Buzz
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.
Charnett Moffett Releases “Spirit of Sound”
Veteran bassist Charnett Moffett has released Spirit of Sound, his thirteenth album as a leader and companion to his solo release, The Bridge which debuted in April. While Spirit of Sound is not a solo bass album like The Bridge, it does center heavily on Moffett’s bass virtuosity. The new album finds Moffett building upon the “Harmolodic Free Jazz” concepts...
Mogami Cable Introduces Gold Series Instrument Silent Series
Mogami Cable announced the Gold Instrument Silent Series of cables at Summer NAMM in Nashville. Offered in straight and 90° angle plugs, the line of cables feature Neutrik Silent Plugs that allow for hot-swapping instruments without causing a pop in the signal. The plugs have an internal switch that automatically silences the cable when unplugged. Cable features include an oxygen-free...
Weekly Top Ten: The Best in Bass for the Week of July 7
Crank it up! There’s a whole lotta bass right here, including two bonus top 10 lists inside this one. Here are the most read stories and most watched videos on No Treble for the week of July 7-13, 2013. Thanks as always for reading, commenting and sharing. 1. Bass on a Budget: 14 Basses Under $500 Last year around this...