Buzz
Zander Zon: Interstellar Medley
Zander Zon recently released another incredible arrangement. This time around, Zander plays two basses, electric cello and utilizes loopers to create a rich texture on Hans Zimmer’s Interstellar soundtrack. “There’s so many things I loved about this film. Time is a big theme throughout and a lot of the music is at 60 beats per minute (referencing seconds in a...
Dean Markley Unveils Blue Steel Cables
Dean Markley’s Blue Steel cryogenic treatment has been used on their Blue Steel strings for years. Now they’re applying that to instrument and speaker cables. “Using our unique process, we cryo treat Blue Steel instrument cables with a quick blast of liquid nitrogen, changing their molecular structure with marvelous results,” the company explains. “We’re talking brighter, more alive, transparent tonal...
Clutch Announces Winter Tour Dates
Clutch will be getting into gear this winter with more tour dates on their Psychic Warfare tour. Anchored by Dan Maines, the band will be continuing support for their latest album of the same name, though a press release says they will be entering the studio in early 2018 to begin work on their next one. The band will be...
Bass Players To Know: Ron Carter
While the name Ron Carter makes a frequent appearance on No Treble, I decided it was time to officially add him to the list of Bass Players To Know. Inspired by an NPR “Fresh Air” interview of Antonio Carlos Jobim, it was clear to me that Carter’s playing can be heard all across the jazz spectrum, from the early days...
Gizmodrome: Man In The Mountain
Gizmodrome – the new project from Stewart Copeland, Mark King, Adrian Belew and Vittorio Cosma – is getting ready to release their new album. We’ve just gotten a better idea of the group’s sound with this new performance video for the song “Man in the Mountain”. King doesn’t shred his distinct slapping lines for the tune, rather delivering a chilled...
Gator Cases Unveils LED-Equipped Bass Cases
Digging around in your bass case can be a hassle in the dark. That’s why Gator Cases has unveiled a new series of hardshell cases called the LED Edition. Featuring two bass cases, the line adds an interior LED light fixture that automatically turns on when you open your case. It can also be adjusted to turn on and off...
Off Beat: An Interview with Katie Thiroux
Bassist and vocalist Katie Thiroux is having a good year, to put it mildly. She just spent the summer in residence at Quincy Jones’s new jazz club in Dubai, and her sophomore album, , was released in August. Now she’s supporting the album with a U.S. trek followed by a tour of Denmark. Produced by drum legend Jeff Hamilton, Off...
Vulfpeck with Bernard Purdie: Kid Charlemagne
This must be what living the dream looks like. Vulfpeck performed with drum legend Bernard Purdie at the Brooklyn Bowl in New York last year, which included this cover of Steely Dan’s “Kid Charlemagne,” a tune that originally featured Purdie. And it is obvious bassist Joe Dart was loving life.
Cusack Music Introduces the Tap-A-Delay Deluxe Delay Pedal
Cusack Music has introduced a new delay pedal called the Tap-A-Delay Deluxe. Expanding on their original “TAD” pedal, it adds a third “float” footswitch that acts as a momentary hold function on the feedback control. They also included a new micro switch that determines whether new notes played after the float switch is engaged are dry or with effect. Other...
IK Multimedia Introduces Ampeg SVX 2
IK Multimedia and Ampeg have collaborated again to update the SVX collection of modeling software with the Ampeg SVX 2. The virtual amp series includes amps and cabinets from the Ampeg Heritage and Classic series for use with AmpliTube for Mac and PC. The amps and cabinets in the collection include the SVT-VR, the V-4B, the B-15N, the SVT-810AV, the...
What Do I Need To Record Bass At Home?
Q: What kind of gear might I need to start recording bass lines from home? I’m thinking of the ability to record for albums remotely but also to get better sound for social media videos and things along those lines. Preferably something that doesn’t cost thousands of dollars! I’m curious what you use, too. A: It sounds like you already...
John Ferrara: Song For Ramida
John Ferrara has been wowing us with his killer bass playing in his trio Consider the Source, but now he’s stepping out with a new solo project. The first piece available is “Song for Ramida,” named for his god daughter. “It’s my first solo venture outside of Consider the Source,” he explains. “My main interest has always been treating the...