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Archive for February 2012 - Page 5

Schecter Introduces Dale Stewart Avenger Bass
Basses

Schecter Introduces Dale Stewart Avenger Bass

Seether bassist Dale Stewart’s Signature Avenger Bass was released by Schecter this year at NAMM. Sporting a black finish, the bass features a contoured mahogany body, 3-piece maple neck, a rosewood fingerboard, and a reverse headstock. The bass has creme binding on the neck and headstock while the fingerboard is adorned with tribal bug inlays and a dragon inlay at...

Essential Items for the Gigging Bassist: A Gig Survival Checklist
I Wish I Knew That

Essential Items for the Gigging Bassist: A Gig Survival Checklist

No matter how prepared someone usually is, most gigging bassists will find themselves at a gig, searching through their bag of “stuff” and saying: “hey, where’d my _____ go?” It happens to everyone at least once. If this has happened to you, you’ve probably experienced one of three outcomes: You get extremely lucky since you happen to be gigging five...

Aaron Gibson: “I Will Take You Home” (All-Bass Grateful Dead Cover)
Bass Videos

Aaron Gibson: “I Will Take You Home” (All-Bass Grateful Dead Cover)

Aaron Gibson shared this touching video of his solo bass arrangement of the Grateful Dead’s “I Will Take You Home.” Aaron said, “For Daughters and Dads and in memory of Brent Mydland”. Mydland, of course, was the Dead’s keyboardist until his death in 1990. He cowrote this song with John Perry Barlow as a lullaby for his two daughters. Gibson...

Disturbed’s John Moyer Joins Adrenaline Mob
Player News

Disturbed’s John Moyer Joins Adrenaline Mob

Disturbed bassist John Moyer will now be a full-time member of Adrenaline Mob, a metal group composed of ex-Dream Theater drummer Mike Portnoy, Symphony X vocalist Russell Allen and guitarist Mike Orlando. Moyer will be replacing Fozzy bassist Paul DiLeo, who had to bow out due to scheduling conflicts. “Mike Portnoy called me about auditioning for his new band, Adrenaline...

Bass of the Week: DeMars Guitars Long Trail Bass
Bass of the Week

Bass of the Week: DeMars Guitars Long Trail Bass

DeMars Guitars’ Long Trail bass is no doubt an instrument for proud players of the low end. Inspired by Vermont’s hiking trail of the same name, the Long Trail is a a chambered solid-body instrument sporting the company’s patented bass clef soundhole, which the company calls “a stunning visual signature for forward-thinking bassists.” We call it righteous. The Long Trail...

The New Bass Buzz: an Exclusive Interview with Felix Pastorius
Interviews

The New Bass Buzz: an Exclusive Interview with Felix Pastorius

Late last month we broke the news that Felix Pastorius would be joining the Yellowjackets, to fill the shoes of cofounder Jimmy Haslip while he takes a hiatus. This came as a shock to many fans as the switch would end the veteran bassist’s 30-year tenure with the group. The last name is no coincidence: Felix is the son of...

Evan Brewer: Jimi Hendrix Bass Medley
Bass Videos

Evan Brewer: Jimi Hendrix Bass Medley

Jimi Hendrix’s virtuosic playing inspired millions of musicians, not just guitarists. Evan Brewer sent us this great medley of Hendrix tunes arranged for solo bass with his own twist. Evan starts with a filter-laden “Voodoo Chile (Slight Return)” before kicking into a riff from “Hey Joe”, then into a nice tapping version of “Little Wing” and wrapping up with “Fire”.

Ernie Ball Introduces Cobalt Slinky Bass Strings
Accessories & Strings

Ernie Ball Introduces Cobalt Slinky Bass Strings

Ernie Ball has expanded their Slinky string line with the introduction of the all-new Cobalt Slinkys. As the name indicates, the new sets use cobalt, which has a high magnetism to provide a stronger relationship between an instrument’s strings and pickups. Ernie Ball says the design adds extended dynamic range, better harmonic response, increased low end, and cleaner highs. The...

Ibanez Introduces Revamped Sharlee D’Angelo Model at NAMM 2012
Basses

Ibanez Introduces Revamped Sharlee D’Angelo Model at NAMM 2012

Ibanez rolled out a ton of new basses at NAMM this year, including an updated version of the SDB Sharlee D’Angelo signature bass with a white flat finish and cosmo black hardware. Inspired by the company’s Iceman model, the Arch Enemy bassist’s axe features neck-through construction, a Mono-Rail IV bridge, and comes factory-tuned to drop-C. The SDB2 is built with...

Playing Through Chords – Continued
Ask Damian Erskine

Playing Through Chords – Continued

Q: I’ve spent a lot of time developing exercises for myself to practice connecting chords so that I’m not treating each chord as a separate entity. My goal is to voice-lead my way through the chords as if each is a slight variation on the last. I’ve been trying to solo during chord progressions, but I find myself stuck on...

Michel Petrucciani, Featuring Anthony Jackson: Take the A Train
Bass Videos

Michel Petrucciani, Featuring Anthony Jackson: Take the A Train

It seems like my Facebook friends always post cool videos of the Ellington tune “Take The A Train.” This time Kozue Kuriyama shared an awesome clip of pianist Michel Petrucciani’s arrangement, which gets its healthy low-end from 6-string bass legend Anthony Jackson. Jackson gives it his all during his solo, which starts at the 3:30 mark. Starting with some hypnotic...

David Ellefson to Publish “Unsung”, A Book of Unreleased Lyrics and Images
Player News

David Ellefson to Publish “Unsung”, A Book of Unreleased Lyrics and Images

Megadeth bassist David Ellefson has announced his first self-published book is coming. Unsung will feature previously unpublished and unreleased lyrics written by the bassist, as well as never before published images. “As a musician, my past lyrical work has always been set to music. But, with this new book I set out to explore a new medium using both words...