Rewind: The Top 10 Bass Gear, News, Videos and Lessons of the Week
1. Gear Watch: Epiphone Zenith Bass
Epiphone has released the new Zenith bass, an instrument that pays homage to the jazz guitar tradition. Available as fretted or “lined” fretless, the key to this bass is its unique NanoFlex and NanoMag pickup combination.
2. Video: Gary Willis: The Chicken
Here’s another great video of Gary Willis performing during a 2006 clinic in Rotterdam. This time, he’s playing the Pee Wee Ellis tune, “The Chicken”, popularized of course by Jaco Pastorius.
3. Player News Geddy Lee: New Rush Documentary (and Explanation for Not Playing at Olympics)
In a recent interview with Philadelphia radio station 94 WYSP, bassist Geddy Lee shares about Rush’s latest tour, a new documentary about the band, and explained why one of Canada’s most prominent bands did not perform at the 2010 Winter Olympics in Vancouver.
4. The Lowdown with Dr. D.: Rhythm Series: Improving Rhythmic Accuracy by Subdividing
Dr. D continues his Rhythm Series this week, breaking down the importance of precisely performing rhythms by active subdivision.
5. Bass Gig: Norwegian Cruise Lines Electric Bass Openings
Norwegian Cruise Lines has a couple of electric bass openings for mid-summer into the fall. If you’re a solid sight reader and can work through the fall, this might be the gig for you.
6. Ask Damian Erskine: Reductive Practice
Damian answers a reader’s question about funk slap bass techniques.
7. Sheet Music: Noteflight Introduces Crescendo Online Music Notation Software
Noteflight has announced the release of Crescendo, an online music notation software that uses your web browser to help edit, display, and play back music you write as well as share it with others in an online community setting.
8. New Release: Jimmy Haslip Joins Michael Landau, Robben Ford and Gary Novak for New Album
YellowJackets bassist Jimmy Haslip has teamed up with guitarists Michael Landau and Robben Ford and drummer Gary Novak to release an album under the moniker “Renegade Creation”.
9. Video: Marcus Miller Inteview: Remembering Miles Davis
Marcus Miller shares his experience working with Miles Davis and Miles’ impact on music, and ends with a solo tribute.
10. Events: Bass Coalition Announces Summer Workshop and Solo Competition
The Bass Coalition has announced their first annual Summer Workshop to be hosted at Shenandoah University in Winchester, Virginia on June 24th through the 26th.
