Buzz
Barefaced Audio Introduces Limited Edition Tweedy One10 Bass Cabinet
Barefaced Audio has unveiled a special limited edition tweed version of their One10 bass cabinet. Limited to 10 units, the cab has all of the power of their regular One10 model in a vintage look with a tweed wrap, Marshall BluesBreaker cloth grill, brown piping, and genuine imitation leather strap handle. It is fitted with a 10CR250 driver, which can...
Groove – Episode #36: John Patitucci
What has not been said about the bass playing of John Patitucci? The Brooklyn native started playing the bass when he was twelve and has not stopped since. He was a member of three Chick Corea groups: the Elektric Band, the Akoustic Band, and the quartet. While he often switches between the acoustic and electric bass, most of us know...
Brad Russell: Van Halen’s Spanish Fly on Bass
Brad Russell loves taking tunes written for guitar and turning them into solo bass pieces. He shared his latest effort with us, tackling Van Halen’s “Spanish Fly.” “I feel when a piece of music like Bach or Miles Davis is played it can be played on ANY instrument and sound good that’s a true sign of a great piece,” he...
Music Nomad Announces FRINE Fret Polish Kit
Music Nomad has a new product for getting the grime off of your frets. FRINE fret polish is designed to clean and polish all frets safely and quickly. The kit comes with an ounce of the polish and three fretboard guards to fit small, medium, and jumbo fret sizes. It also includes a microfiber suede cloth specially designed for use...
Should I Be Afraid of Breaking the Rules of Harmony When Composing?
Q: I have been playing bass for others for years but when it comes to writing my own music I constantly question myself about the rules. I understand if it sounds good play it but, “what key could this be and, can I play a dominant 7 here, and will it still be in a key?” (In the musical rulebook)...
Richard Bona and Metropole Orkest: Three Views of a Secret
In 2013, Richard Bona joined the Metropole Orkest for a performance at Lantaren Venster in Rotterdam. Among the tunes they played was Jaco Pastorius’s “Three Views of a Secret.” This has always been one of my all-time favorite tunes, and it was a treat to check out this rendition.
Rush’s “A Farewell To Kings” Gets 40th Anniversary Reissue
It’s been 40 years since Rush released A Farewell To Kings. The album, which notably features the hit “Closer to the Heart” among others, is being celebrated by the trio with a reissue including a massive box set. Anchored by the incredible bassist/vocalist Geddy Lee, each version of the reissue includes a remastered version of the original album plus a...
Pigtronix Introduces Trio of Micro Pedals
Pigtronix has expanded their micro pedal lineup with three new pedals: the Gatekeeper Micro noise gate, Class A Boost Micro clean boost, and all-new Octava Micro octave up/drive/fuzz. Each of the units features true bypass switching and a housing with dimensions of 3.75 inches by 1.5 inches by 1.75 inches. The Class A Boost Micro utilizes discreet J-FET transistors in...
Talking Technique: Whole Tone Riffin’
The whole tone scale is a really interesting scale. Unlike our major and pentatonic scales, it’s built out of all whole steps making it sound a little bit eerie and bright. Because the scale is symmetrical, it does not sound like it has a beginning or an end. Another neat fact is that there are only two whole tone scales:...
Roger Brown & The Nyumba Yetu Band: The Beautiful Ones
I discovered Roger Brown and the Nyumba Yetu Band thanks to Berklee’s Youtube channel, and I was glad I did. Anchored by bassist Lucy Clifford, here’s the band performing their composition, “The Beautiful Ones.”
Bobby Vega Releases “Matters of the Heart” EP
Bobby Vega has a reputation, or maybe several. He’s known for his incredible knowledge of bass gear. He’s known for being the go-to bassist in the Bay Area. He’s also known for grooving his ass off with a pick, but that’s not all there is to his playing. Now fans who know his funk and rock playing can get a...
Free The Tone Announces the PA-1QB Programmable 10-Band EQ Pedal
Japan’s Free The Tone has released the PA-1QB, a programmable 10-band EQ pedal for bass. The device’s signal path is analog with a digital parameter control section for storing and processing your settings. The pedal revolves around the Holistic Tonal Solution, or HTS, circuit that has been revamped for 2018. “It holistically manages high-quality guitar/bass signals from input to output...