Buzz
Bernhard Lackner Releases “Transition”
Austrian bassist Bernhard Lackner has released his fourth solo album entitled Transition. The album sprang from a time of change in the bassist’s life, who moved back to Europe after spending several years in the United States. “After living in the USA for about 7 years I moved back to Austria,” Lackner explained. “This move put me into a “transitional”...
IK Multimedia Announces iRig PRO Audio/MIDI Mobile Interface
IK Multimedia has announced the latest in their mobile musical interfaces, called the iRig PRO. The compact device allows for connecting audio and MIDI to your iPhone, iPad, or Mac with a combo XLR/1/4? input for connecting microphones, basses or guitars as well as inputs for MIDI controllers. The iRig PRO sports a single Gain knob and a low-noise preamp...
Bass of the Week: Rybski Wooten Woods Camp Bass
In 2010, extreme flooding left a trail of destruction across much of Tennessee including the area surrounding Nashville. Many musicians from all walks of life were affected by the natural disaster. Wooten Woods, Victor Wooten’s home base and teaching haven located near the Duck River, was temporarily overrun by water and had to be evacuated. Thankfully it was restored with...
Viaceslav Svedov: “Tommy the Cat” Cover
We’ve been following Viaceslav Svedov for some time now, and his videos are always highly entertaining to us. Viaceslav brings it all: amazing arrangements, amazing playing and amazing energy (including some epic bass faces). He took on a beast of a tune this time around, Primus’ “Tommy the Cat”, which of course features the one and only Les Claypool.
Pat Bruders Quits Crowbar
Pat Bruders has quit the New Orleans sludge metal group Crowbar, according to a post on the band’s Facebook page. Bruders had been with the band since 2005 and was featured on the album Sever the Wicked Hand. “Pat Bruders has officially resigned as Crowbars bass player,” the band wrote. “Bring on all comers!!!” No replacement has been named, though...
The Replacements Reunite For First Concert in 22 Years
On Sunday, September 1st, The Replacements reunited to play their first concert together in 22 years. The band, anchored by original Replacements bassist Tommy Stinson and guitarist Paul Westerberg, performed a 23-song set at Riot Fest in Toronto along with drummer Josh Freese and guitarist David Minehan. “Sorry it took so long,” Westerberg said at the start of the show....
Fretless Bass: A Guide for Choosing the Best Strings
Q: I’ve been wanted to get a fretless bass recently to expand my horizons, and a question that’s come up in my mind is the type of stings I’d play on fretless. Roundwounds, flatwounds, half wounds… so many to chose from and all with different pros and cons. Right now I play roundwounds. What are the pros and cons for...
Jim Joel Santos: Solo Bass
Bassist Jim Joel Santos sent us this video of him performing an untitled solo bass tune which really knocked us out. We loved the composition, harmonics, tapping and technique. Well done, Jim! (He’s not left handed, by the way… his camera was set to mirror mode).
Portnoy Sheehan MacAlpine Sherinian Release “Live in Tokyo”
The supergroup known as Portnoy Sheehan MacAlpine Sherinian has released Live in Tokyo. The multi-format release showcases bassist Billy Sheehan, drummer Mike Portnoy, guitarist Tony MacAlpine and keyboardist Derek Sherinian performing live at Zepp Tokyo on November 14, 2012. Live in Tokyo offers up 16 tunes spanning songs including “Shy Boy” from Sheehan’s band Talas, MacAlpine’s “The Stranger”, Sherinian’s “Apocalypse...
Reader Spotlight: Bruno Rodrigues
Meet Bruno Rodrigues a bass player from Portugal who is really living the dream. Bruno says he plays the bass at least 10 hours per day. He’s well schooled – both formally and self-taught, and is about as well rounded as they come (though he primary calls himself a metal bassist). Bruno is No Treble’s reader in the spotlight for...
Ask the Readers: What’s on Your Checklist?
Editor’s note: We’re starting a new series where we ask readers their take on a single bass-related or music-related question each week and then feature the answers and people who share their responses. If you want to see some examples, check out our What Makes a Great Bassist? series. Here’s the first question: When you’re buying a bass, what’s on...
Lesson: Funky and Relaxed Fingerstyle Bass Groove with Double Stops
Continuing our bass groove lesson series, here’s a cool (and relaxed) groove and exercise for you. In this groove, we’re employing double stops with one of the most common shapes: Major 10th, root note, and a Major 3rd (an octave above). Follow along with the video and this lesson transcription (PDF download). For the gear heads, I’m playing my Sandberg...