Buzz
The Foo Fighters Return with “Concrete And Gold”
The Foo Fighters are back with their ninth studio album, Concrete and Gold. The album features an eclectic array of styles that came to leader Dave Grohl in a burst of inspiration, standing in stark contrast to 2014’s Sonic Highways. Bassist Nate Mendel holds it all together, no matter the writing arrangements. “It’s really been pretty consistent over the years,”...
Rob van den Broek Dives Deep in “The Gibson Bass Book”
Rob van den Broek is a bassist and a luthier. He’s also a huge fan of Gibson’s basses, which led him to publish The Gibson Bass Book. The 180-page book documents over 80 Gibson basses and 70 Epiphone basses with more than 400 pictures. The story begins in the late 1930’s with the company’s first upright electric bass before jumping...
Working Through the Hiccups in a Band
Q: My band and I have started playing out in bars and clubs, and one thing keeps me on edge: No matter how much we prepare and rehearse, there are always hiccups. How do the pros know how to deal with things going wrong (like someone going to the wrong section of the tune, the drummer drops a beat or...
Gabriel Severn: Not of This World
I’ve seen Gabriel Severn show up on Facebook more and more lately. And it is no surprise. The 12-year-old bassist is playing well beyond his years. In this clip, Gabriel takes on Adam Nitti’s “Not of This World.” Watch out world!
Reader Spotlight: Roy Eraca
Meet Roy Eraca, who got his start on bass after making a promise to improve his grades (he did, and his reward was a new bass guitar). Since then, Roy has gone from being a “closet player” to a gigging one. Roy is this week’s No Treble reader in the spotlight (you could be next!) Here’s his story… Bio: When...
Chicago: 25 or 6 to 4 (Live, 1970)
Time to kick it old school with this look back at Chicago performing live at Tanglewood. The concert took place in July 1970, featuring Peter Cetera laying down some boss bass and fronting the band on the tune “25 or 6 to 4.” So good.
Ringo Starr Recruits Paul McCartney and All-Star Bassists For “Give More Love”
It’s safe to say that in the 60 years he’s been playing drums, Ringo Starr has made a few friends. So for his new release, Give More Love, he’s getting by with a little help from them – including a few of the top bass players in the world. The former Beatle’s 19th solo album reunites him with his fellow...
Bass of the Week: Schack Guitars Unique V
This week we’re checking out gorgeous Unique V bass from Schack Guitars. Built with a flamed ash body, the instrument features a striking top and matching headstock of spalted quilted bubinga. Similarly, its flamed maple neck is topped with a beautiful marbled ebony fretboard and bubinga binding. “The neck is connected to the body with our unique Covered Neck Fixing-System...
Talking Technique: Bach for Two (In Three)
In episode 43, we looked at an easy piano piece that was arranged for two basses. This is a great exercise because it works on your reading and your technique. Bach’s bass lines are typically challenging and push us as bassists to hone our chops. This time we’re checking out the Minuet in Bb (though I’ve transposed it to the...
Scott Whitley: Bass Cover of Level 42’s “Mr. Pink”
Level 42 always has sick bass lines thanks to Mark King. That’s not lost on Scott Whitley, who whipped up this killer bass version of the tune utilizing his signature bass and a piccolo bass for the melody lines. This one is sure to get you in gear!
Hal Leonard Publishes Second Edition of The Rickenbacker Electric Bass Book
If you’re a fan of classic basses, you’ll want to check out the new edition of The Rickenbacker Electric Bass: 50 Years as Rock’s Bottom. Updating on the first edition released 2013, the new version adds 16 bonus pages with up-to-date information on the latest models plus more photos of artists and custom-built Rickenbacker basses. “With the introduction of the...
Video Premiere: Petros Klampanis “Footprints”
We’re proud to premiere the first video in bassist Petros Klampanis’s new Rooftop Stories series with this awesome version of Wayne Shorter’s “Footprints”. “Rooftops and music – music and rooftops. There’s nothing not to love with that combination, plus having a sky full of stars makes is even more unique,” Klampanis writes. “?llow me to share the first part of...