Weekly Top 10: Keybass 3.0, Rare Jaco, Bass Licks Series, New Bass Gear, Videos and More

We enjoy lots of bass-focused features every week, but only 10 can make the weekly best of list.

Here are the 10 most read stories and most watched videos on No Treble for the week of June 29 – July 5, 2014.

Thanks for reading, commenting and sharing!

Bass of the Week: Keybass 3.0

1. Bass of the Week: Keybass 3.0

We love innovative basses, so when Jonathan Dauphinais announced the Keybass 3.0, we were pumped. The instrument is a bass guitar with a keyboard synthesizer mounted to its lower half so that each can be played simultaneously. Check ot the Bass of the Week…

Joni Mitchell & Jaco Pastorius: “Shadows & Light” Rare Live Recording

2. Joni Mitchell & Jaco Pastorius: “Shadows & Light” Rare Live Recording

On November 20, 1976, Joni Mitchell performed a benefit concert with Jaco Pastorius and conga player Bobbye Hall for a “Save the Whales” organization in Sacramento, CA. Here’s the trio’s performance of “Shadows & Light” from that show…

Things to Know About the Bridge on Your Upright Bass

3. Things to Know About the Bridge on Your Upright Bass

Having a properly set up bridge on your upright is an important factor in the playability, sound and the long-term health of your instrument. Here are some things every upright player should know: The internal, not external, notches you see on the F-holes determine the proper distance of the bridge from the fingerboard. Dr. D has the prescription…

Stanley Clarke: “Lopsy Lu” (1976 Downbeat Awards Performance)

4. Stanley Clarke: “Lopsy Lu” (1976 Downbeat Awards Performance)

We celebrated the birthday Stanley Clarke this week with a 1976 performance by the man himself and his tune “Lopsy Lu”…

PRS Announces SE Kingfisher and SE Kestrel Basses

5. PRS Announces SE Kingfisher and SE Kestrel Basses

PRS Guitars has introduced the first bass models of their SE line: the SE Kingfisher and the SE Kestrel. The basses, which are designed in Maryland and built overseas, are both described as traditional character with modern upgrades…

Nordstrand Pickups Introduces Bigman Bass Pickup

6. Nordstrand Pickups Introduces Bigman Bass Pickup

If you’re looking for a replacement Music Man-style pickup, Nordstrand Pickups has introduced a new model they describe as “not for the faint of heart.” The Bigman is actually two of the company’s Big Single pickups housed under a Music-Man-style cover…

Bass Lick Series: Getting Funky with an Envelope Filter

7. Bass Lick Series: Getting Funky with an Envelope Filter

Using an envelope filter effect can make a funky bass line sound even funkier. This lick is in Em with a fill based on an Em pentatonic scale motif. It uses pretty much only the top two strings on the bass. Follow along with the video and this transcription…

Articulations and Expression: A Bass Video Lesson

8. Articulations and Expression: A Bass Video Lesson

For this week’s Ask Damian column (and by request), Damian produced a video lesson on articulations and expression…

Adam Prado: Bass Improv Session

9. Adam Prado: Bass Improv Session

Adam Prado sent this video with us, which sounds like it almost didn’t happen. “I was just messing around with my new TC Electronics Ditto Looper and the camera just started to roll,” he shared. This is just plain funky…

Shahab Tolouie and Jan Urbanec: EthnoBulerias

10. Shahab Tolouie and Jan Urbanec: EthnoBulerias

The last time we shared a video by guitarist Shahab Tolouie and bassist Jan Urbanec, it was a major hit. Jan has just shared a new one with us. The duo is really creating some unique music, which Jan describes as “flamenco fusion.” That’s as fitting a description as any for this performance…

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