Monthly Archives: March 2013

The Fellowship of the Bass Guitar

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So, down here in Nashville, TN, there is this thing called the Brotherhood of the Guitar.  This brotherhood is a group made up of up and coming guitarists (men and women) from all over the country. This group was created by Robert M. Knight, a photographer that has photographed Jimi Hendrix, Stevie Ray Vaughn, Led Zeppelin, Eric Clapton, Jeff Beck, and Steve Vai (to name a few).

The Brotherhood of the Guitar was designed to give young, up and coming guitarists exposure and a spotlight.  The website was designed so that these young guitarists could tell others who they were and what they want to  accomplish with their musical talents.  Not only is the Brotherhood great for exposure, it’s also great for networking.  These guitarists have the opportunity to make the journey to success together.

However, My one question is: What about the bass guitarists out there? We spend so much of our time in the shadows, I think we deserve something like the Brotherhood of the Guitar.  We should call it “The Fellowship of the Bass.”  Then, we can call ourselves The Fellowship and our catch phrase could be “One Clef To Rule Them All.”  (I sincerely hope Lord of the Rings fans got me that way I don’t seem like a total geek)

So, if something like “The Fellowship of the Bass” existed who would you nominate to be apart of it? Tweet me, Facebook me, Leave a comment! Let me know!

Also, check out the Brotherhood guitarists! Not only are they amazing people, but they are sincerely talented! Check it out!

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Review: Orianthi – “Heaven In This Hell”

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While Orianthi may not be a bassist, she is a highly talented guitarist and vocalist.  And I love her. Orianthi released her second studio album, Heaven in this Hell, about two weeks ago and I have had the opportunity to listen to it top to bottom.  This album really shows off Orianthi’s vocal talent as well as her musical talents.  I love this album so very much that I figured  I would review it.  Here we go!

This first song off the album is Heaven in this Hell.  This song encompasses many rock influences.  When you first turn it on, there’s this eerie voice over before a heavy guitar intro comes on.  The song has a groove worth dancing for!

However, the next track is You Don’t Wanna Know and this track really encompasses modern country.  The guitar intro is so earthy and almost bluegrass-y.  The track still holds the rock feel to it, but it’s a lot like what modern country is today: Kick ass. Other tracks like Fire, If U Think That U Know Me, and Rock, also hold a lot of country influences.

Then you have tracks like How Do You Sleep?, How Does That Feel? and Filthy Blues, that hold a lot of blues influences.  The guitar solos and lyrics hold true to what a lot of modern day blues has become.

This album as a whole is incredible.  The songs are extremely catchy, well produced, and well written.  Definitely worth it to listen to!

The Allure of Vintage Models

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Vintage model basses are a lot like custom made models.  Some believe they are over priced and unnecessary and some believe it is worth the extra money.  I’ve been on both ends of the spectrum.  For a long time I thought that modern models were no different than vintage models, but now I see the obvious differences.  So, if you’re trying to find out why so many people vintage models, I’m going to explain why I love vintage models.  Hope it helps!

Look:

First thing’s first, look.  I love the classic look of a vintage model bass. The small differences between then and now make the instrument look so classy and sleek and I love it.

Craftsmanship:

However, the most important thing about a vintage model is all in the craftsmanship.  Vintage models are known for having excellent and precise craftsmanship.  For example, some vintage models may have a rarer bridge on them than the factory standard ones that come on instruments today.  Many vintage models come standard with the bridge cover and the pickup cover.

Tone:

Tone is a biggy as well.  Guitar players alike spend hundreds of dollars on pedals just to try and get that “vintage tone.” I can’t really describe the “vintage tone,” because it’s different per guitar.  I have heard many say the sound is fuller, edgier, tighter, and/or more consistent.  Of course, many say the exact opposite, but those are just some of the things I’ve heard from people who are pro-vintage models.  I personally think that vintage models are all a little darker and tighter.  I love that I can get a rock sound, but still keep the punch.

These are three things I love about vintage models.  I especially love that I can pick up a vintage model bass and love it.  With newer models I feel like I’m constantly trying basses and discovering what I do and do not like.  I LOVE vintage models!

 

If you have a reason you do not like vintage models, or reasons why you love vintage models, let me know!  I’m dying for some feedback on this topic!

Review: EMG-J Pickups

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I recently won a pair of EMG J-Bass pickups. Since I had never played with them, I decided to ask several people how they felt about them and I read several reviews.  A lot of them said the same thing, so I thought I’d share what I found with you all!

Tone is ultimately the most important thing when it comes to the decision to upgrade a bass guitar.  What I’ve found from listening to videos and reading reviews, is that EMG pickups favor the low end considerably.  They cut out a lot of the mid-range and treble and make up for it with bass.  Also, many say that these pickups are 100% hum free.  One less thing to worry about!

Many describe these pickups as being extremely clean (almost sterile). Also, these pickups are consistent and are hotter than most other pickups.  Sound men love it.  However, it’s ultimately going to come down to what you think.  I have read several conflicting reviews.  Some say that they hated that these pickups cut out a lot of the mid range, some say that they love it.  I guess it’s all about personal preference.

Tell me what you think!

Why I’m Falling In Love With Precision Basses

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When I first started playing bass, I was immediately drawn to the Jazz Bass. I thought the precision bass was too dark.  However, as I grew more knowledgable of tone and what causes it, I realized I actually liked P-basses.  I realized that P-Basses have a distinct, an desirable, sound.  Here are some reasons why I’m falling in love with P-Basses.

