Buzz
Primus and Mastodon Team Up for Expansive Tour
The bass will be riding high this spring as Primus and Mastodon have announced a co-headlining tour. With Les Claypool and Troy Sanders at the helm of each band, the tour is not to be missed. The lengthy trek kicks off May 6th at Red Rocks in Colorado before heading South, up the Northeast, through the Midwest, and down the...
Ashdown Engineering Introduces Bluetooth-Enabled Bass Combo Amp
Ashdown Engineering has expanded their AAA line of bass amps with the AAA EVO 120-BT, a lightweight combo that offers 120 watts of power with a 15-inch driver and a tweeter. The new model sets itself apart by featuring Bluetooth functionality that allows for streaming music to your amp. “The AAA EVO 120-BT features deep, foot switchable tube emulated overdrive...
Focusing on Musical Growth
Q: I know you’ve written a lot about ways to invent new exercises and different ways to find new challenges for yourself, but sometimes I’m not sure what I’m working towards exactly other than just trying to get better. I suppose that’s enough but… any thoughts? A: Actually, yes. The big turning point in my development came with an important...
Zander Zon: Zombie
Zander Zon has a new tribute, featuring a new device he’s added to the mix. “The Cranberries are such a memorable band from my teenage years and, strangely, I had been listening to this song for a couple weeks before the sad news broke that their lead singer, Dolores O’Riordan, had passed away unexpectedly,” he shared. ” So I decided...
Sadowsky Reveals the MetroExpress Bass Series
Sadowsky Guitars unveiled a new line of basses called the MetroExpress series at the Winter NAMM Show this year. The line will be made in Japan with the company’s own preamp, pickups, strings, and hardware. “The MetroExpress is made in Japan to Roger Sadowsky’s exacting standards under the supervision of Yoshi Kikuchi,” Sadowsky writes. “Roger and Yoshi began working together...
Federico Malaman & Marcus Miller: NAMM Jam
During the 2018 NAMM Show, Federico Malaman and Marcus Miller got together for a spontaneous jam at a Markbass event showcasing Marcus’s signature amp. Federico said, “For me, it was PURE JOY!!!”
Bass Transcription Analysis: “I Start With The Blues” Bob Mintzer Sax Solo, Part 4
Our fourth installment on Bob Mintzer’s “I Start With The Blues” solo is a discussion of the crucial chord on bar 8 of a typical jazz blues. Almost always this is a vi chord – so in an F Blues like this one, it’s a D7 ( D dominant 7). In Letter A Bar 8 finds a D7 #9 chord...
Bass of the Week: Schorr Guitars The Owl Bass #011
While scrolling on Facebook, I came across the Owl Bass by Schorr Guitars and had to learn more. Its half-minimal, half-futuristic design exudes a funky style with a cool finish to boot. “Schorr Guitars is a one-person operation,” luthier Nicolai Schorr tells us. “I build instruments in Berlin, Germany based on my models – The Owl and Neptune – to...
Bart Soeters: Bass Sounds II
Back in 2013, bassist Bart Soeters sent us an awesome clip of himself demoing 19 basses. Now he’s released “Bass Sounds II”, which has him jamming out on a whopping 34 basses. The video ranges in styles to showcase the strengths of each instrument, which range from vintage axes to modern works of art. Joris Holtackers accompanies Soeters on keys...
Pigtronix Announces the Ringmaster Ring Modulator Synth Pedal
During the Winter NAMM Show, Pigtronix introduced the Ringmaster, an analog ring modulator synth pedal that they designed to create analog harmonizer and tremolo effects to follow the notes you play. “Expanding on the “Intelligent Ring Mod” found in the original Mothership pedal, Ringmaster adds LFO and Sample + Hold modulation sources, pitch following tremolo and well as wave shaping...
F Bass Celebrates 40th Anniversary with Limited Edition PJ Bass
2018 marks forty years since F Bass owner and founder George Furlanetto started the company. To celebrate, the company has announced a special limited edition 40th Anniversary PJ based off of the first ever fretted F Bass. The model will be limited to four pieces each of which will be crafted, signed, and numbered by George Furlanetto. Although it’s based...
Tunu Jumwa: Malaika
I saw a video by my friend Tunu Jumwa on Facebook recently, and I loved it. I asked if we could share it, and Tunu made it available for us. In this clip, Tunu performs an arrangement of the tune, “Malaika,” which she says is “an oldie around here.”