Archive for 2014 - Page 80
Bass of the Week: Bee Basses Worker Bee 5
This week we check out a cool collaboration between Bee Basses luthier Fred Bolton and Dan Lenard of the boutique bass website Luthiers Access Group. While many Bee Basses instruments are ordered as extended range instruments, Bolton and Lenard decided to create a “normal” bass in the form of a 5-string. The resulting Worker Bee 5 is still beyond normal....
Bass Artistry: An Interview with Michael Manring
The art of solo bass has been steadily growing for the past couple of decades, but one bassist has always been a leading figure in the field. That bassist is Michael Manring. It’s not just his use of extended techniques, his unusual tunings, or his unique gear that sets him apart. Manring consistently presents a level of artistry that touches...
Aaron Gibson: Hard to Get
It is truly remarkable to me how Aaron Gibson can make his bass sing. In this video, Aaron covers the Rich Mullins tune, “Hard to Get” with his trademark style. “My friend Perry Gerber lent me this fabulous Telefunken microphone, so naturally, I had to employ it for a video,” Aaron shared. “With little time available to take from recording...
Freekbass Returns with “Everybody’s Feelin’ Real”
You wanna get funky? Then it might be time to check out the latest album from Freekbass, Everybody’s Feelin’ Real. The album’s being billed as offering retro-modern funktronica grooves, and Freekbass cites everyone from David Bowie to Sly & the Family Stone to Dr. Dre as inspiration for the record’s sonic qualities. Horns on the record are handled by Les...
Making the Decision to Go Pro as a Bassist (Or Not)
Q: What is your experience before becoming a professional musician? Is it something that naturally occurred or did you have to decide to make it a career? Could you share a story in which you reconciled any doubts you may have had? A: Interesting question! I’ve always played music, and I always assumed that music was what I would continue...
The Beatles’ “Drive My Car” Isolated Bass
Our isolated bass track on the Beatles’ “Lovely Rita” is getting a lot of attention lately. Here’s another isolated track from the Beatles, for the tune “Drive My Car,” which appeared on the 1965 release Rubber Soul. There are discrepancies regarding who played bass on “Drive My Car.” George Harrison claimed it was him (and not Paul McCartney) at one...
Reader Spotlight: Matt Sanchez
Meet Matt Sanchez, a bassist with an interesting combo of work and music. Like many people here, Matt didn’t start with the bass. But while most either started on drums or guitar before making the switch, Matt tried both – starting on drums, switching to guitar and then finally finding home on the bass. Matt is No Treble’s reader in...
Bass Gear Roundup: The Top Gear Stories in March
If you like reading about bass gear, you probably love these top 10 lists as much as we do. Here are the 10 most popular new gear stories on No Treble for the month of March, 2014. Thanks for reading, commenting and sharing! 1. Fender American Design Experience Online Configurator Ever wanted to mix and match your favorite parts of...
The Who: Rare Live Performance of “Baba O’Reilly”
We’ve uncovered what we believe to be an extremely rare video of the Who performing their hit, “Baba O’Reilly” in today’s featured video. The details are a little sketchy… maybe you know more about it than we do.
Metal Icons Contribute to Dio Tribute Album, Cancer Fund
Legendary metal vocalist and band leader Ronnie James Dio died in 2010 after a battle with stomach cancer, but his legacy lives on, through not only his music, but also the Ronnie James Dio Stand Up and Shout Cancer Fund. Both have come together in the the compilation album, , which features metal luminaries performing Dio’s songs from all eras...
MTD Releases Norm Stockton Artist Edition Bass
After two years of tweaking, MTD has released the Norm Stockton Artist Edition Bass. The bass is based on the company’s Saratoga model while combining features of Stockton’s previous MTD basses, including a more rounded arm contour and a strap button position that’s moved up like a 535. Key to the instrument’s design is its electronics, which are set up...
(718): El Sombrero, Live at Blue Note
Many bassists will know Phil Palombi as a jazz bass guru and Scott Lafaro aficionado, but he’s got a funky electric side too. Here’s a video of his spacey jam trio (718) performing “El Sombrero” during their CD release party at the Blue Note in New York City. The group also includes keyboardist Matthew Fries and drummer Eric Halvorson. Their...