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.
What do punk rock, funk, classic jazz, desert rock, death metal, weightlifting and ‘semantic chunking’ (bear with us) have in common? They’re all examined in detail in this fantastic issue of the world’s premiere bass magazine, that’s what—and all of them relate to the study, practice and performance of bass in some useful way. That’s why we’re here, after all, whether we’re taking in Green Day bassist Mike Dirnt’s immense new album, digging the deep grooves of Ida Nielsen’s latest compositions or heading out to the prairie with sometime Kyuss bassist Scott Reeder. Between those three bass players alone, there’s wisdom for the ages. It doesn’t stop there, of course, with the combined knowledge of (deep breath) bassists Lloyd Wood, Charlie Wooton, Taylor Lee, Joe Goldman, Lydia Martel, Kristiine Silinja,…
HEART BREAKING A supergroup calling themselves the Jaded Hearts Club have released a debut single, a cover of the Isley Brothers’ 1962 song ‘Nobody But Me’. Now, we’re as sceptical as the next right-thinking bassist when we come up against these short-lived, generally not-very-super projects (where’s Superheavy nowadays, eh?), but this one is of particular interest for two reasons. One, it’s formed of respected musicians including Matt Bellamy (Muse), Graham Coxon (Blur), Sean Payne (Zutons) and Miles Kane (Last Shadow Puppets), and two, Bellamy is playing bass this time. As Muse fans will know, his guitar playing is nothing less than otherworldly, so it’ll be fascinating to see what he comes up with on the old four-string. In his own words, “I read somewhere recently, which made me laugh, that…
NEW ALBUM Fairport Convention, Shuffle And Go (2020) Dave Pegg reveals 50 years’ worth of awareness of the low end with the restrained but melodic lines he delivers on this energetic album. OLD ALBUM Jaco Pastorius, Jaco Pastorius (1975) Yes, we know you’ve read about this album far too often—we get it. Sometimes, though, you have to go back to the source. REALLY OLD ALBUM Duke Ellington, The Duke Plays Ellington (1953) Then again, this is the real source. Wendell Marshall is on flying form on this surprisingly modern-sounding album.…
Hello, bass players! I’m starting festival season early with the next column in my Player Series. This month, I will be sharing advice on how to be effective in the world of music festivals and open-air shows. These events can be a completely different experience to playing venues or club gigs, so it’s important that you know how to adapt and what to expect. Get stuck in with these essential tips... PREPARATION Festival shows are some of the most demanding setups and pack-downs that you will encounter in the live world. You rarely get a soundcheck, unless you’re the headliner, and you have a limited window of time to get your gear ready and on stage. Being prepared with a tech spec and monitor mix preferences for each band member…
NO TREBLE KEVIN JOHNSON Let’s support each other through the tough times Sadly, this past month has been another tragic period in the bass world. It began when it was announced that Juan Alderete was in a bicycle accident that left him in a coma with a serious type of traumatic brain injury known as diffuse axonal injury. Weeks after his accident, he’s been showing signs of improvement such as responding to commands by nodding his head. Alderete has been a role model for bassists for decades with his work in Racer X, the Mars Volta, Big Sir, Deltron 3030, and more. He has freely shared his vast knowledge of effects on his website PedalsAndEffects.com. His most recent gig has been laying down the low end for Marilyn Manson, and…
Since 1968, Gallien-Krueger Bass Amplification has maintained an unequivocal reputation for having sculpted the tone of some of the most iconic bass players on the planet, from Dave Holland to Flea. From humble beginnings in his garage in San Jose, California, Robert Gallienwho co-founded the company with Richard Krueger—began a journey like few others in our world. Looking back, did he ever think that his DIY activities would go so far, we ask? “I hear comments like this now and then—and while they’re always heartwarming, I have to keep things in perspective,” he smiles. “I take the design considerations seriously, always keeping the end player in mind. The player feedback which I get confirms that I get a lot of it right, but these are instrument amplifiers, not the iPhone.”…
