No Treble Archive for June 4th

Steve Bailey and Victor Wooten are continuing their weekly free webinar series this Friday, June 5th at 4pm Eastern. The meeting topic is “Gender Justice…Empowerment, Enlightenment, and Education,” and as such it will include some of the best female musicians around.

On-Stage has introduced a new compact DI box called the DB200. The small design was created with pedalboards in mind, so On-Stage ships it with hook and loop tape.

Geezer Butler’s new project Deadland Ritual has just released their first music video for a new song called “Broken and Bruised.” The Black Sabbath bassist’s musical stamp is evident and his snarling bass ties the track together.

An inside look at The Police is now available thanks to a new documentary from Stewart Copeland. “The Police: Everyone Stares – The Police Inside Out” is a first-person look at the band compiled from the drummer’s personal camera.

Electro-Harmonix has unveiled the Oceans 11, a pedal that packs in eleven reverb styles into one stompbox. Its effects are described as ranging from essential to exotic. The reverbs include hall, spring, plate, reverse, echo, tremolo, modulated, dynamic, auto-infinite, shimmer, and polyphonic styles. A mode button allows for switching between three variations of many of the reverbs for further functionality,...

Padalka Guitars went for something a little different on this particular build of their Neptune bass. To begin, they made it a four-string with a longer 35-inch scale and 26 frets. As with the standard Neptune model, it features a Hipshot headless tuning system. Padalka crafted the bass with a one-piece Black Limba body topped with a stunning piece of...

The Fearless Flyers are back with another video, and this one is high octane! Joined by guests Blake Mills on slide guitar and Sandra Crouch on tambourine, the band rips through Stevie Wonder’s “Signed, Sealed, Delivered.” As always, Joe Dart lays down the low end on the track, which appears on the band’s self-titled debut album.

Alkaloid has returned with their sophomore album, entitled Liquid Anatomy. The extreme prog metal band features a killer lineup including former Obscura members Hannes Grossmann and Christian Münzner as well as current Obscura bassist Linus Klausenitzer. Former Aborted guitarist Danny Tunker and Dark Fortress vocalist Morean fill things out. Though he’s known for his killer six-string fretless work, Klausenitzer used...

If you like things nice and low, GHS has you covered with their latest set of Bass Boomers. The new four-string sets are designed for BEAD tuning and described as having “deep low end with a midrange crunch that cuts through a band mix.” The BEAD Tuned Bass Boomers come in three gauges – Medium Light, Medium, and Heavy –...

Zander Zon is back with another incredible solo bass arrangement. This time around, he tackles the Pixies’ tune “Where Is My Mind,” which is featured in the final scene and credits of Fight Club.

Dr. No Effects has released the MotherBrain Analog Delay for guitar, bass, keyboards and vocals. The limited-edition, hand-crafted pedal is described as a “high-end delay that produces classic tones.” It features three controls: Present, Insanity, and Memory. Present acts as a mix of the delay and dry signals, where Insanity is the actual Delay time and Memory controls the repeats/feedback....

Jeff Berlin shared this terrific clip on Facebook of a live performance in Buenos Aires. In this video, the trio of Berlin, guitarist Scott Henderson and drummer Billy Cobham perform Cobham’s “Stratus”. The original tune was on Cobham’s Spectrum, with Leland Sklar. Such an unbelievably great bass line on this one.

Top bass transcriptionist Aidan Hampson has another bunch of downloadable transcription books available — Michael Jackson: Bad, Best of Prince and Best of Aerosmith for Bass. Hampson notes that the Bad transcriptions complete his Quincy Jones trilogy. “There are some fantastic basslines here from the likes of Nathan East and Greg Phillinganes. This is the first time that hits like...

After years of development, Ibanez has unveiled the ANB1006 Adam Nitti Signature Bass. The instrument, which Nitti helped to design, is hand-built by Ibanez’s Japanese master builders. “For me, this instrument represents the ideal balance of tone, playability, ergonomics, and extended range,” Nitti writes. “I love the wider 18mm string spacing and greater access to the highest frets; both features...

