Bass Player is the world's most comprehensive, trusted and insightful bass publication for passionate bassists and active musicians of all ages. Each issue delivers the latest tips and techniques that are guaranteed to make you a better player.
The world of bass is moving forward, and we’re going with it—which is why we asked you, readers, to vote last month in an online poll of the Hottest (or Coolest, if you prefer) Bassists In The World. We were looking for your nominations for bass players, young, old, new, or established, who are taking the instrument forward—and you voted in your thousands. Joe Dart of Vulfpeck came in at Number 1 on our poll with ease, reflecting the admiration the bass community feels for his phenomenal skills on the instrument. Snapping at his heels in the top few entries came Mohini Dey, the Indian bass prodigy; Michael League of Snarky Puppy; and Austrian bass educator and performer Ariane Cap. I’m absolutely delighted that we managed to sit down with…
GRIND CORE! Peavey have announced their new Grind NTB range, available in four-, five-, and six-string models. The basses feature a mahogany body, maple stringers, a mahogany neck, and Indonesian rosewood fingerboard in a neck-through body design. Each model features a 24-fret fingerboard with a 35” scale and is loaded with passive humbuckers. Grab them for a rather affordable $766, $819, and $884. https://peavey.com MEATY Ernie Ball has announced a new addition to their Slinky bass string range. Beefy Slinky bass strings will be available from June 1 and feature ‘the same great bright and balanced tone that Slinkys are known for, in an even heavier combination for four-string players’, according to the company. Usefully for bassists of the headbanging persuasion, the .065 to .130 set has been designed for…
“IF YOU KNOW YOUR PART INSIDE AND OUT, YOU SHOULD BE BE ABLE TO JUMP RIGHT BACK IN” Welcome back, bassists! In this column I will be broaching the subject of dealing with mistakes in a live setting. No matter what level you are at, mistakes can and do happen—it’s all part of being human. As soon as we get to grips with that idea, the more we can enjoy and ultimately relax into performing live. At the same time, it’s good to have an expectation of your own standard of performance and to really minimize the opportunities for mistakes to occur—especially if you’re aiming to work as a live musician in a professional setting. For those reasons, I want to equip you with the necessary skills in order to…
“Ulrich Teuffel is one of my heroes, and I read in an old interview that according to him, ‘It’s impossible to be a good guitar builder, and a good bass builder’. From a physical and technological standpoint, I refuse to accept that,” states Ola Strandberg. Practically redefining the word innovation with his designs, Strandberg’s achievements are all the more remarkable since he’s never having received a single day of formal training. What started as a hobby back in the early 80s, has become a pillar in the global guitar community. His focus isn’t so much on making basses so smart that they come with their own degrees, but more so on the health and the longevity of bass players, he explains: “I came up with the catchphrase, ‘Feel better. Sound…
G eddy Lee is an inspiration for many of us, and practising his lines often bolsters our own playing. That’s why Ariane Cap’s latest video lesson in the Talking Technique series focuses on Lee’s work. Cap breaks down the bass-line to Rush’s ‘Dreamline’ to explain how he uses power chords. Starting with a quick harmonic rundown, she gives tips for fingering, technical execution, and practice. ‘This is a groove where playing with one finger in the right hand and foregoing one-finger-per-fret in the left make good sense,’ she says. Another article that sparked discussion was Ryan Madora’s Lightbulb Moment column entitled ‘One Song To Learn’. In it she makes a case for why Bon Jovi’s ‘Livin’ On A Prayer’ has the core of what you need to know to make…
Anyone who frequents online forums has either experienced GAS—the dreaded Gear Acquisition Syndrome—or witnessed those in the throes of it. I myself have been struck by it many times. But what is it, and how do we spare our wallets from it? Most of us who were playing before the internet took off remember what gear shopping was like. You went around to your local shops, had a dream instrument or two you’d occasionally take off the wall and play, and drooled over the pictures in your monthly copy of Bass Player or Bass Guitar. Nowadays, you’re bombarded with beautiful basses, crazy effects ,and high price goodies at every turn on the forums and YouTube. The deck may already be stacked against us, but what pushes some bassists over the…
