Buzz
Project Dirty Work: Behind the Curtain
Check out this video for “Behind the Curtain” by Czech Republic bassist David Habiger’s new group Project Dirty Work. The sneak peek video offers a first look at the band for which Habiger is listed as the “main protagonist.” The bassist also composes all the music, which has tinges of hard driving metal as well as thoughtful, melodious chordal playing.
Snarky Puppy Announces Tour, Releases New Music Video
Snarky Puppy is gearing up for a 47-date tour of the North America in support of their latest effort, groundUP. Led by bassist Michael League, the group will kick things off in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania before zig-zagging across the States with a couple of Canadian dates thrown in the mix. The band’s eclectic mix of genres is hard to put a...
Reader Spotlight: Drew “Hondo” Felder
Meet Drew Felder, a bassist who goes by the nickname “Hondo” (I don’t see any actual Hondo basses on his gear list though – and I may be dating myself with that comment). Drew is a pretty interesting and funny guy. So we think you’ll like this week’s reader spotlight. Bio: I’m an undead bassist/composer from the Philly area. My...
Top 10: The Most Watched Bass Videos (July 2012)
Bass videos rule. And here are the ten that ruled most in July 2012, based on No Treble reader views. Enjoy! 1. Victor Wooten: “Isn’t She Lovely”, Live Solo Bass Performance In April, Victor Wooten held a music clinic at a music school in Mechanicsville, Virginia. One of the songs he performed was his solo bass take on Stevie Wonder’s...
Kinky Wizzards: Bass and Drum Brother Duo
The Kinky Wizzards is a British bass and drum duo made up of Jonathan and Matthew Griffiths. The brothers have been playing together since they were around 11 years old, playing as a duo as well as a rhythm section in several bands. Bassist Matthew sent us this awesome video of three of their original songs – “Walk to the...
StageTrix Introduces the Setting Saver
Stagetrix is now shipping the Setting Saver, a marker that applies a clean, bright fluorescent green ink on your gear to help keep track of your settings. The ink lights up under black light and is easily removed wiping it off with your finger without leaving any residue. It’s available now with an MSRP of $5.99. For more info, check...
Ibanez Now Offering SR256 6-String Bass
Ibanez’s SR series has gotten a little bigger with the new SR256PW, a 6-string bass with active electronics and a price most can reach. Offered in Pearl White, the bass is built with a mahogany body and a bolt-on 3-piece maple neck. The rosewood fingerboard has pearl dot inlays as position markers. The bass comes equipped with a pair of...
Thumb Position Exercises for Bassists
“Thumb position” is a left hand technique in which the thumb is used on top of the board to press down the strings. In essence, we use it just as we use our other fingers. Although the technique can be used anywhere on the instrument, this technique is most often used at the midpoint of the string or higher. Thumb...
Alfredo Guerrieri: “Donna Lee” Cover (Jaco Pastorius Inspired)
Bassist Alfredo Guerrieri shared his videos with us. I watched several, and had a hard time picking one out. But his performance of the Jaco Pastorius version of the classic bebop tune “Donna Lee” was just a hair above the rest. This is from Alfredo’s master’s recital at Cleveland State University in 2010, and also features Joey Jablonski on congas....
Weekly Top 10: Old School Hofner Bass, New Bass Gear, Top Bass Videos and Chuck Rainey’s Stories Behind the Songs
So much bass goodness, it is almost too much to handle. Almost. Here are the most viewed stories and videos on No Treble for the week of August 5-11, 2012. Enjoy! 1. Les Claypool Auctions Personal Pachyderm Prototype Bass Almost two years ago, Les Claypool reached out to his fans for help. His two month old nephew was diagnosed with...
Victor Wooten Expands 2012 Tour with Fall Dates
As we reported back in May, Victor Wooten is releasing two new albums – Words & Tones and Sword & Stone – on the same day next month. Wooten, who has been on tour throughout the summer, has now added fall dates, including co-headlining some dates with the Jimmy Herring Band starting in November. Vic’s touring band includes three bassists...
Epiphone Introduces Tobias-Designed Toby Deluxe-V Bass Guitar
Editor’s note: A reader pointed out to us a statement posted by Michael Tobias regarding this bass. We’ve added that statement to the end of this article. Epiphone has unveiled the Toby Deluxe-V, a 5-string version of the bass originally designed by Michael Tobias. The new instrument shares many of the same features of the last year’s reintroduced Toby Deluxe...