Buzz
Snarky Puppy: Skate U (Live)
The first time we featured Snarky Puppy was back in 2011, with their video for “Skate U.” Here’s the Michael League and the band performing that tune live at Jam Cruise 14, in January 2016.
Bass Players To Know: Tommy Shannon
Austin, Texas, here we come! As the plane takes off, I think about everything that I want to experience on my short visit. Tacos, BBQ, and of course, blues. Austin has an incredible live music scene and, in addition to popular festivals such as SXSW and Austin City Limits, an equally impressive list of musicians who call the town home....
Adam Ben Ezra: Hide and Seek
Bassist – and one man band – Adam Ben Ezra is back with another video. In this clip, he performs “Hide and Seek” live at Sofar Sounds in London.
RJM Music Technology Introduces the Mastermind LT MIDI Foot Controller
RJM Music Technology has introduced the Mastermind LT, a MIDI foot controller they describe as low coast yet very capable. It’s a more attainable version of their Mastermind GT for working musicians. “The trick was to reduce the cost substantially without compromising quality,” a press release states. “Building the Mastermind LT with a single LCD and a multi-color LED over...
Advanced Bass: How to Play Across the Bar Line
In this lesson, we’ll take a deep dive inside the world of playing across the bar line. Equally as relevant for both your solo lines and your groove playing, we will cover how to play across the bar line by using “Time Signature Superimposition” that will take your phrasing to a whole new and exciting level. Follow along with this...
Bass & Banjo: Dinah
Bassist Nicolas Dubouchet has a duo with banjoist Stéphane Borde known simply as “Bass & Banjo.” In this video, they’re joined by guest guitarist Geoffroy Boizard for this fun performance of “Dinah.”
Getting It Perfect Vs. Practicing New Material
Q: I am finding it difficult to combine not practicing what I know and practicing for perfection. I practice fretless almost exclusively, and good intonation is a constant pursuit, including with something as conceptually simple as a major triad arpeggio. Add speed and the desire to play smoothly with controlled dynamics, and one can spend endless hours working on things...
Bruno Tauzin: Funky Slap Bass Solo
Bruno Tauzin is back with another short and sweet bass video. This time he lays down a thick slap groove filled out with some nice double stops.
Reader Spotlight: Christopher Halson Griffiths
Meet Christopher Halson Griffiths, a busy bassist from Nashville who jokes that he started playing the bass because “he wasn’t very good at guitar.” Joking aside, Christopher has an impressive resume. Christopher is this week’s No Treble reader in the spotlight. Here’s his story… Bio: Nashville resident and Michigan native has managed to play bass in 3 countries and 49...
Ibanez Introduces the SRH Semi-Hollow Bass
Besides celebrating the 30th anniversary of the SR this year, Ibanez also introduced a new semi-hollow body model called the SRH. The bass comes in four and five-string versions with the option of fretted or fretless fingerboards, all of which all built with a mahogany semi-hollow body and a spruce top. The body has a single f-hole with a special...
Josh Cohen and Sarah Thawer: Fanny Pack Swag
Josh Cohen sent this video to us saying, “Here’s a video that drummer Sarah Thawer and I just did of an original composition “Fanny Pack Swag”. It illustrates some of the techniques that I will be talking about during a masterclass at Bass Break Live on June 10th in Newcastle, Delaware along with Adam Nitti, Norm Stockton, and Tiffany Lloyd.”...
Bass of the Week: Anaconda Basses Tribute J5E – Elite
This week we’re taking a look at a beautiful model by the UK’s Anaconda Basses. This particular Anaconda Tribute J5E Elite was built for Joe Sam, a pro bass player from London, with a special twist. “He’s an avid Prince fan and wanted a bass which had certain design cues to pay tribute to the master,” builder Andrew Taylor-Cummings explains....