Buzz
The Aristocrats Release “Culture Clash” and Kick Off Tour
Seems hard to believe this group started out simply to perform a show at the 2011 Winter NAMM show. The Aristocrats, formed by bassist Bryan Beller, drummer Marco Minnemann and guitarist Guthrie Govan have come a long way since then. This week, the trio released Culture Clash, their second studio album and third overall. Based on the reaction of our...
Spector Announces Chris Kael CK-4 Signature Bass Guitar
Five Finger Death Punch’s Chris Kael will have a new signature series bass with Spector, which is set to be released this fall. The Spector Chris Kael CK-4 Signature Model Bass Guitar is part of the company’s Korean Professional Series and features neck-thru construction with a Rex body shape. Available in matte black or matte white, the CK-4 is built...
Chord Voicing on Bass
Q: I know you have covered bass chords before, but what I was wondering is about the actual chords, not the progression played as arpeggios. I try playing chords my guitar buddies have shown me, and they sound awful on bass but great on guitar. What chords played on bass sound good? A: Bass players are somewhat limited with their...
Omar Rojas: BassStep
Last time we featured Omar Rojas, he wowed us with his performance of “Timba Funk” – relying heavily on both his bass and iPad. Omar just shared his newest creation, “BassStep”, offering up some dubstep groove with his bass and iPad setup.
Oscar Pettiford’s “Lost Tapes” Released
By the 1950s, Oscar Pettiford had already made a name for himself as a force in the bebop movement and was working as a bandleader. But when the bass legend first arrived in Germany in 1958, he was lauded even more than he could believe. His signature style and use of bass as a solo instrument was extremely popular with...
Reader Spotlight: Rich Zbaraski
Meet Rich Zbaraski, a bass player living in Leicester, UK who has quite a love for bass (read more below to see what I’m talking about). He has some pretty cool stories to tell as well. Rich is No Treble’s reader in the spotlight for the week of July 15, 2013. Bio: 18. Cheese fanatic. A fetish for bass that...
Bass Lick Series: Disco Bass Groove in Gm
Here’s another quick lesson for you, this time focusing on a disco-style bass groove. As with any excercise, it is important to keep playing it without stopping until you find that groove. Follow along with the video and this transcription (PDF). The tempo on this one is 105 bpm. For the gear heads: I’m playing a 1966 Fender Precision bass...
Jim Joel Santos: “The Chicken” Solo Slap Bass Arrangement
Bassist Jim Joel Santos sent this fun video our way. Jim took the Pee Wee Ellis tune made famous by Jaco Pastorius, and created his own slap bass arrangement of it. We dig it. How about you?
Tom Kennedy Releases “Just Play!”
Tom Kennedy newest acoustic CD, Just Play is out today. Bringing together many of the people Kennedy has performed with over the years, the album has a truly all-star cast of musicians. The core band is Renee Rosnes, Dave Weckl and George Garzone along with guests Mike Stern, Tim Hagens, Lee Ritenour, John Allred and Steve Wirts. The CD’s nine...
Carvin Unveils PB4 and PB5 Basses
New for summer 2013, Carvin has added to their bolt-on basses with the PB4 and PB5 Classic Bolt-Neck Basses. The new designs take cues from a classic design while adding a few of Carvin’s own touches, like Carvin’s locking bass bridge, a sculpted neck heel, and newly designed pickup. Specifically, the passive SCP split coil P-type humbucking pickup utilizes a...
What’s In My Gig Bag? Part 1: Classical
One of the things every gigging bassist needs to refine is what they bring to the gig, in addition to their bass and amp (if appropriate). We all have items we might need for gig emergencies and unforeseen circumstances. Showing up to the gig and having an equipment problem is no fun and ultimately it makes you look bad. Everyone...
Miki Santamaria: Fingerstyle Bass Solo Over “Old Love”
Our Facebook friend Jeffrey Johnson suggested we check out the work of bassist Miki Santamaria, and we’re glad he did. There’s a ton to like about this bassist.