Buzz
Patax: “Billie Jean” Rumba
Our good friend Sylvain Gros-Desormeaux delivers once again with a incredible video he’s shared with us. “This band Patax has some serious stuff. DIG THAT TONE!!! The bassist is really amazing. I hope you guys will enjoy watching this an share it to the readers.” That bassist is Alain Perez, who also handles vocal improvisation in this performance of their...
Emmure Releases “Eternal Enemies”
Deathcore band Emmure has released its seventh album, . The record from the New York-based group, featuring bassist Mark Davis, is being billed as the “most aggressive, brutal and devastating of their career.” You can hear if that’s true on the album track, “Like LaMotta”: Eternal Enemies is available on and as a digital download ( and ). Eternal Enemies...
Bass of the Week: Helios Guitars Evolution 4 Custom
This week we check out the Evolution 4 Custom by Helios Guitars. Made in Italy, the bass is completely handcrafted to benefit its tonal qualities. “Various instruments benefit the typical industry process of precision (in the cut, calibration, painting etc.),” Helios writes, “but suffer the stress of the prime material through the carving phases: high temperatures can be reached by...
Old School: 1962 Fender Precision Bass
After featuring a beautiful 1969 Fender Precision Bass in our Old School series, Tim Wolfe, Jr. sent us a note about his 1962 Precision. Not only is this one great looking bass, the story is equally terrific. Tim’s grandfather gave him the bass after playing it for years. Here’s the story… How long have you owned it? Around a decade...
Armin Metz: Infin
Armin Metz has created a piece of art with his latest video for his song “Infin.” Using harmonics and a long reverb, Metz builds an ethereal soundscape with a minimalist video of just himself and his bass.
Dan Lakin Launches D. Lakin Basses with Two New Models
Three years after selling Lakland Basses to a private investment group, Dan Lakin is getting back into the bass building business. His new company, D. Lakin Basses, is launching two new models that with his signature artists Joe Osborn and Bob Glaub. The Joe Osborn 4 is defined by a pair of single coil D. Lakin pickups with a 1.5″...
Improving Your Time and Feel on Bass
Q: I’ve been having some trouble with time. I can keep time and play in time with a metronome or with drummers I know well, but when I play with other drummers who are a little more ahead of me, it’s harder for me to keep time. It happens too when I’m playing Latin music. What do you recommend? A:...
Derek Frank: All Day Sucker
Derek Frank has some serious groove, and he put it to work on this cover of Stevie Wonder’s “All Day Sucker.” Frank shares that his version is “played ala Marcus Miller, with some fun analog synths and vocoder in addition to bass.” Get ready to nod your head.
The Both Releases Self-Titled Debut
The Both, a new band formed by Aimee Mann and Ted Leo (of Ted Leo & The Pharmacists) has released its . Mann and Leo decided to create a new band after touring together last year, and the pair wrote the album long-distance, and according to Leo “it’s been line by line, verse by verse, part by part; we’ll send...
Reader Spotlight: Ryan Redemption
Meet Ryan Redemption, a bassist from Thunder Bay in Ontario who is living the low end life. When Ryan first picked up the bass in school, he said he thought it would be an easy credit. He got more than he bargained for, in what he describes as “a lifestyle instead”. Ryan is the No Treble reader in the spotlight...
Lesson: Blues Bass Lick Using a Minor Pentatonic
Here’s a new lesson in our ongoing series of bass lick lessons. This time, we’ll play around with a minor pentatonic, in the key of A. In the video below, I play the lick at full speed, followed by a demo at a reduced speed. Follow along with the video and this transcription (PDF). If you’d like a refresher, check...
Dean Brown Band with Hadrien Feraud: Uncle Ray
This one is killer. Performing live at Live-Proberaum in Zülpich, Germany, here’s the Dean Brown Band performing “Uncle Ray”. The band is anchored by bassist Hadrien Feraud and drummer Marvin “Smitty” Smith (Smith wrote the tune). Rounding out the quartet is Bernard Maseli on vibes. The tune appeared on Brown’s 2012 album, . Oh yeah.