Buzz
Bruno Tauzin: 30 Best Funk Bass Riffs
Bass lines are the heart and soul of any good funk song. That’s why Bruno Tauzin decided to continue his “Best Bass Riffs” series with 30 of his favorite funk bass riffs. From Sly and the Family Stone to James Brown to Parliament, the bassist covers a lot of ground in just under six minutes. Which line is your favorite?
Los Van Van Releases Last Album with Tribute to Juan Formell
While the Los Van Van album La Fantasia is called a Homenaje a Juan Formell (Homage to Juan Formell), the record from the 46-year-old Cuban dance band both is and isn’t, because Formell had a significant hand in its creation. According to the Timba website, bassist and bandleader Juan Formell chose many of the album’s tracks prior to his 2014...
Sandberg Guitars Now Shipping Forty Eight Bass
Sandberg Guitars is now shipping the Forty Eight, a bass that throws back to old school rock and metal. The model is available in several finishes including a metallic hardcore aged red. The Forty Eight is built with European ash body for matte finishes or an alder body for aged finishes. The Canadian hard rock maple neck is attached the...
Should Hobby Bassists Learn Arpeggios and Scales?
Q: As a “hobby” bassist who doesn’t really want to study as much music as a professional might, is it most important to learn arpeggios or scales? I am not a chord player nor do I want to be as far as I know. (I have difficulty chording due to neuro-muscular problems in my hands. If I could do that,...
Anthony Jackson with Dizzy Gillespie, Phil Woods and More: Wamba (1990)
Legendary saxophonist Phil Woods passed away on September 29th, 2015, prompting Rick Suchow to go through his vast video library and share this gem, which was recorded in 1990. Anthony Jackson “shows his Latin Jazz side on the tune ‘Wamba’ (written by Salif Keita),” Rick shared. What an all-star cast on this video too: Dizzy Gillespie (trumpet and percussion), Woods...
Rockn Stompn Updates RS-4 Sequential Power Supply
Rockn Stompn has announced an updated version of their RS-4 sequential power strip that features three new modes of operation. The pedal utilizes a footswitch to send power to four sets of outlets in delayed timing in order to power your gear up in the correct order. The updated version now includes an Instant On Mode, Receptacle One Always On...
Reader Spotlight: Jérôme Burnet
Jérôme Burnet has a great story, as you’ll see in this week’s Spotlight. Among the things we loved about his story includes his sense of humor, the unique bands he’s been a part of, and that he’s a magician too. Here’s his story… Bio: I’m a French guy living in London since 2001. I have been playing guitar since 1996...
Red Witch Unveils Zeus Bass Fuzz Suboctave Pedal
Red Witch Effects has unveiled their second bass-specific pedal called Zeus. The pedal features independent analog fuzz and suboctave effects with separate wet/dry mix controls for each. The silicon fuzz comprises key features of the company’s Fuzz God II and has Fuzz and Sputter controls. Sputter acts as a gate on the circuit’s second transistor to give a “staccato-y” sound....
Rob Mullarkey: Just My Imagination
I discovered this video of Rob Mullarkey thanks to Steve Lawson, who called it “properly beautiful.” Rob took “Just My Imagination” – his all time favorite Temptations track – and improvised over it using only his “Lakland 44-51 and an old Boss RC2 looper pedal.” Properly beautiful indeed.
Massive Bowie Set Compiles Recordings from 1969-1973
A trove of David Bowie material from the early years of his long, legendary rock career has been assembled in a 12-CD box set, called Five Years (1969-1973). The set includes all of Bowie’s recordings from the era, including those previously unreleased on CD or otherwise digitally, as well as remastered versions. Bassists who contributed to Bowie’s sound in those...
Bass of the Week: Sadowsky Bass #7210
Roger Sadowsky and his crew have been making some of the world’s best basses for decades, and bass #7210 is another fine example. The instrument is one of the company’s 21-fret standard style five-stringers with some gorgeous styling. “It’s what we classify as Standard Style, which means no pickguard or control plate,” Sadowsky Shop Manager Lisa Hahn tells us. That...
Memorization: Tips for Bass Players
I received the following question this week from a concerned double bassist: “How can I keep from having memory slips on stage?” Even experienced performers may have the occasional memory faux pas on stage. However, there are some things we can do to minimize the risk. Be prepared early. The earlier you can play something from memory in the practice...