Buzz
Old School: 1960’s Burns of London Baldwin Jazz Bass
You’re in for a special treat in this edition of Old School. Bassist Daniel Bayer shares the story behind his 1960’s Baldwin/Burns Jazz bass – a rare beauty, which Daniel believes was made in 1965 or 1966. According to the Burns Guitars website, James Burns (1925-1998) was often described as the “British Leo Fender”, and this background on the man...
Berklee Alumni 2014 Reunion: Actual Proof
During the 2014 Berklee Alumni concert, drummed Harvey Mason performed Herbie Hancock’s “Actual Proof” with the help of two bassists, Matt Garrison and Rueben Rogers. And these guys brought it. The rest of the band includes Hailey Niswanger on sax, Jetro Da Silva on piano and Jeff Lockhart on guitar.
Cannibal Corpse Releases “A Skeletal Domain”
Cannibal Corpse has released its 13th album, . Bassist Alex Webster penned four songs on the death-metal outfit’s album, which sees the group pushing the envelope a bit and working outside comfort areas. “Anyone who really listens to this album with an open mind will hear that it’s not same-old same-old,” says Webster, who is known for his high-octane playing...
First Transcriptions of Sly & the Family Stone Bass Lines Released
Larry Graham, as you know, is one of those bass players who can easily take the title of THE MAN. And a new book can teach you how to play the bass lines he created with Sly and the Family Stone. , from Hal Leonard, is the first book to transcribe Graham’s iconic lines on songs like “Dance to the...
Effects: Straight In or Through the Loop?
Q: Is it ok to plug my bass directly into my chain of effects pedals and out to my amp, or is it better to run the pedals through the effects loop, and plug my bass straight into my amp? A: I seem to be on a roll with the topics I have limited experience with personally, and so I’m...
Joshua Young: Dominatus Fugue in C Minor
This is one of the most spectacular Bach-inspired pieces for bass guitar I’ve ever seen. Joshua Young wrote this extremely intricate and beautiful solo bass fugue in the style of the 18th century composer, complete with melody, counterpoint and bass line. If you weren’t looking, you’d think “Dominatus” was being performed by three different people. Young takes his craft seriously...
In Memoriam: John Gustafson
Bassist John Gustafson, who spent time in the Ian Gillan Band and Roxy Music, has passed away of undisclosed causes. He was 72. Gustafson was born in Liverpool and started his early career in the late ’50s and early ’60s. His first group was one of the UK’s first rock trios called The Big Three, which he joined in July...
Reader Spotlight: Mike Frost
When we featured a video by bassist Mike Frost back in July, it really knocked everyone out. Now we get a look at the story behind this exciting musician. I’m betting as you read this, you’ll be just as impressed as we were. Mike is No Treble’s reader in the spotlight for the week of September 15, 2014. Bio: A...
Bass Lick Series: Rock Bass with Overdrive
If you’re looking to rock it out on bass, using an overdrive pedal can really help achieve that edge you need. In this lick lesson, I’m pretty much playing the same bass line repeatedly, but with different note lengths in the different sections: short note duration for verses, and long not duration for the chorus. This lick is in the...
Michele della Malva: Eldridge Mach 2 x Aeon
Michele della Malva is a big fan of bassist Evan Marien (as are we). So when he bought some new music software, he decided to give it a trial run with a cover of two of Marien’s tunes: “Eldridge Mach 2” and “Aeon”. Michele created his own unique take on the tunes, and blended them together. He’s playing a Zoid...
Primus and Les Claypool Get the History Treatment in New Book
With his band, Primus, bassist Les Claypool not only helped bring alt-rock to the world in the early 1990s, but also infused the music scene with tunes that were fun, funky, experimental, and one of a kind. The group’s influence is significant, making it the perfect subject for a book. And now one has arrived — . The book is...
Edgar Meyer Re-teams with Chris Thile for “Bass & Mandolin”
Chris Thile and Edgar Meyer have recorded as a duo for the first time since 2008, and the results are breathtaking. The simple album title, describes what you’ll hear on the record from two virtuoso players. Thile handles mandolin (and guitar) and Meyer, of course, is on double bass (and piano). Meyer is MacArthur Foundation “Genius” Award recipient and four-time...