How is it that someone can be this in touch with their musicianship and instrument? Michael Manring is one of the most talented musicians that our world has ever seen. He’s not just a bass player of the highest order, he is someone who approaches music with all of his senses and sensibilities. Manring is so good, that he makes...

The last time we featured The Kinky Wizzards, it generated some buzz. They’re back with a new video featuring a live performance of three of their tunes. Originally a duo formed by two brothers (bassist Mathew ‘Miffy’ Griffiths and drummer Jonathan ‘Jiffy’ Griffiths), the group has now added guitarist Ryan Elliott to the mix. Here’s the track list for the...

The Darkness is back with Last of Our Kind, a stripped-down album that hearkens back to the original spirit of rock. Anchored by bassist Frankie Poullain, the band’s fourth studio effort was written in Ireland and thematically centers around defiance. It’s also the first and only of their albums to featured drummer Emily Dolan Davies, who replaced original drummer Ed...

It’s really happening: King Crimson has just announced the initial tour dates with their latest incarnation – their eighth. The group’s lineup and plans for touring were announced back in September, with bassist Tony Levin returning to the fold. The rest of the band includes founder Robert Fripp, guitarist Jakko Jakszyk, saxophonist Mel Collins, and drummers Bill Reiflin, Pat Mastelotto...

Q: I’ve been playing electric bass for about five years, and I’m currently attending the third year in a Music Conservatory. When I play music while other musicians observe me (not the members of the band), I become quite uncomfortable. I feel judged, and my heart starts pounding, especially if it’s someone I respect like a teacher or a skilled...

The 1971 Yes album, Fragile ends “Heart of the Sunrise”, a bass-heavy track anchored by the one and only Chris Squire. Here’s the bass line in all its glory, with a little bit of the rest of the track bleeding through.

If John Paul Jones is your go-to bassist, then you have some kind of reason to rejoice this year. All the Led Zepplin’s nine studio albums will be re-released in remastered, deluxe (and even super-deluxe boxed) editions, starting with Led Zeppelin I, II and III. Guitarist Jimmy Page oversaw the entire remastering process. Each deluxe edition not only includes the...

Meet Sal Pisciott, a bassist who describes his band and music as “blues-punk” and who caught our attention with both his story and his witty bio. Sal is No Treble’s reader in the spotlight for the week of June 3, 2013. Bio: I’m a 21 year-old musician and student living in Queens, New York. Majoring in English, I look forward...

A couple of weeks ago, the Summer Camp Music Festival took place in Chillicothe, IL. Thanks to a guy named Kyle Hess, we have some pretty cool footage to watch. Kyle recorded this private set of moe. and Victor Wooten playing the moe. tune “Kyle’s Song” (a happy coincidence for the lucky videographer). Rob Derhak’s bass part is mighty nice,...

Weeks after Eric Avery announced his departure, Nine Inch Nails has announced that they’ll be touring starting this summer. Bandleader Trent Reznor has recruited longtime NIN collaborator and guitarist Robin Finck to fill out the ensemble for the trek, which consists of festivals across the world. Things kick off July 26th at Japan’s Fuji Rocks Festival before the group heads...

BOSS has announced their new eBand JS-10 Audio Player with Effects, a jam-along machine for bassists, guitarists and singers. The JS-10 features an integrated 2.1 sound system including a built-in subwoofer, while dual inputs allow for two players at once, which BOSS suggests is perfect for teacher/student lessons. Though it comes with a library of over 350 pre-loaded audio loops...

If you are an upright bassist, then intonation is on your mind. I’ve talked in the past about using drones to help solidify intonation, but this is just one of seemingly innumerable strategies to improve pitch. Today we’ll touch on a few other approaches. You can do all of these exercises with music you are working on or, of course,...

