Archive for 2011 - Page 67

The Importance of Posture, in Life and Music In this installment, our focus is on posture, and how it – and lack of it – can affect bass playing in particular, and everything else you do in general. Bad habits started when we were young have a way of sticking with us as we get older. In part, that’s because...

I sometimes forget how long Anthony Jackson has been performing and showcasing his unique approach to the bass. This is a great reminder. In July 1980, Jackson took the stage with Sadao Watanabe at Budokan in Tokyo, Japan. This clip features an excellent solo by Jackson (around the 5:45 mark, if you’re in a hurry).

Pianist Chick Corea, bassist Stanley Clarke and drummer Lenny White are back at it. The trio, who formed the core for Return to Forever decades ago, have decided to revisit the group’s origins with the release of Forever, out today. The two-disc set includes 18 tracks. Disc one features live recordings from Return to Forever’s 2009 “RFT Unplugged” tour, with...

After years of anticipation, we now have a confirmed release date for the new Red Hot Chili Peppers album after Flea broke the news via his Twitter account. “It gives me profound pleasure deep in the fiber of my being to announce the August 30 release date of the new red hot chili peppers’s record,” the bassist announced, later tweeting...

Although there are musical situations when we want our left hand fingers to strike the fingerboard forcefully, we most often want to use the minimum amount of pressure, and no more. To do otherwise is generally inefficient, clumsy, noisy and speeds up muscle fatigue, among other things. When it comes to left hand technique, the speed of the finger movement...

Here’s a clip of NOFX rocking out their tune “Stickin’ In My Eye” filmed live in 2009. The song starts with some chill bass riffing by 4-stringer and founding member Fat Mike before the band kicks into tempo.

Here are the most read, most popular stories and features on No Treble for the week of May 29 – June 4, 2011 1. Bartek Krolik: Fiku Miku – Solo Funk Slap Bass Inspired by Victor Wooten, bassist Bartek Krolik, composed this tune, “Fiku Miku”, back in 2000. The tune was later recorded for the album, No Bass No Fun....

BOSS is once again holding a competition for looping artists with the kick off of the BOSS Loop Station World Championship 2. The contest runs from now until August 31, 2011 and is open to bassists and all other looping artists in the U.S. Entrants must submit a video performance and use one of BOSS’s RC-series looping devices. The company...

Mayones has unveiled the S-Cut Caledonius 5 Classic, a single-cut bass featuring neck-thru construction. The company explains that the single-cut design adds stability and sustain while the neck joint provides better access to the highest frets. More unique to the bass is the “Single Cut Handle,” where a portion of the upper horn is cut out. The bass is available...

This has always been one of my personal favorite Iron Maiden songs. This particular clip, taken from their “Live at Rainbow” concert tape, has Steve Harris and the gang in their youthful prime rocking out London. Harris said the song is “one of the best pieces I’ve ever written, and certainly one of the most enjoyable to play.” The build-up...

Reeves Amplification has released a new bass tube amp called the Custom 400. Made in the U.S., the head unit features four 12AX7 preamp tubes and six KT88 power tubes pushing out 400 watts. It also includes one 12AT7 phase inverter tube. The Custom 400 has Bright and Normal inputs, with separate volume controls for each as well as a...

This year marks the 55th anniversary of Walter Höfner’s 500/1 Höfner Violin Bass, made famous by Paul McCartney and dubbed by many as the “Beatle bass”. Author Joe Dunn has updated his guide to the bass, with the 2011 edition of Höfner Violin “Beatle” Bass, the only one dedicated to the instrument. The updated edition is an all-color, hardcover book...