Archive for 2014 - Page 12

Dream Studio Guitars has released a 5-string version of their Maverick Bass called the M5. The bass retains many of the same features as its predecessor while adding a low B string. The M5’s body is built from a single piece of swamp ash that is given a vintage offset shape with extra contouring. Its bolt-on, hard maple neck is...

In part 1 of this series, we were experimenting with using substitutions that allowed us to play familiar major and minor scale shapes over various basic chord types. Now, let’s move on to melodic and harmonic minor mode choices. First, let’s make sure that we’re all familiar with these two scales: Harmonic minor = Aeolian (natural minor) with a major...

If you’ve been a No Treble reader for a while, you’ll likely recognize the name Fernando Lamadrid, thanks to the video we shared in August 2013 of his tune “Mollete Express” (this was such a great tune, we even published a transcription by Stuart Clayton). Fernando is back with a new video that shows off another side, with the tune...

Gentle Giant might be the prog-rock band that casual fans of the genre overlook. However, the group had a decade-long career (1970-80), turning out creative pieces, often written by bassist/multi-instrumentalist Ray Shulman and keyboardist Kerry Minnear. Fans have long adored the band’s one previous official live album, Playing the Fool, released in the late 1970s. While other live recordings are...

Meet Linus Abrahamson, a musician from Sweden who never seems to sit still and has certainly accomplished quite a lot in his musical career: three separate projects happening right now (with his fourth on hiatus due to “people having babies”), a double master’s degree in music education, and more. Linus is No Treble’s reader in the spotlight for the week...

One of my all-time favorite videos we’ve shared goes back to 2012: Oz Noy, Will Lee and Keith Carlock performing “Schizophrenic” live in Tokyo. Here’s the trio cooking on “Steroids” from that very performance.

The Rolling Stones have issued the second DVD in the band’s From The Vault vintage live performance series. This time out, the Stones take viewers back to a July 12, 1975 concert at the L.A. Forum. The show, which lasted more than 2.5 hours, featured what for many is the classic band lineup — then-new guitarist Ron Wood, guitarist Keith...

UNICORNbass is a boutique bass company out of Sweden that’s making some pretty slick instruments. The Ozellman Master is a flexible, performance-driven bass with the added touch of customizable looks. Built with either bolt-on or set-neck construction, the bass features a 7-ply neck of maple and purple heart matched to a bookmatched mahogany body topped with a choice of exotic...

The last “Tips” column (on avoiding injury), was a popular one. So let’s continue this series with some tips on freelancing. 1. Be Musically Prepared If there is sheet music, review it. If there are recordings, listen to them. As much as possible, be familiar with all the parts. Be acquainted with the melodies, harmonies, key rhythmic devices, etc. inherent...

Bassist Nenad Vasilic has a new album out this month called The Art of Balkan Bass, and this preview track has been stuck in my head for a week. “Vranjanka” is a traditional Balkan folk song that Vasilic tackles by himself with his upright. He perpetuates the groove with some perfectly laid ghost notes and light string slapping. Check out...

Eclectic bassist and producer Bill Laswell has teamed with Red Hot Chili Peppers drummer Chad Smith and New Orleans pianist/keyboardist Jon Batiste on the new album, . “The original idea was to film unfamiliar musicians playing together in a room with no preconceived direction. Over time it began to transform into making a record,” Laswell said. The movie was never...

What a way to end the week… with the best from the world of bass! It is always a bonus with a top 10 list contains a top 10 list… and that’s happened this week with the top 10 bass videos of the month. Plus, all the other No Treble reader favorites for the week of November 8 – 14,...