Linley Marthe is a monster. Want proof? Check out this video of his project with drummer Nicolas Viccaro and pianist Grégory Privat playing the tune “Pa Pè” at La Note Bleue Jazz Club in Monaco. The tune takes a turn at the 5:54 mark when the trio kicks into a half-time groove and Marthe begins a funky envelope-laden solo.

Another week, another top 10 list of pure bass awesomeness. Here’s the most read stories and most viewed videos on No Treble for the week of May 27 – June 2, 2012. Thanks for reading, commenting and sharing! 1. Robert Trujillo Financing Jaco Pastorius Documentary Film We’d heard rumors about this, and now a report has come out via USA...

Reeves Amplification has released a new bass tube amp called the Custom 400. Made in the U.S., the head unit features four 12AX7 preamp tubes and six KT88 power tubes pushing out 400 watts. It also includes one 12AT7 phase inverter tube. The Custom 400 has Bright and Normal inputs, with separate volume controls for each as well as a...

This year marks the 55th anniversary of Walter Höfner’s 500/1 Höfner Violin Bass, made famous by Paul McCartney and dubbed by many as the “Beatle bass”. Author Joe Dunn has updated his guide to the bass, with the 2011 edition of Höfner Violin “Beatle” Bass, the only one dedicated to the instrument. The updated edition is an all-color, hardcover book...

In this video, bassist Shane Lentz shows off a bunch of the bass parts for tunes played by his band, Kamikabe. Hold on to your hat! Shane’s bass is tuned down several steps, with lowered action and Dean Markley Blue Steel 45 – 105 bass strings.

With the new addition of bassist Nicole Fiorentino, the Smashing Pumpkins have announced a summer tour of the U.S. with plans to visit South America and Australia later this year. Frontman Billy Corgan promises the music will be “a balance of classics, a few obscure ones, and new Teargarden material.” The band is also planning on invite select fans to...

Late last year we reported that Gene Simmons was being sued for assault. Simmons allegedly choked a man for trying to film him, but a Los Angeles district attorney, citing that there was a lack of sufficient evidence, dropped the case against him. This may be good news for the KISS bassist, but unfortunately he is now in the midst...

Following the passing of Slipknot bassist Paul Gray, the band has created a tribute video commemorating their band mate. The video is mostly interview clips of Gray speaking about a wide range of topics including childhood, Des Moines and the band itself, giving fans a better glimpse into the bassist’s life.

Bassist Juan Alderete De La Peña holds down the low end on the new Omar Rodriguez-Lopez Quartet album, Sepulcros De Miel, released June 1. The effort also features ex-Red Hot Chili Pepper John Frusciante and Omar’s brother, Marcel Rodriguez-Lopez. The album is available for free or any amount you choose to donate. All proceeds from the donations go a fund...

Bassist/vocalist Esperanza Spalding has updated tour information for the summer, including many festivals along the way: June dates June 5, 2009 at 8:00pm: Discover Jazz Festival, Burlington, VT June 8, 2009 at 8:00pm: Via Funchal. Jorge Benson with Esperanza Spalding, Sao Paulo, Sao Paulo June 13, 2009 at 8:00pm: Playboy Jazz Festival, Holywood Bowl, Hollywood, CA June 16, 2009 at...

One of the biggest creeds for bassists is “thou shalt worship thy metronome” (it comes right after “thou shalt be the sexiest member in the band”), and with good reason. Sexiness aside, we are the foundation, both harmonically and metrically, for the rest of the band. We’re the pulse. These exercises will help you get more mileage out of your...

All About Jazz has posted a feature piece on bassist Reed Mathis. Mathis is the bassist for Tea Leaf Green, who recently wrapped up the Got No Friends Tour. He’s someone bassists should keep an eye for his unique playing style. You can check out some of Mathis’s music with the Jacob Fred Jazz Odyssey and get a free download...