Innehållsförteckning för February 2022 från Bass Player

What makes a great bass player? For most of us, the concept of greatness probably means technique, tastefulness, influence, or just doing something useful on bass that no-one else has done before. All those elements apply to this issue’s long-awaited results of the 100 Greatest Bass Players poll that we ran online last year, and to which an astounding 100,000 and more of you responded. Of course, there’s more to greatness than just being good at what you do. There’s another factor, too: Whether a bassist stood their ground in the face of opposition, or persevered with their art in impossible circumstances, or went above and beyond in their search for excellence. Add those into the mix, too, and what you come up with is something very close to true…

Troy Johnson, bassist with Ratt frontman Stephen Pearcy, has announced this unique bass instrument, which can be played with a guitar strap, or with an endpin like an upright bass. “I would go from the upright, to the guitarrón/mariachi bass and the harp guitar, plucking, and listening,” Johnson has said. “I then drew up a trapezoidal flatback body with guitarrón/ Ernie Ball Earthwood dimensions, and an extended harp arm that connects to the headstock, almost creating a small grand piano... it has more volume, sustain, durability, and playability than any acoustic bass in the known universe.”…

In 1994, Duff McKagan of Guns N’Roses just about survives the explosion of his pancreas… One day, a movie should be made about the chaotic story of Guns N’Roses, perhaps the last and greatest hard rock band of the last century. Too full of egos to last more than a decade or so at the top, but too talented to drop off the radar completely, the LA band built a reputation for their anthemic songs and their relentless debauchery from 1987 to approximately 1994, when internal tensions caused the band to implode. For our purposes, much of GN’R’s musicality can be attributed to Michael ‘Duff’ McKagan, the punk rocker from Seattle who moved to Hollywood in the mid-Eighties and became a huge star. Duff, who became iconic for his energetic,…

When we’re asked to play specific grooves in time signatures other than 4/4, questions arise as how to interpret the specific rhythm and feel. To develop a feel for 3/4 jazz, it’s always a good idea to listen to recordings and learn to play along with them. This is really essential for your overall progress, and often overlooked. In essence, 3/4 is comprised of three different feels—the One Feel, the Two Feel and the Three Feel. We explore these below. As a bass player, understanding how to phrase the 3/4 groove is a combination of how you are interpreting the rhythms being played, and how you are interacting with the other musicians on the bandstand. These feels will help you do that. Musicians interpret rhythms in 4/4 differently to the…

01 PINO PALLADINO “I’m truly honored to be included in this list. Thank you to all who voted! No surprises here, but I have to give you two names—I really cannot narrow it down. First, James Jamerson, as he always found a way to be so creative within the framework of a song, constantly reacting to the vocal and offering surprising note choices to support the melody, while locking in with the drums and grooving like no-one else can. And Jaco, who I always go back to for inspiration. He opened up a whole new world of possibilities. It’s incredible how much he has added to the vocabulary of bassists today.” Pino Palladino Paul Young and his producer Laurie Latham were in the studio, tweaking their latest recording. It was…

01 CLIFF BURTON Like Jaco Pastorius, Metallica’s second and most gifted bassist, Cliff Burton was a prodigy who lost his life in a tragic accident at an early age, and in so doing deprived us all of decades of horizon-expanding playing. While we can only surmise what musical direction the 1962-born San Franciscan might have taken, had he survived that fatal Swedish coach crash in 1986, it’s likely that he would have elevated his signature style—thrash metal and hardcore punk aggression, combined with classical fugues and magical effects trickery—to unparalleled levels. Cliff’s legacy lies not just in the many studio and bootleg performances that still unnerve many of us today, but in the enormous cultural impact of his work. On the extreme metal scene of the early to mid-1980s, bass…

BLAST CULT www.blastcult.co.uk We reviewed an upright bass from the high-end luthiers Blast Cult a few issues back, and were suitably impressed. Now, they’ve sent us a semi-acoustic take on a classic design from rock’s golden age, hand-built in London. It’s expensive, but comes with a deluxe Midnight Gloss finish and celluloid pearloid binding to the body, F-holes and headstock: The basic Hollow Vee model is significantly cheaper. Let’s check it out. Build Quality If you’ve ever tried to wear or play a Flying V bass, comfort, balance, and all-round playability tend to play second fiddle to the overall look and aesthetic—we’re talking pose-ability here! Well, the Hollow Vee has all of that, but thankfully, it balances well on a strap, and its hollow construction facilitates plenty of playing time…

