Archive for November 2017 - Page 6

Bag End has announced the Nebula S15-N bass cabinet. Created to be compact, the model features a rear vented design with a single 15-inch driver for up to 600 watts of power. It weighs 46 pounds and measures at 18″x18″x15″. The cab is constructed with 15mm thick birch plywood covered in their Nebula finish, which Bag End says makes the...

Zander Zon has a new bass arrangement from a movie soundtrack. This time around, he tackles the theme from Terminator 2: Judgment Day. “I remember when I was 10 years old – I was so excited to see this movie. I loved it, but certain parts TERRIFIED me. The beginning scene with the skulls and then Sarah Connor’s dream…” Zander...

Mission Engineering has introduced an innovative new pedal board power converter called the Mission 529. Instead of utilizing a 9-volt power supply, the unit uses USB power. “Since USB is so popular and pervasive, there is a huge choice of different wall chargers, batteries, and other USB power ports, with a wide range of features and price points,” Mission points...

Legendary death metal band Cannibal Corpse has returned with their fourteenth album, Red Before Black. Anchored by bassist Alex Webster, the new album sees the return of producer Erik Rutan, who previously worked on 2006’s Kill, 2009’s Evisceration Plague, and 2012’s Torture. The new release is a return to their more visceral sound. “We always try to make our music...

Shortly after announcing the Woodblock, Fodera has unveiled their third Masterbuilt bass for 2017. The Southwest was designed by the company’s Emily Krohn and is inspired by the “textiles, textures, and colors of the American Southwest.” “To accomplish this look and theme, we chose various woods including Spruce, Bloodwood, Ebony, and Mahogany – capturing the warm tonalities of the region,”...

It is always great to see a Yellowjackets video hit the radar. In this clip from 2011, the band plays “Spirit of the West” live, with some beautiful unison lines by Jimmy Haslip and Bob Mintzer. Dig Jimmy’s solo!

Argentina’s Dedalo Fx has introduced the ALU9 Aliaser, a pedal featuring a sample rate reducer that can be modulated by oscillator and trigger modes. “The effect can go from subtle to totally destroyed, and is very useful for many kinds of instruments besides guitar and bass, in particular, drum machines and synthesizers,” the company shared. The OSC mode offers 32...

We know that many No Treble readers are big fans of Bruce Thomas of The Attractions, as the recent transcriptions of his bass lines have been popular features. So it’s good to hear that he’s been in the studio again. He has recorded a new album called in collaboration with singer-songwriter Spencer Brown, with ten new tracks and a cover...

Tim Akers & The Smoking Section is a group of stellar musicians in Nashville, anchored by bassist Gary Lunn. “The band is made up of some of the best session guys in Nashville. We are 16-strong when we play live, but due to budget restrictions the video features a scaled down version of the band,” they shared. Here’s their take...

TC Electronic has announced eight new analog effect pedals ranging between distortion, modulation, and dynamics. The series is dubbed the Analog Armada. “With strong steel enclosures and top mounted input/output jacks, these sturdy stompboxes provide analog warmth with and true bypass circuitry so your tone stays totally unaffected when the effects are off,” the company writes. The drive pedal portion...

Q: I’ve been working on my soloing and I had a question. It keeps getting repeated to me by other players, teachers, and books that I shouldn’t play the root when I solo. What do you think? Is it really such a bad thing? A: I have a few thoughts on the subject. Some are in line with what you’ve...

We were thrilled to see Evan Marien sharing a new video with drummer Dana Hawkins. We’re huge fans of this duo, who take on the Allan Holdsworth tune, “Looking Glass.” And this one is extra special. Evan shares the background: “In April 2017, I flew to Los Angeles and joined what would become Allan Holdsworth’s last band and final tour,...