Buzz
The Impossible Gentlemen Release Debut Album
The Impossible Gentlemen, consisting of bassist Steve Swallow, pianist Gwilym Simcock, guitarist Mike Walker and drummer Adam Nussbaum, have released their debut, self-titled album. With members from the UK and US, the quartet came together last year for a tour that inspired them to record their their improvisatory chemistry. The compositions on the album are lush environments with great grooves...
Roberto William: “Sunday Morning”, Bass & Vocal Arrangement
Roberto William (aka Nukebass) is a bassist from Brazil who shares his nice video performance of Maroon 5’s “Sunday Morning”. He actually recorded it on a Saturday, because he says “it’s impossible to record anything on Sunday mornings … I will be sleeping for sure.”
Heavy Electronics Releases El Oso Bass Distortion
Heavy Electronics has released a new bass distortion pedal named El Oso, which translates to “the bear.” The pedal is built for heavy tone and simplicity with only three intuitive knobs: Level, Mix, and Gain. El Oso’s distortion is blended with your dry signal via the Mix knob, which gives 100% dry or 100% distorted when turned either way to...
Megadeth’s “Peace Sells… But Who’s Buying” Re-mastered for 25th Anniversary Edition
Released in 1986, Megadeth’s second studio album, Peace Sells… But Who’s Buying? hit platinum status. For the first time since the original release, the album has been digitally remastered and repackaged in a 25th anniversary edition by Capitol/EMI. The landmark album features the bass work of Dave Ellefson. The deluxe set comes in a lift-top box with 5 discs, 3...
Marcus Miller: When Doves Cry
Recorded live in November 2010 for a Fender event, here’s Marcus Miller performing his take on Prince’s “When Doves Cry”.
Fender Introduces Blacktop Series Basses
Fender has incorporated some low end into their Blacktop series with the introduction of the Blacktop Precision and Blacktop Jazz Bass guitars. The line of basses are made for a thick, heavy sound and are what Fender describes as “two of the most distinctive iterations of the instruments.” Built on an alder body, the Blacktop Precision has two humbucking pickups...
Practical Theory: Practice Tips for Scales (Part 1)
Practicing scales in a musical way helps keep things interesting. In this lesson, we kick off with some tips for practicing scales by using different intervals, arpeggios and fingerings. We’re also introducing a new approach to looking at the Major scale formula. Normally, we view it as 7 different steps (8, if you count the octave): G A B C...
Simone Vignola and Alberto Rigoni: Obsession
After first meeting at EuroBassDay in 2010, Italian bassists Simone Vignola and Alberto Rigoni have teamed up for a new project called the BASStards. Featuring “fat riffs, hard grooves and catchy atmospheres,” the collaboration has released this music video to their first single, “Obsession.”
Mike Watt and Kira Roessler Release New Dos Album
Bassists/singers Mike Watt and Kira Roessler have released their latest effort from their bass-focused duo, Dos. Dos y Dos is a 13-track release featuring two basses and vocals by Roessler. The duo first teamed up in 1985. Watt was playing bass with The Minutemen full-time while Roessler performed with Black Flag. The two began recording together on Watt’s four-track, before...
Luthman Basses Announces Mystic First Custom Bass
Custom bass builder Luthman Basses has announced their latest model, the Mystic First. Mystic First is a passive bass with bolt-on construction. Bodies are made with the bassist’s choice of ash, alder, ovangkol or mahogany woods, and the neck is made with either wenge with maple accents or the reverse, maple with wenge accents. Fingerboard wood choices include either rosewood...
An Interview with Rhonda Smith
Bassist, singer and songwriter Rhonda Smith‘s musical resume is as impressive as they come. Born in Halifax, Nova Scotia to a musical family, Rhonda started on baritone horn, keyboard and guitar. Picking up the bass, she said, was all thanks to her brother. “He brought a bass home one day and told me not to touch it.” Most recently, Rhonda...
Kimberly Lynn: Song with No Name
Solo bassist Kimberly Lynn has shared her latest video, a live bass looping performance dubbed “Song with No Name.” Kimberly explains, “Another one of my grooves that goes over well when performing. And, as with most of my grooves that ‘turn into tunes’, I sit around a bit and ponder what to title it. In this case I’m just letting...