Archive for 2016 - Page 83
App Makes Transcribing Easier
If you’re in the market for an app to help you transcribe the songs you want to learn, Transcribe+ aims to help. The app, designed for iPhone and iPad, allows you to import a song from your music library, change the speed and key, create loops, see the music’s waveform and even take notes. A version of the app, with...
Korg Introduces Sledgehammer Custom 100 Clip-On Tuner
After introducing the Custom Shop Series of tuners this year, Korg has added to the lineup with the Sledgehammer Custom 100 clip-on tuner. The tuner offers tuning accuracy of ±0.1 cents and works with both bass and guitar. It’s powered by a single AAA battery, which provides about 100 hours of use before needing replacement. The Sledgehammer clips on and...
Getting Better Intonation on a Fretless Bass
Q: I’ve recently made a switch from fretted to fretless bass, and so far it’s been awesome, but here’s the thing… A couple of the fretted basses I’ve played so far were all 34-inch scale, and the fretless I now play is a 35-inch scale six-string – and it’s unlined. So stretching my fingers that wide is becoming a pain...
YYNOT: “Cygnus X-1, Book II” Virtual Cover
We’ve featured a couple of impressive videos by the virtual band known as YYNOT. Here’s another. In this video, the group covers one of the greatest sides of a rock album ever – Rush’s “Cygnus X-1, Book II” – in its entirety. And once again, Tim Starace nails Geddy’s lines. The rest of the band includes Billy Alexander on guitars,...
QRATES Aims to Get Your Indie Vinyl Into Stores
You’re a musician and you love LP records. You’d love to press your music to vinyl to enjoy and for the world at large to hear. But even with the resurgence of vinyl, how do you begin pressing your music to vinyl discs, particularly on a small scale? The platform QRATES aims to answer that question. QRATES is a service...
Reader Spotlight: Miles Burger
Meet Miles Burger, who might be the busiest gigging bassist in high school we’ve ever seen. He’s also a “doubler” – performing on both upright and bass guitar. Miles is this week’s No Treble reader in the spotlight. Here’s his story… Bio: I’m an 18 year old high school senior living in Philadelphia. As my friends and family like to...
Top 10: The Most Watched Bass Videos (March 2016)
It’s that time… time to celebrate the top 10 reader favorite videos of the month. Which is also our excuse to watch them all again. Thanks for watching, commenting and sharing. 1. Dirty Loops: Over the Horizon It has been a while since we’ve seen a video by Dirty Loops. The wait is over. Here’s the band – anchored by...
George Porter, Jr.: How to Play “Cissy Strut” (and More)
George Porter, Jr. sat down with NYC Radio Live’s David Ellenbogen for their podcast. During the session, Porter discusses how most bassists play The Meters’ “Cissy Strut” incorrectly (and shows how it is really done). He also covers other lines and shares his thoughts on music, life and more.
Deftones Return After Four Years With “Gore”
Alternative metal band Deftones has released its eighth album, Gore. The record – the band’s first in four years – is the third to feature the work of bassist Sergio Vega (Quicksand). Vega tells Rolling Stone in a recent interview that any reports of tension in the band, or of a battle between melody and metal, are untrue. He also...
Bass of the Week: Hot Wire Blues Bass
Hot Wire Basses took a page out of the old school with their Blues Bass. Modeled after the early fifties Kay Electric Bass, the Blues Bass is a vintage-style hollowbody, which the company notes was often played by four-stringers backing up Blues legends like Muddy Waters and Howlin’ Wolf. While the design imitates an old Kay, Hot Wire made some...
Talking Technique: Killer Dead Note Grooves
Dead notes are percussive effects that can really liven up a groove. There are a variety of ways to create them, including left-hand muting, right-hand percussion, and left-hand percussion. For this lesson we examine how dead notes (and silence) affect the groove. As is often the case, a good way to begin practicing them is by utilizing scales. We’ll be...
Ben Harper: When The Levee Breaks
I’ve been listening to Ben Harper’s latest album, Call It What It Is, and loving it – especially with the return of the Innocent Criminals and Juan Nelson. That got me digging around for more, which brought me to this excellent cover of “When The Levee Breaks”, performed live at Jazz à Vienne on July 5, 2013. Harper’s Relentless7 bassist...











