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Arild Andersen Steps Out Front With “Celebration”
For more than four decades, Norwegian bassist Arild Andersen has been a foundation in the sound of ECM Records. His recordings for the label include work with Bill Frisell, Kenny Wheeler, Paul Motian and many others. Now, the bassist has just released Celebration, an album consisting of music from ECM’s catalog. The six track collection features Andersen as the lead...
Alembic Unveils Stanley Clarke Signature Deluxe 5-String Bass
Stanley Clarke will be stretching out a bit more with the introduction of his new Alembic Signature Deluxe 5-string bass, which the company will offer in their signature series. Tuned E to C, the step from a 4- to a 5-string bass allows for playing Clarke’s songs written for tenor bass as well as everything written for traditional tuning. Clarke...
How and Why Woods Affect Your Bass Sound
Q: Experience and all instrument makers tell us that the choice of wood affects the sound of a bass. Of course we know and feel the difference of alder vs. ash bodies, ebony vs. rosewood vs. maple fingerboards, and so many other differences. But, do we know why exactly this affects the amplified sound? What we deal with are metal...
James Jamerson: “Bernadette” Isolated Bass
This wouldn’t be much of an “isolated bass week” without including the legend, James Jamerson. So here’s a (mostly) isolated bass track from the 1967 Four Tops hit, “Bernadette”. There’s some disagreement about whether this is the bass on the actually released single, or if it is an out-take from the Motown vault. Doesn’t matter to us… it is still...
Top 10: The Best of No Treble – Top Bass Gear, Lessons and Stories for July 2012
At the end of every month, we take a look at the most read articles on No Treble. So it only makes sense that we make a top 10 list from there. We lost one of the great bass legends of our time last month, with the passing of Bob Babbitt, who takes the #1 slot for most read in...
Reader Spotlight: Rafael Minerbo
Meet Rafael Minerbo, a bassist from Brazil who made us laugh pretty hard when reading his bio (you’ll see why). Rafael has been playing for about three years and says he wishes he was David Caraccio or Flea. To that, we say: “keep doing your thing, and then someone will one day say, ‘I wish I was Rafael Minerbo.'” Rafael...
Hot Tuna Cancels Remaining Tour Dates
Sad news to report… Hot Tuna has canceled the last three scheduled dates for their Steady As She Goes tour. A representative for the band sent us this note today: “Jack Casady‘s wife, longtime love Diana, is in the late stages of a rare form of cancer. She has fought an amazing fight for over ten years. It is with...
Primus Announces First-Ever Traveling 3-D Tour
Primus is kicking off a “first-ever traveling 3D enhanced live musical” tour in October, featuring two sets per evening the band promises will be “a one-of-a-kind psychedelic experience”. Every show will feature Quad Surround Sound too. The 22-date tour kicks off October 12 in Poughkeepsie, NY and ends on November 10 in Miami, Florida. Primus debuted the video for “Lee...
Lynyrd Skynyrd’s “Free Bird”: Isolated Bass & Drums
The 1973 studio version of “Free Bird” appeared on Lynyrd Skynyrd’s debut album, from Pronounced ‘Leh-‘Nérd ‘Skin-‘Nérd and featured Ed King on bass and Bob Burns on drums. Here’s the duo in isolation on the track, showing just how a drummer/bassist pairing should be. King is reportedly playing his 1964 Fender Jazz on the tune. Sweet.
Bill Wyman on Stones World Tour: “I don’t fly… no way I’ll go on any tour”
Well, it was nice while it lasted. Hot on the heels of the news that Bill Wyman was rehearsing with the Rolling Stones as part of the band’s 50th anniversary comes the news that Wyman won’t be touring with the group as hoped. Following the rehearsals, guitarist Keith Richards said, “We’re playing around with the idea [of a tour] and...
J. Backlund Design Introduces JBD-800B Bass Guitar
J. Backlund Design has stepped into the low end with the introduction of their first bass, the JBD-800B. Modeled after the company’s versatile JBD-800 guitar, the new 4-string bass sports three Seymour Duncan Bass Lines pickups with a 5-way pickups selector for extended tonal range. The JBD-800B features bolt-on construction with a 6-bolt maple neck and either rosewood or maple...
Left Hand Dexterity Drills on Three and Four Strings
After mastering the exercises on one and two strings, you will be ready to challenge yourself with some three-string exercise, like the ones below. Some Notes: These exercises can be done pizzicato or arco. If done pizzicato, I suggest beginning each pattern using the second finger of your right hand, followed by the first (i.e. 2-1) and alternating without exception....