Buzz
Bass of the Week: Overwater Basses Expression Semi-Acoustic Bass
U.K.-based company Overwater Basses stretches things with their Expression model, a semi-acoustic bass built with a solid spruce top and 3? deep hollow Central American mahogany body bound in Cocobolo. Its body has elements of a violin-shape and a single-cut with a the lower horn cutaway for better access to up to the 22nd fret. Available in 4, 5, and...
Transcription: Viktor Lörincz’s “Boomerang”
This month’s transcription is “Boomerang”, a funk-filled slap-fest from Hungarian bassist Viktor Lörincz we originally featured back in 2011. This chops-heavy piece is a great workout for anyone looking to take their slapping and tapping skills to the next level. Download the transcription (PDF) and follow along: Viktor opens the piece with a Latin-flavored tapping part which outlines a series...
Ernesto Holman Etnojazz Trio: Choike y Cueca
Tomás Montoya sent today’s featured video to us saying “This guy is Ernesto Holman, a jazz folklore fusion bass player [who] is very original I think. He is from Santiago Chile.” We loved everything about this: low end, melody, musical, technical… It has it all.
Machine Head Holding Open Auditions for Bassist
Looking for a really sweet summer job? A month after splitting with longtime bassist Adam Duce, Machine Head is searching for a temporary bassist to play with them during this summer’s Mayhem Festival. The veteran metal band announced their bass auditions on their Facebook page. The audition requires bassists to record “standalone performances” of themselves playing and singing along to...
Controlling Rhythm and Expressing it Musically
Q: This week’s column was written in part from a response to a FaceBook question I had about controlling rhythm and expressing it musically. I was also asked about my approach with my right hand, and where it came from with regard to rhythm and how I use it in my lines. I took that response and expanded on it...
Sharay Reed: Groovin’ to Jackson 5 and Stevie Wonder
If you don’t know bassist Sharay Reed by now, you should definitely check him out (start here, then come back, or vice versa). In this video, Sharay says he was grooving on a couple of songs his dad wanted him to record, the Jackson 5’s “Darling Dear” and Stevie Wonder’s “I Was Made to Love Her”. Thank you, Sharay’s dad!
Newsted Announces 2013 Tour Dates
After releasing their Metal EP, Newsted is set to hit the road starting April 19th. The band, fronted by former Metallica bassist Jason Newsted, will kick things off at the Red House in Walnut Creek, California before sweeping up the West Coast and heading east. The band’s lineup includes drummer Jesus Mendez, Jr. and guitarists Jesse Farnsworth and Mike Mushok....
Reader Spotlight: Carson Childers
Meet bassist Carson Childers, who shares his story in this week’s reader spotlight feature. It is always exciting to see the next generation of players taking inspiration from the long line of bass playing legends who came before them, and Carson is clearly well schooled in the old and new school – spanning plenty of genres too. Check out his...
Lenny White Band: “Wolfbane” Live
I’ve been digging the new “vault” release by Lenny White (check out the story we shared earlier this week). This new album offers up music from White’s 1997 tour with his band, which included two bassists: Victor Bailey and Foley. So I started hunting for videos from this era and found this great one. This line up is close to...
Lamb of God Announces Tour Dates and Metal on the Mountain Retreat
Two weeks after lead singer Randy Blythe was exonerated of charges in the Czech Republic, Lamb of God are picking up where they left off with a new tour in support of their latest album Resolution. Kicking off in Asheville, North Carolina on May 16th, the group will visit 30 markets with direct support from Decapitated, while Terror will appear...
Bass Harmonics: Middle of the String Harmonics
We’ve found where the most common harmonics are at the end of the fingerboard, and also toward the nut. Today, let’s find the most common harmonics in the middle part of the string. In the examples below, the lower staff tells us where to put place our fingers and find the harmonic. The upper staff tells us the sounding pitch...
Vulfpeck: Joe Dart’s Isolated Bass Track on “Beastly”
Jack Stratton sent me this video, which made my day. We’re all huge Joe Dart and Vulfpeck fans around here, and so it was a nice treat to hear Joe’s bass line to the tune “Beastly” in all its glory. If you want to hear the original, we have that too. And if you dig that, you’ll also want to...