Archive for 2013 - Page 60

I’m happy to report things are good in the land of the low end. So good, that we have to let readers decide which 10 of the stories, videos and features we shared in the week are the best. Here are the top 10 most popular stories, columns and videos for the week of May 26 – June 1, 2013....

Here’s a groove that’ll make you feel good. Donald “Duck” Dunn locks in on this jam with Booker T. and the MG’s during a show at the Oakland Coliseum in Oakland, California on January 31, 1970.

Alice in Chains has released their fifth studio album, and the second since their 2005 reunion. And while The Devil Put Dinosaurs Here carries the group’s signature sludge metal sound, the band says the effort is an evolution of their sonic palette. “We made a unique record that’s completely different from anything we ever did,” guitarist Jerry Cantrell told Rolling...

Here are the top ten most read, commented and shared bass gear stories on No Treble for the month of May 2013. Thanks for reading, commenting and sharing! 1. Fender Custom Shop Introduces Limited Relic 1955 Precision Bass The Fender Custom Shop has rolled out its Spring 2013 offerings, including the Limited Relic 1955 Precision Bass. Mimicking the look of...

I’m working on a new concept in double thumb slap bass, which basically is an “in reverse” technique. This means the “down” thumb is on the offbeat, and the “up” thumb is on the downbeat. This creates a whole new feeling worth exploring. You can follow along with the notation (PDF) and the video below. Let me know how it...

When I started to learn how to slap, “Hair” was the song that stuck with me the most. It’s so much fun to play, and it’s even more fun to watch Larry Graham go wild on it in this clip taken from Japanese television.

Tim Boomer’s The Bassist’s Bible, originally published in 2009, has been updated and expanded in an all-new second edition. The expansive guide offers up 25 chapters, covering more than 100 musical styles. More than 400 bass lines are presented, which can be followed on each of the two CDs which are included. In the new edition, 50 new grooves have...

Creation Audio Labs has introduced the Funkulator Bass Pedal, an EQ tone shaper designed with old school funk in mind. The pedal is built for simplicity with a single EQ knob that controls a variable upper mid frequency scoop with a gentle hi and low boost. Turning the control up enhances the EQ curve, while the footswitch allows for quickly...

Whenever Evan Marien shares a new video with us, I usually stop what I’m doing to watch it. Here’s Evan’s latest, “Eldridge Mach 2” – a tune he wrote and performed using his bass, a looper, a Hot Hand and a laptop. It all adds up to some pretty incredible sounds coming from a bass.

While currently on his Out There Tour, Paul McCartney is continuing to reissue his classic material with a new version of Wings Over America. The release is a remastered take of the 1976 triple album that captured the band during their Wings Over America tour of the same year. With performances including “Maybe I’m Amazed,” “Live and Let Die,” and...

This week we take a look at the Fclef Custom Series II Bass. Introduced as part of their 10th anniversary, the Custom Series II model builds upon their Custom Series and is handcrafted in the United States. The company also boasts that each member of the crew is a bass player, which gets a big thumbs up in our book....

Among the great tunes on Jaco Pastorius’ self-titled solo debut was “(Used to Be A) Cha-Cha”. His solo is a tricky one, at an upbeat tempo and with Jaco’s trademark melodic and syncopated lines. Here is Jukka Haavisto’s take on his wonderful solo on this track.