Archive for December 2016 - Page 6

Folk/rock legend Neil Young has released his 37th studio album, entitled Peace Trail. The stripped-down, 10-song collection is classic Young that focuses on social and political issues in his own unique voice. Though he has been touring with Promise of the Real for the past two years, the songwriter decided to tap session drum master Jim Keltner and bassist Paul...

Providence has expanded their line of utility pedals with the PEC-4V. The programmable effects controller features their Vitalizer circuit with four Provolt9 DC9V outputs. The effects loops break down into three series loops and one separate that can be set up in four combinations to be recalled instantly in program mode. A direct mode allows for directly turning each loop...

Q: Why are some musicians resistant to changing gear and/or playing techniques when the player gets faced with pain, hits a technical wall or is dissatisfied with their own progress? A: Note: I saw this question on a Facebook thread I was tagged in recently and thought it was a good one. I paraphrased it a little bit to keep...

Here’s a great clip of The Derek Trucks Band with bassist Todd Smallie tearing it up in a live performance of “Get What You Deserve.” This track and video comes from the band’s release.

Attention double bassists: The Bradetich Foundation has announced its Second International Double Bass Solo Competition. Hosted at the University of North Texas in Denton, the event is set for September 1st through the 5th in 2017 and will have a first prize award valued at $30,000. “The finest solo performers in the world are invited to compete for the most...

Meet Christoph Miebach, who started out on guitar and keys until that one day the band needed a bassist. He made the switch – a moment he calls “love at first sight.” Christoph is this week’s reader in the spotlight. Here’s his story… Bio: I studied bass guitar in the Netherlands at the ArtEZ School of Music from 2005 to...

Fender has unveiled the American Professional Series, which takes the place of their recently discontinued American Standard line. The new series will, of course, include Precision and Jazz bass models, but each will have new features. Updated specs include a new fret shape, new pickups, new electronics, new hardware, and new colors. Both the American Professional P-Bass and Jazz Bass...

YYNOT’s latest virtual Rush cover brings back a lot of memories of spinning 2112 back in the day. Our good friend Tim Starace handles the bass and air drums on this one. And once again, they nail it.

After announcing he was working on a solo project back in August, former Pantera bassist Rex Brown has revealed his solo debut album is slated to be released in May 2017. Brown opened up on the process to Eddie Trunk on Trunk Nation this week. “I went to NAMM last year, and I have a really good friend, this songwriter,...

Andy Irvine of The Daily Funk Club shared some pictures of this bass on Facebook and it made me stop scrolling. The Picasso by KD Basses is a colorful, artistic take on the instrument made in Bulgaria. The bass’s body is built with an Elm core, but luthier Kostadin Dimitrov covered it with an irregularly-shaped piece of maple burl in...

When double bassists put their thumb on top of the fingerboard, rather than behind it, and use it to depress the string (just like the other fingers), we call that “thumb position.” There are a plethora of etude books and exercises to help us solidify the use of the thumb to press the string, but I’ve found a few particularly...

Miki Santamaria teamed up with bassist Anna Sentina and drummer COOP3RDRUMM3R to put together this cover of David Guetta’s “Dangerous.” Miki handled the arrangement on this, which features plenty of bass goodness.