Buzz
Jakob Forslund & Anna Duveskog: Blackbird
Bassist and No Treble reader Jakob Forslund sent us this video he and vocalist Anna Duveskog created late last year. This is their take on the Beatles’ “Blackbird,” which offers up a really unique sound.
Hot Tuna Announces Winter 2017 Tour Dates
Birds may fly south for the winter, but tuna flies west. Hot Tuna has announced a string of West Coast dates for February including stops in California, Oregon, and Washington. The legendary duo of guitarist Jorma Kaukonen and bassist Jack Casady will be appearing mostly in their acoustic format with an electric date (featuring drummer Justin Gulp) at The Fillmore...
Hartke Grows HD Series With HD500 Bass Combo
Hartke is expanding their HD series this year with the HD500 Bass Combo. The 500-watt Class D amp weighs in at just 35 pounds and is fitted with a pair of the company’s 10-inch HyDrive speakers. The drivers blend paper and aluminum materials into their speaker cones that add warmth and attack. Its controls include a 3-band EQ plus Hartke’s...
How Much Should I Get Paid for Gigs?
Q: I gig about 10-16 times a month on double bass and electric and live in a rural part of the UK. Some gigs involve a drive of 50-100 miles for about ?50-75. Do you have a minimum fee for local work, and a max distance you will drive for small bar type gigs? I am trying to find my...
Nenad Vasilic: For Luis
Nenad Vasilic doesn’t need a whole band to fill out a song. He uses his upright as a bass and as drums in his latest video, “For Luis.” The bassist starts the groove with a syncopated rhythm tapped out on the body of his bass before digging into the bass line and melody. “This piece is inspired by ‘Ne kuni...
Ida Nielsen and Jan-Olof Strandberg Team Up for Funk Project
Jan-Olof Strandberg has a great tradition of collaborating with fellow bassists, including Paul Jackson, Dominque DiPiazza, Michael Manring, and more. Now he’s teaming up with funk powerhouse Ida Nielsen for a new project. “The group will be in the studio to record new material and performing a few live shows in Finland between March 7th and 12th!” Strandberg writes. “The...
Reader Spotlight: Brian Wroten
I first discovered Brian Wroten thanks to his excellent bass transcriptions and videos. We connected over email, and he became a guest contributor here, offering up some terrific analysis and transcriptions. Now we get to hear about his life and background. Brian is this week’s No Treble reader in the spotlight. Here’s his story… Bio: I’m an American-born acoustic bass...
Jens Ritter Introduces Two New Bass Models
German bass building artist Jens Ritter has revealed two new bass models for 2017, which will debut at the Winter NAMM show in Anaheim, California. The Princess Isabella Bass and Cora Concept are riffs on previous instruments with a fresh take that have been introduced as part of the Royal Family due to their uniqueness. The Princess Isabella Bass is...
Vulfpeck: Aunt Leslie
Vulfpeck has released another video from their latest album, . “Aunt Leslie” features guests Antwaun Stanley on vocals, Bethanni Grecynski on trombone, and Cory Wong on guitar. And as always, Joe Dart lays down the groove.
In Memoriam: Jim Mouradian
Bassist and luthier Jim Mouradian has passed away after a massive heart attack following a performance with Ronnie Earl and the Broadcasters in Connecticut. Mouradian grew up in a family of musicians, picking up the bass in junior high school. His family owned a rug business, which he worked at around college. He created a rug with his favorite band...
Bass of the Week: Serek Basses Midwestern
Jake Serek of Serek Basses has a unique way of blending old school and new school to create a fresh looking bass that remains rooted in the instrument’s history. This week we’re checking out the Midwestern, which blends aspects of Fender and Gibson basses. “The Midwestern is a short-scale powerhouse that is compact in size, but does not lack in...
Talking Technique: Efficient Practice Hacks
Are you (like me) always on the hunt for the latest and most efficient practice “hacks”? Today I am starting a series here on Talking Technique introducing you to my personal favorites. Some of them are quite unexpected, and I encourage you to try them and see the results for yourself. Some go back to ancient wisdom, and science has...