Buzz
Sitruss: “I Left America” Solo Bass Cover
A bassist who goes by the screen name Sitruss has turned in one impressive cover of Michael Manring’s “I Left America”. “This one has been in the works for a while,” the bassist said. “Playing solo gives you a lot less leeway for mistakes… it came out pretty good though considering it was the first try of the day! (Out...
Dream Theater Releases New Album and Announces Tour Dates
Dream Theater has released their twelfth album, Dream Theater. Not only is this the band’s first self-titled release, it is also the first to fully feature the band’s newest drummer, Mike Mangini, who replaced Mike Portnoy in 2010. Dream Theater’s longest tenured members, bassist John Myung and guitarist John Petrucci are also joined by vocalist James LaBrie and keyboardist Jordan...
King Crimson Returns With New Lineup
Progressive rock fans rejoice! Guitarist Robert Fripp has announced that King Crimson is back with a new lineup. Originally formed in 1968, the iconic band has gone through several incarnations, the last of which disbanded in 2009 after a cancelled tour. The eighth incarnation of King Crimson will be anchored by bassist Tony Levin. “King Crimson will be back in...
Truly Listening: Playing Bass with Impaired Hearing
Q: I’m an intermediate level hearing-impaired bassist who cannot identify notes or pitch or key by ear. I play songs by memory. How would I go about breaking through to the next level? A: Wow, this may be the hardest question I’ve ever had to attempt to answer. The impression that I have is that with something so outside of...
Nathan Navarro: Bass Effects Demonstration
Nathan Navarro is a total beast of a bassist who really knows how to make effects sound good. Here’s a demo he made to show some of what he can do. Things start out pretty ambient and serene up until the 1:30 mark when all hell breaks loose. Check out those sweeps at 2:00! For the brave, Nathan has the...
Megadeth Releases Countdown To Extinction: Live
Last year, Megadeth celebrated the 20th anniversary of their iconic album Countdown to Extinction with a reissue and tour during which the band played the the whole thing in order. One year later, the group has released Countdown To Extinction: Live, a snapshot of the anniversary tour that was captured at the Fox Theatre in Los Angeles in December 2012....
Reader Spotlight: Boogie Cindy
Meet the bassist known as Boogie Cindy. Cindy anchors the Boogie Wonder Band, a band she founded and has since gone on to play over 2,500 shows in 450 cities around the world. The band is a well-choreographed 1970s Disco cover band. Cindy is No Treble’s reader in the spotlight for the week of September 23, 2013. Bio I am...
Osiamo Introduces Dr. J Effects Pedal Series
Osiamo has launched the Dr. J line of effects pedals, which the company describes as bringing reasonable prices to the “boutique” market. The series includes three stompboxes aimed at bassists: the D-55 Aerolite Comp, the D-53 Sparrow Driver & DI, and the D-52 Soloman Bass Overdrive. All of the pedals feature true bypass switching, a metal housing, and DC power....
Dumpstaphunk: “Gasman Chronicles” Live (2013)
Thanks to the new iTunes Radio, I got on a Dumpstaphunk kick, which extended to videos of the band. This is one funky band, started by Ivan Neville (son of Aaron Neville) and including two bassists (Nick Daniels and Tony Hall), and one incredible drummer (Nikki Glaspie). Here they are in their return home to New Orleans for this year’s...
Percy Jones and BangTower Release New Single from Upcoming Album
Three years ago, bassist Percy Jones, guitarist/engineer/producer Neil Citron and drummer Walter Garces released their debut as the band known as BangTower. The trio is back with a new release, coming later this year. BangTower has released the first track, “This is My Town”, which features a first for the band: Citron’s vocals. Jones, a fretless bass pioneer, made his...
Settling into a Groove: A Guide for Bass Players
One of the most important things we do as bass players is to create and lock into a groove. When I practice this I prefer a drum machine to a metronome. Here’s a guide to working with a drum machine to master the groove: 1. Set the tempo and style. Choose all the styles you are trying to be competent...
Jose Castillo: “The Sinister Minister” Bass Cover
Alun Vaughan shared this video with us featuring bassist Jose Castillo performing his take on the Bela Fleck & The Flecktones tune “The Sinister Minister”. Jose is covering more than just the bass, as you’ll soon see. Wow!