Archive for July 2016 - Page 5

This week we’re checking out an ?ber-Groove 4 Single Cut by Maurizio ?ber Basses called The Promise. The bass features a stunning Monkeypod top over an Asian mahogany body. “The Promise was built for a client who, among other gigs, plays regularly at church,” M?B explains. “Being a religious man, he wanted his bass to be inspired to a verse...

Triads are three note chords that serve as the building blocks of functional harmony. As bass players, it’s important for us to recognize triads by ear and to know how to play them starting on each string in all keys and in all registers of the bass. We’ll focus on the major triad in this lesson to get your ears...

Dmitry Lisenko shared his latest video with us – a bass and vocal duo he’s a part of with vocalist Mara. The duo is known as Karmafree. In this video, they perform “Friend Offline”, which once again showcases Dmitry’s unique percussive-enhanced playing. The single is available on Bandcamp.

Twenty-one-year-old Londoner Jacob Collier is a true one-man band. He’s become known for the YouTube videos he’s produced from the music room in his home, in which he sings every part and plays every instrument on his songs, utilizing a mosaic of screens, which makes the title of his debut album, In My Room, quite apt. Collier also performed, arranged,...

The Wood Brothers, anchored by bassist extraordinaire Chris Wood, have announced Fall tour dates to fill out their 2016 tour. The three-piece, Nashville-based band are continuing their trek in support of their latest album, Paradise. Starting in Birmingham, Alabama on October 6th, the newly revealed performances will focus on the Southeast and Midwest. November will have the group visit Illinois,...

Another big week in the world of bass. Here are the top 10 reader favorite stories, columns, videos and more. Thanks as always for reading, watching, commenting and sharing. 1. Cliff Williams Announces Retirement from AC/DC After 40 years holding down the low end for AC/DC, bassist Cliff Williams has announced he will retire after the band’s current tour. Williams,...

The other day, I stumbled upon this 1973 video of Tower of Power’s appearance on Soul Train. I immediately texted it to Kevin, and then I watched it countless times since then. The song is “So Very Hard To Go”, and Rocco Prestia is laying it down like only he can, behind one killer band.

Bassist and composer, Juan García-Herreros, (a.k.a., Snow Owl), known for his work on his 6-stringed electric contrabass guitar, has released his latest album, The Blue Road. The overriding message of the album from the Latin Grammy nominee is one of unity, and features members of the Vienna Philharmonic Orchestra and a variety of New York artists. Let Snow Owl explain...

New Zealand’s Stonefield Musical Instruments has teamed up with Freekbass to produce a signature model. Based on the company’s Model 1-4C, the bass has special tweaks to fit the funk bassist’s style. “Using the dense and somewhat brittle African wenge for the top wood and Solomon Island ebony for the fingerboard adds a bite to the tonality of the instrument,”...

Time for some old school goodness from our good friends, Vulfpeck and their tune “Game Winner”. The track appeared on Vulpeck’s album, , and features guest appearances by Charles Jones on vocals and Rhodes and David T. Walker on guitar. As always, Joe Dart handles the low end, beautifully. “Give me the ball…”

Pat Metheny Group bassist Steve Rodby has released his third album with the Anglo-American jazz group, The Impossible Gentlemen, called Let’s Get Deluxe. The contemporary jazz group’s influences range from Metheny, of course, to outfits like Steely Dan. Band members also include pianist Gwilym Simcock, reed/flute player Iain Dixon, guitarist Mike Walker and drummer Adam Nussbaum. Check out the title...

Playing with good time, develop sensitive dynamics, produce a solid tone and have the confidence to express interesting musical ideas on your bass is essential. It only makes common sense that developing a deeper bass guitar specific technical understanding and prowess is the essential path as an improvising bass player. In this lesson, we will cover some ground to gain...