Buzz
David Crosby Recruits Mai Agan for 2017 Tour
David Crosby has announced a North American tour for April and May. The trek will see the legendary rock icon performing songs from his album, Croz, as well as a track from his upcoming album, Sky Trails. Of course, he’ll also perform some of his greatest hits. Crosby enlisted bassist Mai Agan for the outing. Born in Estonia and based...
Darkglass Electronics Introduces the Alpha Omega Distortion Pedal
Darkglass Electronics wowed NAMM attendees this year with a brand new pedal called the Alpha Omega. Co-designed with Karnivool’s Jon Stockman, the stompbox is a departure from their previous circuits and preamplifiers. “[The Alpha Omega] is fully operational amplifier based and has two distinct distortion circuits (Alpha and Omega) which can be selected or blended using our Mod knob,” Darkglass...
Jefferson Airplane: Ballad of You and Me and Pooneil, 1967
We’re kicking it old school today with a clip of Jefferson Airplane from a performance in 1967. Our friend Will Marks sent the clip in, noting the tasteful bass work of Jack Casady. “Interesting to see how he developed and presented his sections when the bass was featured — typically found them to be rooted in simple figures aggressively stated...
“Learn to Play the UBass” eBook Now Available
If you’ve been reading No Treble for a while, you’ve probably seen Magnus Sjöquist grooving hard on the Kala UBass. Now Sjöquist is sharing his bass playing knowledge in a new eBook entitled Learn to Play the UBass. Available for iOS, the book is highly interactive with picture galleries, multi-angle videos, and lesson quizzes. The text has clickable highlighted words...
Ashdown Reveals Origin Bass Head and Tube Preamp/DI
Ashdown debuted the Origin series at NAMM this year, including a 300-watt bass amplifier and a tube preamp and DI pedal. Both units are designed to be “lightweight, portable and stripped back” for a strong yet streamlined bass signal. The Origin amp starts with an active/passive input switch and effects loop. It has a five-band EQ section with Bass, Lo-Mid,...
Groove – Episode #26: Nathan East
It’s hard to not hear the music of Nathan East. His discography is – literally – a who’s who of popular music, and it runs across many genres. Whether you have grooved to the sounds of Daft Punk’s massive hit, “Get Lucky” or enjoyed the hit song “Easy Lover” by Phil Collins in the mid-eighties, that’s Nathan. East has been...
Eric Gales & Cody Wright Live at NAMM
The Dunlop booth was a great hang during this year’s NAMM Show. Among the highlights was an appearance by Eric Gales and Cody Wright, who played “Pickin’ & Grinnin’.” Thankfully, cameras were rolling.
Pino Palladino Joins John Mayer for North American Tour
John Mayer is gearing up for his new album, The Search for Everything, with a North American tour to take place from March 31st to April 22nd. The trek will showcase the songwriter in three settings starting with a full band, then moving to a solo acoustic set, and finishing with his trio. Mayer’s trio is rounded out by drummer...
Bass Gear Roundup: The Top Gear Stories in January 2017
January is always a big month for new bass gear, thanks to the NAMM Show. The No Treble crew attended the show, and our coverage will contiune in the coming weeks as we sort through the notes. There were some big stories thanks to this year’s show. Here are the top 10 reader favorites for the month of January. 1....
When Personal Beliefs Conflict with The Gig
Q: I spent this past Saturday marching the streets of Austin, TX with about 50,000 like-minded fellow Americans. Felt great… both humbling and inspiring! The next morning, I was playing my regular church gig – a place with a very different worldview and some decidedly harsh perspectives regarding my fellow marchers. I kept my mouth shut but was in danger...
Jean-Baptiste Salles: Radiohead’s “Exit Music” for Double Bass
I’m a sucker for a good Radiohead song, and even more so when there’s a great bass cover of it. Jean-Baptiste Salles brings a beautiful depth to the melancholy melody of “Exit Music” from the band’s iconic OK Computer album. “I accompanied myself with a Bass VI,” Salles says, adding that he included the piano in the video as a...
Train Releases “A Girl, a Bottle, a Boat”
Train has returned with their eighth studio album entitled A Girl, a Bottle, a Boat. The album includes the bass work of Hector Maldonado, who has anchored the band since 2009. A Girl, a Bottle, a Boat is available on , and as a digital download ( and ). Check out the band’s first single from the album, “Play That...