Rewind: Top Bass Gear, New Blues Bass How-To Series, Bassist’s Health and the Top Bass Videos

Gear is always popular around here, and last week was no different. Our top stories last week included new bass gear from Brian May, Lakland and Kala.

Ryan Madora made her debut as a new columnist on No Treble, focusing on becoming a great blues player, and Damian Erskine answered a reader’s question about which scales to practice.

The latest in our ongoing health series for bassists continues with Dr. Randall Kertz focusing on nerves (as always, thanks to Ansir Music for sponsoring this series.)

Plus, our top videos included Bernard Edwards’ iconic riff for Chic’s “Good Times, a terrific interview series with Carol Kaye, and a hip Studio Jam with Gerald Veasley.

Here are your top 10 for the week of July 31 – August 6, 2011.

Brian May Announces Bass Guitar Model

1. Brian May Announces Bass Guitar Model

Queen fans get ready: House Music has unveiled the Brian May Bass. The guitarist (we won’t hold that against him) gave the low-end treatment to his infamous 6-string called the Red Special, which he made with his father as a kid. Finished in Cherry Red, the “Fat Bottomed” bass is a medium 31.5” scale instrument,…

Chic: “Good Times” Live (1996)

2. Chic: “Good Times” Live (1996)

A good bass line just never goes away, and Bernard Edwards’ iconic riff for Chic’s “Good Times” is a perfect example. Besides being under the fingers of players worldwide, the song has been sampled countless times, most notably on the Sugarhill Gang’s “Rapper’s Delight.” In this clip from Tokyo’s Budokan in 1996, the group plays…

Lakland Introduces New Skyline Model Basses

3. Lakland Introduces New Skyline Model Basses

Lakland has announced new Skyline versions of their 44-51 and 44-AJ models. The Skyline series is manufactured overseas, then shipped to Lakland’s Chicago shop for final inspection. The Skyline 44-51 is a vintage styled bass, featuring a USA made Neo Punch split single coil pickup. The slab ash body is finished in butterscotch and has…

Practice Your Scales… But Which Ones?

4. Practice Your Scales… But Which Ones?

Q: Scales… everyone should practice scales. But which scales? For someone that’s beginning to play or even some that has been playing for a long time, this can be a dilemma. How do you practice them? How do you implement them in your playing? A: Great question. Of course, everyone should know their: 1. Major…

Kala Introduces S-U-B U-Bass Series

5. Kala Introduces S-U-B U-Bass Series

Kala has unveiled their newest line of bass ukuleles dubbed the Subductive Series. The basses are solid body versions of their U-Basses, available at a lower price point than the company’s U.S.-made counterparts. The Subductive Series Solid Body U-Bass (aka the S-U-B) gets its name from the “phenomenon when one tectonic plate dives underneath another…

How To Be a Great Blues Bass Player (Part 1)

6. How To Be a Great Blues Bass Player (Part 1)

Ok, I admit it; I’m not the person that you think of when you envision a “blues bass player.” I’m exactly five feet and one quarter of an inch tall, I’m a 24-year-old girl from a suburban neighborhood in Philadelphia, and, as many people point out, the bass is bigger than I am. I don’t…

Ingi Ingason: Live Rehearsal Video

7. Ingi Ingason: Live Rehearsal Video

Bassist Ingi Ingason sent us this video and we couldn’t wait to feature it. Ingi shares, “Here is me playing at a rehearsal at the National Theater in Iceland, shot last spring (at 10 o clock in the morning!!) and recorded with my iPhone.” Add to that his bass face and funky playing, and it…

Studio Jam: “Watermelon Man” with Gerald Veasley

8. Studio Jam: “Watermelon Man” with Gerald Veasley

This is one fun video (and jam!) featuring bassist Gerald Veasley, along with Gerald Albright (sax), James Rouse (drums), Jef Lee Johnson (guitar) and Will Brock (keyboards). The group decides to play Herbie Hancock’s “Watermelon Man”, and then jump right into one funky, laid back groove.

Snapshots Foundation Posts Carol Kaye Interview

9. Snapshots Foundation Posts Carol Kaye Interview

The Snapshots Music & Arts Foundation has posted an extensive 6-part interview with legendary session bassist Carol Kaye, whose playing can be heard on thousands of tunes ranging from Sonny and Cher’s “The Beat Goes On” to The Beach Boys’ “Good Vibrations.” The interview ranges on topics including Kaye’s background, why she picked up bass,…

Health & Fitness for The Working Bassist – Part 4: You’ve Got Some Nerve

10. Health & Fitness for The Working Bassist – Part 4: You’ve Got Some Nerve

Part 4 of our Health & Fitness series focuses on how nerves can be negatively impacted and cause discomfort and how bassists can avoid these challenges. Dr. Randall Kertz shares his insights on how problems with the neck and shoulders can affect the arms and wrists, how to tell when there is a problem, and…

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