Archive for 2015 - Page 70

Ernie Ball is fusing the elements of two types of strings with their new Slinky Flatwound Electric Bass Guitar Strings. Developed with the company’s patented cobalt steel alloy, the strings are described as having the sound of round wound strings with the smooth feel of traditional flatwound strings. The strings are constructed with a cobalt ribbon wire wrapped around a...

Juan Alderete doesn’t remember me. Fair ball. The last time I saw him, he had long hair, tight jeans and was playing bass for a hard rock band called The Scream back in the early nineties. That band is most notable because frontman, John Corabi, later went on to replace Vince Neil in Motley Crue. Back then, Juan was known...

Double bassist Nenad Vasilic is back with a new cover video of Deep Purple’s “Burn.” While the whole arrangement is acoustic, check out his innovative method for getting “distortion” to match the ’70s rock vibe.

Bassist Craig Gruber, best known as an original member of Rainbow, has passed away from prostate cancer. He was 63 years old. Gruber’s rise in the rock world began when he joined Elf in late 1973. The band was fronted by Ronnie James Dio, who also covered bass duties before Gruber’s introduction. The bassist was featured on two studio albums...

Spector Basses has introduced a new Mike Starr Signature version of their Euro4LX bass. Available as a limited edition, the bass is crafted in the company’s Czech factory and will only be available for order in the 2015 calendar year. “We started working with Mike on this before he passed away,” Spector’s PJ Rubal told us. “He’s known for his...

Q: I have been interested in music all my life, but never played an instrument. Now that I’m retired, I have taken up playing the bass for the last six months from an instructor. I started out learning the notes on the bass itself and one song using notes. But since then, all of my learning has been by the...

During the 2014 Tbilisi Jazz Festival, Stanley Clarke took the stage with pianist Beka Gochiashvili and performed this killer version of “Brazilian Love Affair”. The tune was written by one of Clarke’s longtime collaborators, George Duke, who passed away in 2013.

Jeff Beck’s latest live album Live+, features performances from the legendary guitarist’s 2014 tour, with Rhonda Smith (also known for her time in Prince’s band) on bass. Two new studio tracks — “Tribal” and “My Tiled White Floor” round out the collection. The album, recorded at a variety of venues, features favorites like “Big Block,” as well as Beck’s covers...

Meet Declan Miers, a young bassist who has been playing music from a very early age. He has a great story, and one of my favorite parts is the beginning, when he “picked up [his] dad’s 1975 Rickenbacker 4001 and got to work.” At just 14 years of age, Declan is doing work beyond his years. This is a great...

Here’s a lesson I’d consider more beginner/intermediate-level, but it is a great refresher for all of us. Many times, we have to play a line which requires some quick shifting along the fretboard. Here’s a simple exercise for fast position shifts. Follow along with the video.

Miki Santamaria just sent me his latest video, which he calls “Bass vs Drums”. Miki handles two bass parts that’ll knock you out, along with drummer Casey Cooper. Dig it!

The latest studio album from the Zac Brown Band, Jekyll + Hyde, lives up to its literary name, promising a variety of emotional states. Featuring dedicated bassist Matt Mangano, the album not only includes the country/rock crossover hit “Homegrown,” but also the Jason Isbell-penned “Dress Blues” about fallen soldiers, a collaboration with Sara Bareilles, and “Heavy Is the Head,” featuring...