Buzz
Looming Large: An Interview with Matt Ulery
Matt Ulery has just released , an ambitious album that features three distinct musical formats. Billed as Ulery’s Loom/Large, the core of the album features his regular Loom quintet bookcased by a jazz orchestra and his “festival” band. While each band brings a different sound to the table, the organic nature of the bassist’s compositions tie the 13-song collection into...
Montreal Symphony Orchestra & the Octobass: Ave Verum
Yvon Gravel shared this video with us, featuring the mighty Octobass. CBC shared a story on the bass, which stands 12 feet 8 inches tall and is comprised hundreds of parts and a system of levers that make it possible for an experienced musician to play with a bow. This particular instrument is a reproduction of the original built by...
10,000 Post Celebration: Top 10 Bass Gear Stories
Continuing our celebration of 10,000 posts on No Treble, we’re looking back at the top 10 reader favorite bass gear stories since our official debut on May 2, 2009. Thanks for reading, and enjoy. 1. Marcus Miller Teams with Sire Guitars for New Signature Basses Marcus Miller launched a new line of signature instruments with Sire Guitars. The series is...
Fuzzrocious Pedals Unveils the M.O.T.H.
Fuzzrocious Pedals has unveiled the M.O.T.H. pedal, which stands for Multi Overdrive Tremolo Hex. The pedal combines an overdrive, fuzz, tremolo, and noise machine oscillator into one cohesive package. It starts with an overdrive circuit that is set up for low-medium drive, which “pushes into a power amp IC which provides a blast of volume,” the company writes. When turned...
Breaking Right Hand Habits
Q: I have a weird technique problem. I guess at some point (to feel the groove better? keep the time? mimic the metronome?) I started landing my fingers on strings to kind of mute them between the played notes and now it began bothering me – all the clicks sound even louder on steel strings (which I prefer). The more...
The Brilliant Corners: Klingon
Andrea De Donato shared this video with us of his new band, The Brilliant Corners. The tune “Klingon” showcases Andrea’s work on both bass and bass synth. What a fun tune!
10,000 Post Celebration: Top 10 Bass of the Week Features
Continuing our celebration of 10,000 posts on No Treble, we’re looking back at the top 10 reader favorite Bass of the Week features since our official debut on May 2, 2009. Thanks for reading, and enjoy. 1. Rickenbacker Limited Edition Lemmy Kilmister Signature 4004LK Rickenbacker paid tribute to metal icon and Motorhead frontman Lemmy Kilmister with the introduction of the...
Reader Spotlight: Andrej Doms
Meet Andrej Doms, a keyboardist-turned-bassist who works in IT by day and gigs by night. Andrej is this week’s No Treble reader in the spotlight. Here’s his story… Bio: I’ve been an amateur bassist since 1991. I’ve played in different amateur bands with styles ranging from punk rock, rock/pop, cover to jazz and soul. My favorite bass today is my...
Bass Transcription: Jimmy Johnson’s Bass Line on Allan Holdsworth’s “Spokes”
Today I’ll pay tribute to one of my bass heroes: Jimmy Johnson. His versatility always amazes me. He plays smooth jazz with his band Flim & the BB’s, he holds down the groove with James Taylor, and he always keeps the group together under complex harmonies with Allan Holdsworth. Johnson has a unique voice on the instrument, with very melodic...
Lewis.Brown: Forward Motion (redux)
Here’s a dynamic duo if I ever saw one. Bassist Rich Brown and drummer Larnell Lewis have teamed up to form Lewis.Brown. This clip of “Forward Motion (redux)” recorded at the Placebo Space in Toronto last month is leaving us wanting more. Brown sets up a heavily syncopated groove with loop pedal before Lewis jumps in and the two get...
10,000 Post Celebration: Top 10 Bass Columns
Kicking off our celebration of 10,000 posts on No Treble, we’re looking back at the top 10 reader favorite columns since our official debut on May 2, 2009. Thanks for reading, and enjoy. 1. Bass Pickups: A Guide to Formulating Your Sound There are a number of variables to consider in the search for your ideal tone. To date, we...
Bass of the Week: Bacce Guitars Bold X-Bird 4
This week we’re checking out the Bacce Guitars Bold X-Bird 4, built by Spanish luthier Daniel Cabezas. Featuring a distinct body shape, the bass is built with lots of beautiful woods for an amazing look. Cabezas crafted the instrument with a swamp ash body topped with a premium flamed maple top. It has a black stain on the top and...