Finding Your Musical Path and Overcoming Musical Ruts
Q: I’m a sophomore in high school, and I’m the lead bass player in the jazz band. I feel I hit a brick wall, and I don’t really know what else to practice. I can play almost all of the music that’s given to me, and the pieces I don’t get right away I usually learn within the next few...
Knuckle Cracking: Bad for Bassists?
Q: I have a tendency to crack my knuckles, and my bass teacher really frowns on it. Do you have an opinion on this? A: I’ve heard both sides of the story, and I crack my knuckles, and always have. So I decided to do some research. Here’s what I’ve learned: Cracking your knuckles does not cause arthritis. That is...
Speed Upp: A Look at the Programmable Metronome App for Windows and Mac
In this review, I’m changing up a bit from the typical mobile apps to take a look at one designed for Windows and Mac. Speed Upp is a simple metronome concept, but one that is wonderfully implemented. The app is designed for developing precision and speed, by guiding you during scale exercises and changing tempo as you go. The app’s...
Chord Voicing on Bass
Q: I know you have covered bass chords before, but what I was wondering is about the actual chords, not the progression played as arpeggios. I try playing chords my guitar buddies have shown me, and they sound awful on bass but great on guitar. What chords played on bass sound good? A: Bass players are somewhat limited with their...
Going Full Time: Making Music Your Day Job
Q: I recently moved to a new city, and I am starting to meet new musicians rather quickly (or at least, faster than I expected). I put an ad on Craigslist to meet and jam with bands – blues, rock, funk, jazz stuff. I received a reply from a band that needs a full time dedicated bass player. I like...
App Review: Musicopoulos Music Theory and Practice
There aren’t many music theory apps I’ve enjoyed using for very long. But Musicopoulos changed that for me on a recent flight home, taking various tests and running their Music Theory and Practice through its paces. This app is fun to use and covers a wide enough variety of content. The thing I enjoyed most about the app is that...
Travel Tips for Bass Players
Q: I am going on my first tour with a band. Do you have any travel tips? Any travel tips relating to driving or flying tours would be appreciated! A: I most certainly do, as I’m sure readers of this column do as well. In no particular order, here are some things that come to mind: Flying Checking your bass...
When a Band Member Quits: A Discussion of Music Rights, Replacements and Other Considerations
Q: I play with the Rock ‘Em Sock ‘Em Robots (Arlington, VA). The only founding member of the band who’s been with the band longer than I have has just decided to call it quits. He was responsible for the riffs on our first album, which is also still under production. Now while I am the band’s primary vocalist/bassist/songwriter, he...
Samplr: A Look at the Sampling App for iPad
While I’m a bit of a noob when it comes to samplers, creating beats and most things electronic-music related, I am having a blast trying to create music with Samplr. Designed for live performance, Samplr gives you an astounding number of ways to interact with samples – from either the ones they include, or ones you create or import from...
All Sides of the Beat: A Discussion for Bass Players
Q: I was wondering if you could share your thoughts on playing around the beat: when to play behind the beat? Ahead? And so on… A: Good question! And also one that is a bit dependent upon how you feel the music. Generally speaking, it is up to you and the rest of the band to determine how a song...
Chord Construction: A Guide for Bassists
Q: I’ve been playing bass for about four years, and I’ve had difficulty with understanding chord construction on the bass. I know my scales and their modes inside and out, and I know a lot about the fretboard. My technique is good too, but I figured when I was starting out that I really didn’t need to know chords “because...
Tunable: A Look at the All-in-One Tuning, Recording and Metronome App for Android and iOS
While there is no shortage of good tuner apps out there, I did stumble upon one more which stood out this week. Tunable, by AffinityBlue, is a little bit of a does-it-all tuner app, providing more features than others on the market. Let’s get to the most important part first: ease of use. Tunable has it. The app performs wonderfully,...