gigging Archives
Getting Noticed – Part 1: Your Demo
Q: I’ve reached the point where I know I need to meet new people to get my career up to the next level, but I don’t know where to start. What do you think makes effective networking in the context of being a musician as opposed to an artist who has written songs? How do... »
The Bass Solo: A Guide to Soloing More Freely
Photo by P.B. Photography Q: I am at a stage with playing jazz where I feel confident playing bass lines, such as walking through challenging pieces. Given time to learn the chord sequence, I am pretty confident at playing solos over the top of backing tracks and grooves. My problem is that when playing with... »
Performing Live: Memorization vs. Reading vs. Improvisation
Photo by istolethetv Q: I’m not a professional musician, but lately I’ve been performing a lot more often. I play both upright bass and bass guitar, and I like to play just about any style of music: pop, funk, folk, jazz. These two things have made me somewhat “in demand” in part-timers’ circles and has... »
I Ain’t Superstitious: Personal Quirks and Why They Work
It’s 6pm… time to get the gear in the car, enter the club’s address into the GPS, and get on the road. It takes exactly five minutes and three trips to pack: one trip for each cabinet (the two fit side by side in the trunk), and one trip for the amp head, bag o’... »
Consistency: From the Practice Shed to the Bandstand
Photo by kmlz Q: I seem to have an issue with consistency. I seem to be able to pull certain licks and lines together when practicing, but it always falls apart when I’m actually playing with the band. Any tricks to develop consistency? A: Tricks? No. But I do have some thoughts. 1. Context I... »
Earplugs… A Love-Hate Relationship (Part 2: Where, When, and Why)
Photo by Quinn Dombrowski In Part 1 of this series, we looked at two different types of earplugs, the over-the-counter ones as well as the custom molded ones, and some of the benefits of each. Now, let’s think about when to use them and how to get comfortable playing with them in. Before we jump... »
Earplugs… A Love-Hate Relationship (Part 1: Options)
Photo by Quinn Dombrowski Ever rush out of the house in the morning and forget something that you always have with you? Your watch, perhaps? Or maybe your reading glasses? As soon as you realize that you’ll have to go all day without this beloved item, you start to feel uncomfortable, annoyed, and metaphorically naked.... »
Cable Considerations: A Guide (and Discussion) for Bass Players
Q: Are expensive boutique cables really worth the expense? A: There are two ways we can look at this question. One is tech, the other is a combination of perception and experience. The technical explanation involves more of a scientific look at how cables work: signal purity, conductivity and so on. I’m not a technical... »
Stage Volume: Turn Up and Play Light (and Other Considerations)
Q: In hard rock and metal music, many players – including me – resort to playing with a heavy right hand to cut through the mix of distortion. As time goes by my right wrist starts to experience some pain and I’m thinking I should be playing lighter. Jeff Berlin and Gary Willis have been... »
Gigging? Make a Reserve Tune List
It’s 11:58, and you just finished a killer set. So much so that the crowd is clapping, fist pumping, raising their drinks in the air and collectively begging for one more song. The band members look around at one another and think, “yeah, this is awesome! But what are we gonna do???” You played through... »
The Bass Solo: A Guide to Soloing More Freely 
Fabienne Gilbert: Come On Come Over 
Capturing Your Ideas: Transform Your Musical Inspiration into Reality 
Andrea Lombardini: By This River 
Bass of the Week: KR Guitars Ursa 
Tom Pesch and his Ric: Rush Play-Along 
Funk Bros: Love Is Like An Itching In My Heart 
Eric Avery Quits Nine Inch Nails 
Funk and R&B Bass - At a Glance 
James Brown: Brother Rapp (1971) 
