Buzz
Talent vs. Hard Work
Q: I have a question on talent. Here is some background first: three years ago, I took up learning electric guitar (aged 45) without any prior learning of music, instruments, etc. – truly from scratch. I took classes in a music school and practiced daily a half and hour to 2 hours every day. I did as much in the...
Rush: Red Barchetta (Live, 1980)
In honor of Geddy Lee’s birthday today, here’s a great clip of Rush performing “Red Barchetta”, live in 1980. Happy birthday, Geddy!
Brad Cheeseman Group Releases Self-Titled Debut Album
Toronto-based contemporary jazz ensemble, The Brad Cheeseman Group, has released its self-titled debut album to acclaim from no less than bassist (and No Treble columnist) Damian Erskine. Erskine says the band, featuring Cheeseman on electric bass, offers “Fantastic music, expertly played and 100 percent devoid of ego-driven writing and playing.” The band, active since 2012, started gaining notoriety in 2013...
Reader Spotlight: Con Maikantis
Meet Con Maikantis, a bassist who started out on keys at a young age, making the switch thanks to an opportunity to join his father in a band. Con is No Treble’s reader in the spotlight for the week of July 27, 2015. Here’s his story. Bio: I started playing keyboards at the age of 10 to 17 years of...
Source Audio Introduces Reflex Universal Expression Controller
Source Audio has released the Reflex Universal Expression Controller, a pedal they call “the stand-alone command center for all of your expression pedal needs.” The Reflex has three 1/4-inch expression outputs, expression control, six LFO wave shapes, MIDI continuous controller messages, 128 user presets, and a USB port. Each of the three expression outs has its own set of DIP...
Tim Carey and Amanda Taylor: Fever
Bassist Tim Carey and vocalist Amanda Taylor teamed up for this awesome version of the classic Peggy Lee song “Fever”. Carey fills the song out with some fantastic two-handed tapping that makes you forget there’s only two people performing.
Identity of Slipknot Bassist Confirmed; Fall Tour Announced
The identity of Slipknot’s bassist is no longer a mystery. Band leader Corey Taylor recently revealed on Chris Jericho’s podcast, Talk Is Jericho, that, as suspected, that former Mastodon tech/onetime guitarist for Krokodil, Alessandro “Vman” Venturella is in the band, along with new drummer Jay Weinberg, son of Max Weinberg, son of the E Street Band’s Max Weinberg. Taylor praises...
Bass of the Week: 3G Handmade Instruments Sniper Bass
This week we’re taking a look at the Sniper bass by 3G Handmade Instruments. Made in Italy, the bass was designed for portability while keeping a full size bass experience. “[The] Sniper Bass was born to solve transport problems due to the electric bass pack size while maintaining the traditional scale and balance of a typical bass, whether you play...
Some Thoughts on the 1-2-3-4 Fingering System for Double Bass
For as long as there have been bassists, there has been debate about what fingering system to use. While most players today use a three-finger technique (1-2-4, or the Italian 1-3-4) some suggest a four-finger technique, especially in the middle positions (i.e. between D and G on the G string). One of the main arguments for using a 1-2-3-4 system...
Mike Frost Band: Songbird
I was 8 years old when Fleetwood Mac released Rumours. My parents would spin that record often – as would I, despite not being allowed to touch the turntable. One of my favorite songs on that record was Christine McVie’s “Songbird”. While I never imagined that song reworked for other instrumentation, bassist Mike Frost thankfully did. Here’s Mike and his...
Korn To Play Debut Album In Entirety On US Tour
Metal mainstays Korn have announced that they will be celebrating their self-titled debut album by performing it in its entirety on an extensive US tour. Focusing on more intimate venues, the trek will begin at the Aragon Ballroom in Chicago and snake across the entire country over the month of October. The record, which was released in 1994, changed the...
Weekly Top 10: New Bass Gear, Man VS Metronome, Learning Notes VS Patterns, Top Bass Videos and More
More good news from the world of bass… aka the Top 10 most popular stories, videos, and how-to’s on No Treble. Thanks for reading, watching, commenting and sharing. 1. The Wing Bass Now Available Bassists looking for a portable bass to travel, practice and perform on have a new option. Measuring in at just 21 inches, the Wing Bass is...