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Columns: How Tos, Advice & Lessons for Bass Players

The Lightbulb Moment: New Routes
The Lightbulb Moment

The Lightbulb Moment: New Routes

If there’s one thing I can’t stand, it’s traffic. Anyone living in, visiting, or planning to move to Nashville has become burdened by the time wasting, frustrating, 4-hour rush hour that is seemingly inescapable. I’m no stranger to the woes of metropolitan areas, the growing pains of urban development, and the high concentration of oversized vehicles, but this city has...

Competing with the “Bass Virtuosos”
Ask Damian Erskine

Competing with the “Bass Virtuosos”

Q: I have been feeling a bit defeated lately. I want to be a professional bassist more than anything but whenever I watch YouTube, I feel like I just don’t have what it takes. I see nothing but a sea of players with blazing chops, piano like chordal abilities, solo players who sound like an orchestra (with loopers, etc..) and...

Developing a Solid Groove
Ask Damian Erskine

Developing a Solid Groove

Q: So right now I’m trying to hack out my sense of groove and time, really trying to come down on that. I’ve noticed I can’t stay on a groove too long and start to play a lot of lines or rhythmic fills, not really being able to lay down a solid foundation and can’t stay tight? How do I...

Dealing with a Removable Neck
The Lowdown with Dr. D

Dealing with a Removable Neck

Q: I have read your latest column on the set-up of your bass and that you had a removable neck installed. I never had one and one of the reasons why I’m holding off on this is the fact that a removable neck also means a removable bridge. I mean: the bridge is not fixed on the bass, which is...

Bass Players To Know: Klaus Flouride
Bass Players To Know

Bass Players To Know: Klaus Flouride

It’s election week here in the U.S. The country has been saturated by advertisements, campaign rallies, and repetitive debate jargon. Times like these require a creative outlet, a way to ease the politically charged anxieties. For many people, music is the perfect remedy. While some listeners flock to acoustic folk music or groovy reggae, others set their radio dials to...

Curved vs. Flat Fingerboards on Bass
Ask Damian Erskine

Curved vs. Flat Fingerboards on Bass

Q: Why are some fingerboards curved and some flat? Is there any benefit to one over the other? A: The curve in the fretboard is called a radius, and there are varying arguments I’ve found for the reason. Many people agree that a radiused fretboard works best with the natural curvature of the hand. This is especially geared towards guitarists...

The Pros and Cons of Skype Bass Lessons
Ask Damian Erskine

The Pros and Cons of Skype Bass Lessons

Q: I was thinking that maybe I should start taking Skype lessons so that I can reach out to more teachers than I have around me locally. Do you have any advice? Can you have a good lesson over Skype vs. in person? A: It is certainly possible to have a great lesson over Skype but, yes, there are drawbacks....

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Surviving the Holidays as a Freelance Bassist
The Lowdown with Dr. D

Surviving the Holidays as a Freelance Bassist

For non-musicians the winter holidays can be a time for rest, relaxation and extra time with family. For many freelance musicians, however, it is a time of early mornings, late nights, long hours playing, coffee, and lots of time in the car going from gig to gig. The upside is, of course, that it can be our most profitable time...

The Lightbulb Moment: Muscle Memory
The Lightbulb Moment

The Lightbulb Moment: Muscle Memory

I’m an avid radio listener. The preset buttons in my car are heavily worn, the numbers barely legible after years of searching for the perfect song and attempting to dodge commercial messages. Sometimes it’s nice to drive in silence, but usually, the radio is what truly fuels my time spent behind the wheel. I always enjoy hearing new music, but...

Playing Ahead or Behind the Beat
Ask Damian Erskine

Playing Ahead or Behind the Beat

Q: I hear people talk about playing “behind the beat” of “ahead of the beat”. How can I work on that? A: I call this micro-timing. I think that phrase helps because many students I have tend to overdo it when they play intentionally behind or ahead of the beat. It is a very subtle difference, and you have to...

Breaking Right Hand Habits
Ask Damian Erskine

Breaking Right Hand Habits

Q: I have a weird technique problem. I guess at some point (to feel the groove better? keep the time? mimic the metronome?) I started landing my fingers on strings to kind of mute them between the played notes and now it began bothering me – all the clicks sound even louder on steel strings (which I prefer). The more...

My Double Bass Setup: Part 4 – Endpin, Removable Neck and Travel Case
The Lowdown with Dr. D

My Double Bass Setup: Part 4 – Endpin, Removable Neck and Travel Case

Endpin I also use an angled endpin while standing. The main reason for this is to take the weight of the instrument off my left hand while allowing my left hand easy access to the complete fingerboard. For more on this, check out this column. Some people have noted that my endpin length and angle seem to have changed over...