Buzz
Getting the Most of a Bass Lesson
When we make a commitment to embark on a series of bass lessons we are, of course, looking to grow, expand and progress. This is why, if we are serious about our study, we make efforts to find a teacher who we believe can help us on our bass journey. Locating a good teacher and showing up each week is...
Kenny Barron and Dave Holland: Billie’s Bounce
Jazz greats Kenny Barron and Dave Holland make a great team. The duo, who released The Art of Conversation last year, utilize their deep understanding of each other’s playing to bring out the best of their own music. Here’s a great clip of Barron and Holland performing the standard jazz blues “Billie’s Bounce” live at the Jazz à la Villette...
Weekly Top 10: Playing Cover Songs, New Bass Gear, Getting to Know Robert DeLeo, The Best Bass Videos and More
Good news, best-of list lovers. This week’s top 10 list includes another top 10 list… Plus, Summer NAMM means new gear, and that always makes the list more exciting too. Thanks for reading, watching, commenting and sharing. 1. Learning Songs Note for Note vs. Doing Your Own Thing This week, a reader in a cover band asks about learning tunes...
Eden Announces The Glow Plug Pedal
Eden has expanded their pedal lineup with the Glow Plug, a pedal that contains a 12AX7 to add organic tube warmth to your bass sound. The pedal, which is specifically designed for bass, has adjustable warmth control to change the gain level of the tube. The Glow Plug also has variable crossover control to select the specific frequencies the tube...
TV Project: Takadimi
Artem Taranin is a bassist from Kherson, Ukraine. He sent me this video of him performing along with drummer Zhenya Vysochenko on a tune they call “Takadimi”. I love the internet.
Between the Buried and Me Releases Concept Album
Between the Buried and Me’s seventh album, Coma Ecliptic, is a full-on rock opera, according to Dan Briggs, bassist and songwriter for the progressive metal group. As he told Metal Insider, “Roughly, it’s a story about a guy who’s in a self-induced coma and ends up traversing these different worlds that manifests themselves over the course of three different songs...
Zeroliser: Bass Arrangement of Flume’s “Ezra”
Our Facebook friend Tim Grunwald sent us a clip of YouTube bassist Zeroliser playing a solo bass version of Flume’s “Ezra”, and I’m glad he did. Zeroliser uses some looping to flesh out the arrangement, which is lush with harmonics, chords, and percussion. Have a video to share? Send it to [email protected].
The Stones’ “Satisfaction” Single Reissued on Limited Edition Vinyl
If you’re a rock fan, there is no doubt that The Rolling Stones’ “(I Can’t Get No) Satisfaction,” is one of the greatest singles of all time. It remains a defining song for the still-touring Stones and generations of music lovers. Now, the single is available in a limited, numbered vinyl 12-inch edition to celebrate the 1965 single’s 50th birthday....
Gear Review: Ibanez BTB33 Bass
Today we’re checking out the Ibanez BTB33. Ibanez has been making great instruments for decades now, and has been a mainstay for musicians in all styles. No news there. This bass is unique for it’s particular purpose, which is for the bassist that likes to solo, comp chords and be on the front line. This bass comes set up as...
Or Lubianiker: In Orbit
Bassist and all-around good guy Or Lubianiker just sent me his latest video. This time around, it is one of Or’s own compositions, which he performed with help from his Project RnL bandmates Eyal Amir (keyboards) and Sharon Petrover (drums). Enjoy “In Orbit”.
Two Yes Classics Performed in Entirety in Concert Film
As we continue to mourn the loss of Yes bassist Chris Squire, we can also take delight in one of his latter-day performances with the band he founded in the late 1960s. When the legendary progressive rock group played in Mesa, Arizona on Aug. 12, 2014, Squire, — who died June 27, 2015 of acute erythroid leukemia — was the...
Tensor Bass Introduces 4-String Model
After introducing the 5-string Tensor Bass at the Winter NAMM show this year, Tensor Inc. will be unveiling the 4-string version of their bass at the Summer NAMM Show in Nashville, Tennessee. The bass’s design centers around the company’s Force Balance system that replaces a conventional truss rod. “The Force Balance system utilizes the string tension to generate the appropriate...