Buzz
Bass of the Week: Manne Guitars Kayenta
This week we check out the Kayenta bass from the Italian bass builders at Manne Guitars. Designed around an offset body, the bass’s shape puts it in a more upward angled position when playing that the company says is suited well for players that wear their instrument higher. Its korina body is also multi-chambered to add a more complex midrange...
Bass Transcription: Fernando Lamadrid’s “Mollete Express”
Just as I was wondering which piece to select for this month’s transcription, along comes this killer track from super-talented bassist Fernando Lamadrid and drummer Rick Arencibia. This one has it all: harmonic-laden odd-time grooves, funky slap lines, chordal work and several jaw-dropping solos. Perfect! Download the transcription (PDF) and follow along: “Mollete Express” opens with a fingerstyle groove over...
Marta Altesa: Bass & Drum Cover of Jamiroquai’s “Little L”
Marta Altesa knocked everyone out with the first two videos we featured, thanks to some incredible bass playing that would seem to go way beyond her few short years of experience. Marta is raising the bar yet again, taking on another Jamiroquai tune and this time covering both the bass and drum parts. She gets a cool tone out of...
Will Lee Releases “Love, Gratitude and Other Distractions”
Twenty years after his solo debut, Will Lee has released his second album as a leader, entitled Love, Gratitude and Other Distractions. “I’ve been busy,” Lee says with a bit of a laugh when asked about the long period between solo albums, and it’s a fair explanation. The veteran bassist keeps his schedule packed between his daily gig of playing...
Top 10 Cover Tune Videos Arranged for Bass – 5th Edition
We may be biased, but we can’t think of an instrument that’s more versatile than a bass. But we don’t need to say it… we just need to show it. Here are the 10 most popular solo bass videos we’ve featured since the last time around. 1. Jim Bennett: All Bass Daft Punk “Get Lucky” Cover Here’s a video that’s...
Sight Reading for Auditions: Tips for Bass Players
Q: I’m a bassist starting my last year in high school now. I really feel that I need to become a sight reader as quickly as possible due to an upcoming audition for the music university I wish to attend. A friend of mine did the audition and they ended up handing him some crazy bebop tune – not close...
Hawkwind: Silver Machine
I finally got a chance to pickup up the Lemmy documentary and ever since I watched it I’ve been hooked on listening to all things Lemmy. Before Motörhead, the legendary bassist was dishing out a much more psychedelic vibe with the space rock band Hawkwind. Here’s the music video for their single “Silver Machine” from 1972. It’s cool to see...
Bugra Balci Releases “The Virtuoso Bassist in 56 Partitas” Etude Book
Bassist Bugra Balci has followed up his book on melodic Baroque etudes with The Virtuoso Bassist in 56 Partitas. Primarily intended for bass guitarists, the 236-book continues the Virtuoso Bassist Series contains 56 etudes written in a Baroque style. “While there are a plethora of instructional books available for improving techniques on electric bass guitar, there are only a handful...
Reader Spotlight: Kevin Aguirre
Meet Kevin Aguirre, a bassist from Mexico who enjoys being on the path of musical exploration. Starting out on guitar first, he later made the switch to bass and it was all over. Check out his hilarious story of his first gig on bass. Kevin is the No Treble reader in the spotlight for the week of August 19, 2013....
AC Guitars Introduces The Krell Bass
AC Guitars has introduced a new bass model named The Krell, inspired by the 1956 science fiction film Forbidden Planet. The bass takes its name from an extinct race of advanced beings from the movie that built a machine that could “turn thoughts into reality and project that reality anywhere on the planet.” “I was looking to make a more...
Jonathan Scales Fourchestra: TNFJ
Our friend Charmaine Kirsch sent in this video, and I was hooked. As if the idea of a steel drums trio isn’t awesome enough, bassist Cody Wright lays down some extremely righteous bass. He kicks things off with a funky riff and the hits keep rolling. Besides a groove that won’t quit, Wright lays it all out in his solo...
StageTrix Releases Wah Fastener
StageTrix has unveiled a new utility product for effects pedals lovers. The Wah Fastener allows for traditional wah pedals to be securely fastened to pedal boards. It uses the same hook and fastener material from their Pedal Fasteners and is mounted on the bottom of your pedal. To attach the fastener, just remove the rubber feet from your wah and...