Buzz
Iris Ornig Releases “No Restrictions”
Bassist/composer Iris Ornig has followed up her 2009 debut with the release of her second album, No Restrictions. The album, performed by Ornig’s own quintet, features eight straight-ahead, contemporary jazz originals and two covers, exploring “Brazilian music mixed with the more straightforward American-European jazz traditions”. Ornig is a veteran of the New York music scene now, having arrived there in...
Reader Spotlight: Alfredo Guerrieri
Meet Alfredo Guerrieri (Fredo), a bassist from Ohio in a place he calls “Amurica”. Alfredo is a very busy bassist, teacher and sometimes Italian deli dude who could easily work as a comedian if any of the three things falls through. But we’re betting this bassist will continue to do just fine. Fredo is our player in the spotlight for...
Mission Engineering Introduces Expressionator Pedal
Mission Engineering has announced the availability of the Expressionator, a multi-expression controller originally designed in part by extended range bassist Jean Baudin. The new pedal allows for users to connect one expression pedal to control three expression enabled effects, each of which can be controlled individually or simultaneously. Its three outputs are toggled via the stomp switch and have separate...
Victor Wooten: “Secret” Harmonic Technique
As part of our three part interview with Victor Wooten, we’ve shared several exclusive videos for the series. So many, we’re afraid some might get lost in the mix. And so, we decided to pull one out to share today. Here, Victor shares his technique for the solo on “Sword and Stone”, from his new albums. Check it out, and...
Larry Graham and Graham Central Station Release “Raise Up”
Bass legend Larry Graham has released Raise Up, his latest effort with Graham Central Station, following a 13 year recording hiatus. The iconic bassist of Sly and the Family Stone and his own group enlisted the help of Prince – a long time collaborator of Graham’s, as well as songwriter/guitarist/producer Rafael Saadiq. And while it has been 13 years since...
Top 10: The Best of No Treble – The Month’s Top Bass Lessons, Interviews and Features
September was a great month for No Treble readership, especially with our how to columns and lessons, our new transcription series by Stuart Clayton, interviews with Victor Wooten and Nathan East and a look back at the continued influence of Jaco Pastorius. Enjoy, and thanks for reading, commenting and sharing, as always. 1. Creating Bass Lines: Getting Your Mind Right...
Beatronome: A Look at the Metronome App for iOS
Ever since I got my first iOS device, I’ve become a bit of a metronome junkie. I’m endlessly curious about how many ways one can implement time keeping into a design aesthetic and how many functions can developers think of doing. I’m also a fan of minimalism… I love a great, bare bones design: no fluff, no fat, just what...
Maurizio Mariani: Solo Bass Arrangement of Elliott Smith’s “Everything Means Nothing To Me”
“Everything Means Nothing to Me” is one of the most haunting and equally infectious tracks from the late singer/songwriter Elliott Smith’s album Figure 8. It’s one of those songs that just sticks with you for a while after you hear it, due in part to a repeated theme. Check out this solo bass version that Maurizio Mariani worked up. He...
Weekly Top 10: The Top Bass How To’s, Popular Bass Videos, New Gear and the Larry Graham Interview
In case you missed them, here are the most read stories, how to’s and features on No Treble for the week of September 23-29, 2012. Thanks for reading, sharing and commenting! 1. Arpeggio Work for Bass Players: A Daily Practice Routine I have mentioned previously that our daily scale practice should include arpeggio work. There are numerous ways to approach...
Bass Gear Round-Up: The Most Popular Gear for September 2012
Our bass gear coverage made up a good part of the top 10 most read stories overall in September. Here is your complete list of top 10 gear stories for the month. As always, these lists come with a warning… may cause GAS. 1. Gibson Announces Grabber 3: ’70s Tribute Bass Gibson first introduced the Grabber bass in the 1970?s,...
Höfner Unveils Limited Edition Black Violin Bass
As part of their 125th anniversary celebrations, Höfner has unveiled a limited edition Black Violin Bass. The new bass shares many of the specs of the company’s ‘61 Cavern bass but utilizes closely spaced single coil “Toaster” pickups that were only used in 1960. Finished in a sleek thin coat gloss black, its dark motif is complimented with a black...
Lee Rocker: “Rockabilly Boogie” Animated Video
Slick back your pompadour, get your leather jacket and check out former Stray Cats bassist Lee Rocker’s new animated music video for the song “Rockabilly Boogie.”