this video: “Once the cameras start rolling,...
Serek Updates the Midwestern Bass
Serek Basses announced a new model at the Summer NAMM Show this year. The Midwestern 2 is a new version of the company’s flagship model with a few new refinements. It still retains many of the same features – a light-weight mahogany body, short scale, vintage profiled neck, and Hipshot hardware – but has a new body shape for playability....
Blues Beatles: Yesterday
I discovered the Blues Beatles on Facebook, and I’m glad I did. As their name suggests, the band takes classic Beatles tunes and turns them into blues arrangements. Anchored by bassist Bruno Falcão, the band performs in various concert halls in Brazil – and thankfully shares their work on Youtube too.
Violent Femmes Release “Two Mics & The Truth: Unplugged & Unhinged In America”
After releasing a long-awaited studio album last year, Violent Femmes have returned with a follow-up live album. Two Mics & The Truth: Unplugged & Unhinged In America captures the band over the past year at sessions for radio stations across the country. Anchored by bassist Brian Ritchie, the album is filled with songs from their entire catalog, including past hits...