Archive for 2013 - Page 44

One of the things every gigging bassist needs to refine is what they bring to the gig, in addition to their bass and amp (if appropriate). We all have items we might need for gig emergencies and unforeseen circumstances. Showing up to the gig and having an equipment problem is no fun and ultimately it makes you look bad. Everyone...

In celebration of Geddy Lee’s birthday today, we thought we’d go back to some early years Rush, and ultimately picked this 1978 performance of “La Villa Strangiato”. Oh, that tone! As a teenager, I wore the grooves down on more than one Rush LP because of this tune. How about you?

When renowned jazz bassist David Friesen’s son Scott passed away in 2010, he knew he wanted to honor his life with a memorial CD, and after some time the opportunity arose at the end of a tour with his trio. The resulting album, Brilliant Heart, is a 13-track collection of songs Friesen composed for his son. “My son Scott loved...

This week’s top 10 list offers a great blend of bass goodness: new gear, new how-to’s, new music and some excellent bass videos. Thanks as always for reading, commenting and sharing. 1. Fender Announces Modern Player 2.0 Basses Fender has upgraded its Modern Player series of instruments including updates to the Jazz Basses in the line and the introduction of...

Federico Malaman just nails these all bass covers. Here’s a new one from him, performing his take on Stevie Wonder’s “Do I Do”. Federico is playing his Laurus bass through an MXR M82 Bass Envelope Filter and a Boss RC3 Loop Station.

Former and founding Tool bassist Paul D’Amour is gearing up on new project called Lesser Key. The group also includes Andrew Zamudio, Brett Fanger and Justin Hanson. The group describes themselves as “[representing] an exploration into personal artistic freedom,” and their sound centers around D’Amour’s steely bass tone and hard hitting lines. The Los Angeles based rockers have just announced...

When Felix Pastorius joined the Yellowjackets to fill in for Jimmy Haslip, the move was supposed to be temporary. When Haslip ultimately decided not to return, Pastorius stayed on and went into the studio for the group’s newest album, A Rise In The Road, which came out late last month. But the story is even bigger than that. Felix –...

We love to see it when bassist get creative to tackle their favorite songs. Here’s Laszlo Demeter playing Massive Attack’s “Teardrop” using only his six-string acoustic bass. The bassist covers every part of the tune, from using the bass’s body for percussion to using the strings above the nut for sound effects. And of course, he lays down that sweet,...

Bassist Julie Slick has teamed up with guitarist Peter Alexius and Chapman Stick player Marc Mennigmann to form SAM, a progressive-rock trio that bases all their music on improvisation. They’ve just released their first album, Another Life, and an accompanying EP entitled Yet Another Life. “This record contains some of the essence of one week in the studio,” the band...

Fodera has once again added to their Standard line of basses with the Monarch 4 Fretless Standard. Initially limited to 15 pieces, the new model is the first fretless in the series, which offers batches of basses built in a single configuration with no options to keep wait time and prices to a minimum. The new bass features a walnut...

Roger Alcantara sent us his play-along to the funky tune, “Pinball Number Count” – the song used by Sesame Street to teach kids how to count to twelve. The original features the Pointer Sisters on vocals. After researching this tune for 30 minutes or so, the bassist on the original is a mystery (at least to me!) If you know...

Victor Wooten has added a Music Theory camp to his VixCamps schedule at the Wooten Woods Retreat in Only, Tennessee. Scheduled for September 23rd and 24th, the educational event offers classes for beginning, intermediate, and advanced players in addition to full group classes. The scheduled instructors are Victor Wooten, Anthony Wellington and Bob Franceschini, with more to be announced. Subjects...