Archive for January 2012 - Page 3

In this lesson we’re going to focus on a style known as finger-style funk (or “finger funk”), with the goal of developing both dexterity and accuracy in your playing. Finger-style funk is typically centered around the 16th note, and many of the notes are muted. You’ll notice in the notation for this lesson that those muted notes are indicated with...

Here’s a cool clip of Robert “Bubby” Lewis getting down with Snoop Dogg on The Late Show with David Letterman. The band performs Snoop’s take on the classic Brothers Johnson tune “Get the Funk Out of My Face” while Lewis lays down a solid low end with some really tasteful runs. The tune of course was co-written by Quincy Jones,...

TC Electronic has announced their newest polyphonic tuner, the Polytune Mini. The device is a more compact version of their original Polytune. The Mini is a polyphonic tuner, but for tuning bass, the device only works in chromatic mode. The company says that the polyphonic setting is for guitar only, and that it is a technical trade-off for the size....

Dingwall Guitars showcased a modern take on a classic design at the NAMM Show this year with the introduction of the Super P. Sporting the Novax Fanned-fret System, the bass features a multi-laminate neck for increased stability and decreased dead spots while the body is balanced by thickness for better weight distribution and increased resonance. The Super P includes Dingwall’s...

Q: I’m struggling with some new compositions. I have some solid parts I like, but overall I feel that the melody or changes (or both) don’t work everywhere in the tune. It also feels that it may need more movement. How do you approach fine-tuning a tune? A: While I have written and arranged music, most of my experience is...

It’s been a few days, but I’m still reeling from all the bass greatness that was NAMM 2012. One of my highlights was meeting solo bassist Evan Brewer while cruising the halls. Here’s a terrific clip of Evan performing his song “A Climate for Change” during his clinic at the ESP booth. The mellow tune is the closing track from...

Mötley Crüe will the first hard rock band to have a residency in Las Vegas after their 12-date stay at the Hard Rock Hotel and Casino next month, running from February 3rd to February 19th, 2012. Entitled “Mötley Crüe in Sin City,” the residency will include an even larger scale production from their regular shows, the band says. “We’ve been...

Meet bassist Andrew Rosciszewski, a musician living in South Bound Brook, NJ who spends his days teaching music to kids (love that). Andrew also anchors a very interesting band, one he calls an “electric chamber ensemble.” Andrew is our player in the spotlight for January 24, 2012. Bio: Described as “listener-friendly, but fresh, with a nice shimmer…” and “relatively delicate,...

Radial Engineering was showing off their new Firefly DI box at their booth at the NAMM Show this year. Built for for both live and recording purposes, the Firefly features a Class-A tube preamp with dual inputs that allow for quickly switching instruments. The Firefly’s signal path goes straight to a tuner output that stays on. It features a 12AX7...

In December, 1994, Hot Tuna performed live at the Filmore. That concert ultimately made it to DVD as Electric Hot Tuna: Live At The Fillmore. Here’s the band performing “Candyman” that night, with a nifty bass solo by the one and only Jack Casady.

Bryan Beller’s first ever instructional DVD, Mastering Tone and Versatility, has been released by Alfred Music Publishing. Beller is a bassist known for both his tone and versatility, with playing credits ranging from extreme metal to fusion to R&B and plenty in between. To help teach that sort of diversity, the bassist calls upon some of his cohorts. The DVD...

Peavey’s NAMM product announcements included the all-new Cirrus Rudy Sarzo Signature Bass, incorporating elements of the rock veteran’s original signature bass and their Cirrus line. The 35″ scale bass features neck-through construction with maple neck and mahogany stringers. Graphite reinforcement and a dual expanding truss ensure a sturdy neck, while Rudy’s signature snake-eye inlays serve as fret markers in the...