Top 10: The Best of No Treble in November – Lessons, How-To’s, Interviews and More
Lessons and how-to’s reigned supreme in November, starting with a new video lesson series by Grant Stinnett, and the return of Thomas “MarloweDK” Risell with a new series on Practical Theory.
Readers enjoyed our exclusive interviews with the extreme metal bassist Alex Webster and the 7-string fretless guru, Jeroen Paul Thesseling.
Damian Erskine’s conversation on Bass vs. Guitar: The 6-String Debate generated a ton of discussion for and against, but very friendly. Bassists rule.
In the how-to category, Damian’s Guide to Memorizing Tunes and Rob Doane’s column on “To Mod or Not to Mod” took the top honors.
Plus, and Old School Fender Musicmaster, the return of Black Sabbath some useful apps for the traveling bassist.
1. Double Thump: A Lesson in Slap Bass
Editor’s note: We’re really happy to announce a new bass video lesson series by bassist/educator Grant Stinnett on No Treble. Say “hi” to Grant and/or share your feedback and questions in the comments section below. In this installment of our new bass lesson series, we’re focusing on a slap-based, percussive bass technique widely known as…
2. Extreme Metal Bassist: An Interview with Alex Webster
The evolution of heavy metal has presented a plethora of extreme subgenres: thrash metal, death metal, tech metal… the list goes on and on. But while the term extreme metal covers lots of territory, you can’t talk about extreme metal bass playing without talking about Alex Webster. As a founding member of the iconic band…
3. Bass vs. Guitar: The 6-String Debate
Q: I mean this in the most respectful of ways but, when I listen to six string bassists who play a lot of chords and solo. I can’t help but wonder why they don’t just play guitar. A: I’ve heard this question before, and thanks for being respectful. I’m a 6-string player, so I’ll share…
4. To Mod or Not to Mod: Considerations for Modifying Your Bass
You guys have followed me through a few projects now and, if I?ve done my job, some of you have been inspired to take an instrument and make it fit you better in some way. This month, I want to talk about why we do this and pose some questions you should answer for yourself…
5. Ultra Low: An Interview with Jeroen Paul Thesseling
Jeroen Paul Thesseling is a bassist constantly pushing himself to new heights. The Amsterdam native picked up his first 4-string bass in his teens, eventually going on to study at the Conservatory at Enschede in the Netherlands. Though his studies were varied, his love for heavy music prevailed as he started his career with the…
6. Old School: 1978 Fender Musicmaster Bass
Fender’s Musicmaster was first introduced in 1971, and in production through 1981. As with Fender’s guitar bearing the same name, the bass was a simpler version of Fender’s Mustang Bass. The Musicmaster was Fender’s budget-priced bass at the time, made from surplus parts from other Fender models. The bodies were from the Mustang production line,…
7. Practical Theory: Improvising over a Minor 7 Chord
Today, I’m kicking off a new Practical Theory lesson series, starting with an approach to improvising over a minor 7 chord. In the video below, I demonstrate a solo groove before describing the approach. In jazz, funk and rock, if a solo section consists of a static minor 7 chord, most often the Dorian minor…
8. A Guide to Memorizing Tunes
Q: Do you have any tips on how to memorize tunes? I have the hardest time remembering tunes! A: I’ve been there. But a few years ago, I discovered the key: repetition, repetition, repetition, repetition, repetition, repetition… For years, I’ve always been a chart reader on gigs. I never understood how people could memorize so…
9. Black Sabbath Reunites, Promises Album and World Tour in 2012
After many months of rumors, the original members of Black Sabbath have finally fessed up that they’ve reunited for a new album and world tour starting in 2012. The band made the announcement on today (11-11-11) with a press conference and YouTube video: Though bassist Geezer Butler dismissed rumors earlier this year, it appears he’s…
10. Useful Apps for the Traveling Bassist
I’ve been traveling quite a bit this year, and I’ve come to rely heavily on a few different apps on my iPad and/or iPhone. I thought I’d share a few of my favorites that I haven’t touched on here already. (If you want to check out my previous recommendations, you can check them out here)….
