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Columns: How Tos, Advice & Lessons for Bass Players

Buying a Bass: A Checklist by No Treble Readers
Ask the Readers

Buying a Bass: A Checklist by No Treble Readers

As the instrument that expresses your musical ideas, it’s important to choose a bass that fits you and your music. But with so many options available, what do you look for? Active or passive electronics? Maple or rosewood fingerboard? How many strings? Which brand? The choices can be daunting, and finding a worthy instrument can take some time. That’s why...

How To Groove at Jam Sessions
Ask Damian Erskine

How To Groove at Jam Sessions

Q: During jam sessions, I normally have a “hit and stick” approach to coming up with grooves. Essentially, there’s a lull between grooves where I end up peddling notes or playing the one. My keyboard player pointed this out and it bothers me. Is this something that I should be worried about? How do I lead a groove during these...

Looping the Bass: 7 Activities for Musical Growth
I Wish I Knew That

Looping the Bass: 7 Activities for Musical Growth

Fruit loops, drum loops, loop-the-loop roller coasters… there are all kinds of loopy things out there. Lucky for us, the looping pedal is one of them. After a recent acquisition and an afternoon of messing around I wondered “why didn’t I get one of these sooner?” As a matter of fact, I did. I just never used it. Loopers can...

Practicing Without Your Bass: Some Exercises to Keep the Music Going
Ask Damian Erskine

Practicing Without Your Bass: Some Exercises to Keep the Music Going

Q: Are there any exercises that you could recommend that can be done when away from the bass? A: You know, I’m surprised that I’ve never written about this before as I do actually have a number of things to recommend when you’re without your bass, to keep the music going. 1. Visualization of the fretboard. If you ever see...

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Shifting Exercises for Bass
The Lowdown with Dr. D

Shifting Exercises for Bass

Sometimes, just for fun, I like to work on the short shifting exercise below. It helps me measure my accuracy, ensure I am light during the shift, and that I am using minimum pressure with my fingers, all while keeping my shifting fluid. It’s short, fun and challenging. Keep the following things in mind: Play with the bow, this trains...

Low Action on a Bass: The Pros & Cons
Ask Damian Erskine

Low Action on a Bass: The Pros & Cons

Q: I was at a bass players’ get-together a while back, and I noticed the other cats have their action set really low, and some used ramps like yourself. A lot of high dollar basses too. I thought “this is too low for me”, and I was pulling too hard. My basses feel good to me, and I like a...

Learning New Tunes: Go Beyond the Bass
I Wish I Knew That

Learning New Tunes: Go Beyond the Bass

Let’s face it, we’re not all singers. Some of us opted to join band in school instead of choir, and in doing so, we missed out on the vocal warm-ups and breathing lessons. We never took the bull by the horns and sang lead, be it on stage or around a campfire, and maybe a few of us have been...

Deciding on an Amp: A Discussion for Bass Players
Ask Damian Erskine

Deciding on an Amp: A Discussion for Bass Players

Q: Damian, what’s in your rack and why? The last time I had a paying gig, I could just roll in my Acoustic 360, plug in, and play. Now I’m trying to get back in to playing just as a hobby. What do you need for today’s amplification? A: Personally, I’m an Aguilar guy. I have both a Tone Hammer...

Pyramiding: An Approach to Musical Exercise
The Lowdown with Dr. D

Pyramiding: An Approach to Musical Exercise

There are many ways to approach a given exercise (e.g. trills, vibrato, etc.) and each have benefits. Some, of course, are more thorough than others. When I want to truly want to intensive on a particular area of technique I sometimes apply a concept borrowed from bodybuilding known as “pyramiding.” In simplest terms (when applying it to music), it means...

Rhythmic Bass Playing: Making it Fit the Musical Setting
Ask Damian Erskine

Rhythmic Bass Playing: Making it Fit the Musical Setting

Q: For a while, I’ve been focusing on developing a percussive finger style bass technique, in a similar style to yours. I have great fun with it when playing on my or own or looping, but whenever I try it in a band situation, it just never sounds as good. All the detail – and most of the groove –...

Buying a Bass: There’s More to the Budget than Meets the Eye
I Wish I Knew That

Buying a Bass: There’s More to the Budget than Meets the Eye

Investing in a new instrument is a lot like moving into a new house. You have a budget in mind, a good idea of the amenities that you want and need, and a few sources to help you find the perfect place. Finally, you find the right home; it’s in your price range, you sign the lease, and prepare for...

Truly Listening: Playing Bass with Impaired Hearing
Ask Damian Erskine

Truly Listening: Playing Bass with Impaired Hearing

Q: I’m an intermediate level hearing-impaired bassist who cannot identify notes or pitch or key by ear. I play songs by memory. How would I go about breaking through to the next level? A: Wow, this may be the hardest question I’ve ever had to attempt to answer. The impression that I have is that with something so outside of...