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.
There are no boundaries in the world of bass: these days, this truth applies more to our chosen instrument than to any other. Look at the new issue of our magazine, for example. Our cover star Mark King has been anchoring Level 42 with a combination of lightning-fast thumb slapping, and Jaco-style warmth, for four decades now. Then there’s Lemmy, whose distorted roar of chords is the polar-opposite approach. Meanwhile, Cher’s bassist Ashley Reeve and Dimmu Borgir’s Victor Brandt both play huge venues, but with absolutely opposed aesthetics, and somewhere off to the side, you’ll see 12-string bass collector Mark Rowe taking a completely different view. No boundaries. It’s all valid, it’s all exciting, and it’s all bass. That’s an ethos which underpins everything we do on this magazine. Nothing…
CORT STRENGTH Cort’s new A5 Plus SC bass has been reissued as a standard scale instrument, in response to bassists who preferred traditional fretting to that of its multi-scale predecessor. There’s a new finish, Amber Open Pore, fo the poplar burl top, but otherwise it’s the same singlecut, neck-through, string-through, 34” bass with a panga panga fretboard that we played and enjoyed at NAMM this year. Bartolini MK-1 pickups and preamp combination provides punch, boost and high end, and all for around the $1,500 mark. www.440distribution.com STAND TALL The new collapsible modular Multiple RockStands from Warwick can be expanded to accommodate a range of instruments, from bass to guitar and beyond, at an affordable price. The RockStands feature a telescopic mechanism for mobility, roller sets with brakes or footrests, and…
NEW ALBUM Michael Manring, Small Moments (2020) An incredibly innovative solo bassist, Michael consistently delivers mind-expanding songwriting. His new 12-tracker is proof that he’s still got it. OLD ALBUM Red Hot Chili Peppers, One Hot Minute (1995) This album may be among the least acclaimed among the Chilis’ considerable fanbase, but in bass terms, Flea is on superb form. REALLY OLD ALBUM Sarah Vaughan, Sarah Vaughan (1950) The astounding bass of Billy Taylor, Sr. is matched only by Sarah Vaughan’s liquid vocals on this immortal debut album.…
Hello bassists! I hope you’re all keeping happy and healthy. During these uncertain times, it’s important for us to keep on top of our playing and refining our performance skills—and fortunately, this is something that can be done from the comfort of our own homes. I’ve touched on preparation in previous issues, but you can treat this as a definitive guide to preparing for live performance. NOTES AND CHARTS When preparing for a tour or show where you need to learn existing bass parts, it’s important to do a bit of groundwork on your understanding of the structure. This is arguably where most mistakes stem from, so it is not a step to skip. There are a number of ways of doing this. You may be supplied with charts, which…
For most of us, the science that surrounds our basses often gets overlooked. We pluck a string; the string vibrates; the vibration makes sexy sounds; the audience shake their tail feathers; and it’s another job well done. Well, that simply isn’t enough for one of the top minds in music technology today. Dr Jonathan Kemp of the Music Center and School of Physics and Astronomy at the University of St Andrews in Scotland, UK, has focused his research on the effects of inharmonicity in lower-sounding strings, helping to improve the tone. But first, Doc, please explain what inharmonicity is for us uneducated bassists? “Inharmonicity is the resonances of the string going increasingly sharp of the true harmonic series,” explains Kemp. “It leads to problems because it can sound as if…
Welcome to the Woodshed! Because every bass player is different, optimal set-up is a completely subjective determination. There is simply no one ideal set-up for every player. For this reason, the ability to perform the adjustments required to maintain your personal instruments is invaluable. Over the years, I’ve worked with some high-profile bass players who, for fear that they would likely make things worse if they got in too deep, were uncomfortable making anything but the most basic, minor adjustments to their own basses. That’s a tough position to put yourself in if the instrument you’re dependent upon to make your living starts making moves of its own, especially if you’re travelling! The one mechanical device on a guitar which elicits the most profound dread when the time comes for…
