Buzz
Bass of the Week: BL Design Barbary Fretless 5-String
Our featured bass this week is a BL Design Barbary 5-string. This custom fretless bass is a single cutaway design built with a redwood theme, the body is birdseye redwood with a maple veneer, while the stunning top is exhibition grade redwood burl. From there, the body is accented by a 9-piece padauk neck that has wenge and maple pinstripes...
Smooth Funk Bass Jam
Bassist Philip Smith says, “a little funk jam for you.” Philip played all the instruments on this track, but it is the bass we liked the most, of course.
Alex Webster Releases Extreme Metal Bass
Cannibal Corpse’s Alex Webster has authored a new bass instructional book, released this week. is a book and CD combo guide offering insights into the techniques, concepts and applications of metal bass. The 64-page book is accompanied by an enhanced CD, offering demos of the materials presented in the book, play-along tracks for all the examples, and play-along MIDI drum...
Rush to Release “Time Machine 2011: Live in Cleveland” on DVD and CD
Rush is prepping for the release of Time Machine 2011: Live in Cleveland, their first effort through the power trio’s new label, Roadrunner Records. The release is scheduled for November 8, 2011. The 2-disc album features the of the trio of Geddy Lee, Alex Lifeson and Neal Peart performing the April 2011 concert at the Quicken Loans Arena in Cleveland,...
The Purpose of Practice
Q: Hi Damian, a few weeks back I started doubting the “purpose” of practice, due to the fact that if you practice a specific tune, or any give exercise, its only for a short period of time (couple of months or so) and then it goes to the back of your head. How can I make my practice more “permanent”...
The Rockin’ Chair Bass
Last week we featured a video about a bass being built into a snowboard. This time, it’s a little different. According to the guys who made this, “the Rockin Chair was invented on a coffee break at a newspaper in Värmland, Sweden, back in 1984 by the journalist Kjell Palmers and noted by his college Stefan Markebo. Many years later...
Christian McBride Big Band Releases “The Good Feeling”
Jazz bassist Christian McBride has hit another milestone in his career with the release of The Good Feeling, his first full big band recording as a leader. The 11-track album features large ensemble arrangements of his own songs as well as jazz standards like “Broadway,” “The More I See You” and “A Taste of Honey.” McBride first got a taste...
Reader Spotlight: Blackie Dawson
Meet Blackie Dawson, a 18-year veteran of the low end, and our bassist in the spotlight for September 27, 2011. Bio: I have been playing bass since I was 19 years old. I spent many years just playing along to Iron Maiden, early Metallica, Black Sabbath and Dead Kennedys tapes and CDs. In 2007, I started playing bass in my...
M Basses Introduce Elite Series Basses
M Basses has announced the Elite line of basses, stepping up from their Mj designs with more options while retaining the classic style. Available with Alder, Ash, or Mahogany bodies topped with your choice of figured wood. The maple necks feature Indian rosewood or maple fingerboards. The basses are passive and come standard with Nordstrand NJ4 single coil J-style pickups...
Question of the Week: Electric, upright or both?
Do you play electric, upright or both? Tell us about it in the comments, or on our Facebook page.
Jaco Pastorius & Weather Report: Birdland Live (1978)
More previously unreleased Jaco Pastorius gold: a live performance of “Birdland”, performed by Weather Report in Pennsylvania in 1978. Drummer Peter Erskine’s father Dr. Fred Erskine filmed the concerts in both Reading and Washington, Pennsylvania. Peter shared with Rick Suchow, “The sound came direct from the front-of-house mix board, engineered by Brian Risner, and my dad was using an old...
Chickenfoot Releases III, Announces Tour Dates
Chickenfoot has released their second album, ironically entitled III. The group consists of bassist Michael Anthony, singer Sammy Hagar, guitarist Joe Satriani and drummer Kenny Aronoff, who replaces Chad Smith of the Red Hot Chili Peppers while they go on tour. Anthony, who is a former member of Van Halen, says the new album has a lot more meat. “It’s...