1: Pickup Style

I’ll admit that I’m one those bassists that likes to pull on strings a lot harder than I should.  I’m trying to correct it, but ya know.  The Jazz Bass pickups serve well for people who slap, pop, and pick a lot.  So, when you play a jazz bass and you pull too hard on the string, you get a pop sound.  To many, this can be a displeasing sound.  The P-bass kind of cures this.  You can pull hard on the strings and not get a lot of distortion. What a relief!

2. Tone

I’m a bass player that likes her instruments to sound, well, bass-y.  The P-Bass generally sounds deeper and fatter, while a jazz bass has a better mid range and treble.  Also, (and this could be because of the pickup style) the P-Bass sounds warmer and more consistent than a jazz bass.

3. Similarity to Jazz Bass

This may seem like a ridiculous pro, but I do love that the P-Bass is quite similar to J-Basses.  If you compare a standard Fender P-Bass and a standard Jazz bass, the woods and hardware used are quite similar.  The dimensions of these instruments are also exactly the same.  So, your hands will be convinced you’re playing the same bass!

 

Feedback? Let me know!

Solo Bass Arrangement: Chopin Waltz

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I love a good classical music piece and I love a good solo bass arrangement.  So, I thought, “Why not search for a combination of the two?!” This is what I found.  A really cool bass arrangement to one of Chopin’s Waltz.

Check out Grzegorz Kosinski!

Bassists to Know: Bill Black

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Bill Black is a common name down here in Nashville, but some people don’t understand his importance among the bass community.  Bill Black was an extremely talented bassist that helped define the term “Rockabilly.”  His slapping style is revered by many to this day.

Bill Black started out playing for a band with guitarist Scotty Moore.  Soon, the two were introduced to Elvis Presley and they recorded a few songs with him.  The two weren’t overly impressed by Elvis at first (go figure), but after the success of “That’s Alright Mama” and “Blue Moon of Kentucky”, Bill and Scotty left their previous band and went on tour with Elvis.

Bill was known mostly for his “slap bass” technique and the way he would jump around on stage.  He was also one of the first bassists to use a Fender Precision Bass on recording.  Bill Black is my favorite rockabilly bassist and I can only hope to be a fraction of how great he was.

If you would like to learn more about Bill Black, you can go to his Wikipedia Page.

If you want to listen to Bill Black, listen to some of Elvis’s early works.  Such as “Blue Moon of Kentucky”, “That’s Alright Mama”, “Heartbreak Hotel” or “Hound Dog.”

Humidifying Your Acoustic Instrument

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In July of last year, I bought a very tall, very expensive instrument. An upright bass.  This instrument is well over six feet tall, which means that a lot of wood was used to create this instrument.  Because of this, I’m learning more and more about keeping the wood of an instrument safe. Remember that humidifying is important, but over humidifying can be just as bad.

As your acoustic instrument absorbs moisture, that wood swells and expand.  This can cause permanent warping and glue joints to come undone.  At the same time, if the air is too dry, your instrument’s wood can crack.  Cracking wood won’t really affect your tone, but it can lead to wood warping and/or cause the wood to twist out of alignment. That’s why it is important to humidify your instrument.  Read some of these quick tips to help!

1. Level of humidity

Most factories that build your instruments keep their humidity around 45-55%.  Somewhere in that range is the “Safe Zone” for humidity.  You can purchase an inexpensive hygrometer to tests the humidity levels of the room that you store your instruments in.

2. Humidifier type

There are quite a few different type of humidifiers out there.  There are humidifiers that you can place in the sound hole of your instrument and some that you can place inside your instrument case.  However, if you’re someone like me that likes to leave their instruments out on display, a room humidifier is probably the best for you.  Room humidifiers are inexpensive and are easy to use.  Just add water!

3. Monitor!

You should constantly look for signs that your instrument is okay. Look for warped wood, pay close attention to the action on your neck, listen for buzzing, and watch for cracks.  All of these things could be caused by too much or too little humidity and can cause more serious problems with your instrument.

Free Lessons

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As musicians, we never stop learning.  Any instrument can be played in countless ways.  We learn from other musicians, from teachers, and from practicing random stuff.  The best thing about learning, is that it can happen without money. There are also several websites that post neat lessons every week.  I follow them RELIGIOUSLY! Here are a few websites that I get free bass lessons from.

#1: No Treble

I follow No Treble for lessons, bass news, new gear, and for their columns.  This site is completely dedicated to bass players (no guitar players allowed!). They have a section of their site completely dedicated to lessons and I have learned some great things from them.  The lessons range from riffs to reading sheet music to working with scales.  I love No Treble!

#2: Talk Bass

Talk Bass is a forum website for bass players alike.  They have several bassists from all over the world sharing stories, gear reviews, technique lessons, and advice.  Talk Bass is a wonderful place for bassists from all over to chat.

#3: Scott’s Bass Lessons

Scott’s Bass Lessons is a website completely dedicated to delivering bassists with free lessons.  I love Scott’s Bass Lessons.  I’ve learned a lot from technique to riffing from Scott.  Definitely worth checking it out!

 

If you have any other websites you follow for lessons, let me know! Learning is key! :-)