The Stave: Most music written for the bass guitar uses the bass clef. The example to the right shows the placement of the notes on the stave. Tablature: This is a graphical representation of the music. Each horizontal line corresponds with a string on the bass guitar, with the lowest line representing the lowest pitched string (E). The numbers represent the frets to be played. Numbers stacked vertically indicate notes that are played together. Where basses with five or six strings are required, the tablature stave will have five or six lines as necessary. PLAYING TECHNIQUES SLAP AND POP TECHNIQUE Notes slapped with the thumb are marked with a ‘t’, notes popped with the fingers marked with a ‘p’. ADVANCED SLAP TECHNIQUE Fretting hand slaps are marked ‘lh’ and double…

Last month, I decided to introduce you to the nerdy world of digital multi-effects units—and as a tech nerd myself, it’s a subject that I’m really interested in. We looked at the specifications that you might reasonably expect at entry level, so let’s explore the features that you’ll find on more expensive, midmarket units. Should I spend a lot of money on an multi-effects unit? It’s a bit like buying a laptop: a cheap one will only do so much. I wouldn’t be able to edit 4K videos with a low-spec processor, nor would I try to create professional video with an entry-level app. It’s the same with effects units. Quad-core processors and AI modeling algorithms will always outperform those more elementary systems. Great. More computer talk... Be quiet and…

Whitesnake have announced a new bassist, Tanya O’Callaghan, for their upcoming farewell tour, who will replace their long-time bass player Michael Devin. O’Callaghan, an Irish musician who operates as an established freelance bassist, has a star-studded resume, which includes stints with Dee Snider, Steven Adler, and Maynard Keenan, as well as numerous TV appearances. Breaking the news in a statement on the band’s official website, Whitesnake singer David Coverdale wrote, “Well, well, well, ladies and gentlemen, boys and girls. We are very proud to announce and introduce you all to our newest Snake... or should I say, Snakette! A whirling dervish of a performer whom we feel will bring a fresh, new, exciting musicality, and welcome energy to the band, both in the studio and onstage.” “For whatever reasons,” Coverdale…

G&L has updated its Fullerton Deluxe bass guitar line with the Western sugar pine-bodied JB-5. According to G&L, sugar pine is a light wood with striking resonance, and on this bass it’s paired with a maple neck boasting a 9 1/2″ radius and Jescar 57110 medium-jumbo nickel-silver frets. Sonically, the bass is armed with a pair of G&L Alnico jazz pickups, controlled by a pair of volume knobs and a single tone. The G&L Fullerton Deluxe JB-5 bass is available now in Tobacco Sunburst and Himalayan Blue finishes for $1,799.…

We’ve all asked ourselves who the greatest bassist in history might be. Why do we do this? The answer is simple—because we love bass and the musicians who play it. The coolest instrument ever invented deserves its own GOAT list, even though we’ll never really agree on who’s really the best bassist of all, so we ran a poll at www.guitarworld.com in the summer of 2021 to see what you thought about this important matter. Make no mistake, we thought long and hard about how to take a snapshot of bass in 2021. It’s a fun but tricky task, because there are so many amazing bass players around, from young social media stars to veterans who’ve been on Bass Player’s cover many times since we published our first issue in…

01 BOOTSY COLLINS “I grew up on James Jamerson’s bass playing, so he would be my first choice. I loved the total perfection in his note spacing and the melodic sensibility in his playing style, during a time when bass playing was very basic, and melody styles wasn’t the coolest thang to do. I also love the fact that he changed with the times by adding the electric bass to his arsenal. He had to prove that he made the correct choice by using the electric bass, while doubt was still present. His one-finger style amazed me, because it was always a wonder how he could do what he did using one finger. I think it helped me create the style that I wound up with. “Finger Funkin’ with Two…

01 GEDDY LEE “I will never forget the first time I heard that undeniable, twangy, and ferocious flurry of notes which comprise the solo of ‘My Generation’. Little did I realize at the time, how much The Ox would change the way I listened to music. My ears would be forever attuned to the murkier, nether regions of a song, that place where bass guitar parts roam.” Geddy Lee Blessed with an incredibly versatile set of pipes, in addition to his superlative bass skills, Gary Lee Weinrib—nicknamed Geddy Lee after the way his grandmother used to pronounce his name—was among the first electric players to combine funk with progressive-rock elements (quirky time signatures and key changes, a flurry of different musical styles, intoxicating dexterity... you know the drill) and make…

01 ASTON ‘FAMILY MAN’ BARRETT Aston Barrett is the key bassist in the emergence of reggae worldwide: His mighty influence towers over the genre. He was born in Kingston, Jamaica on November 22, 1946 and, along with his younger brother, drummer Carlton Barrett, got bitten by the music bug at an early age. The family home was in the same yard as a sax player called Val Bennett, and the ska and rocksteady innovators the Skatalites would come to rehearse there, too. In his early days, Aston was a budding singer and pianist, singing bass in a harmony group, albeit to little effect. While at his day job as a welder, he constructed a one-string bass guitar from plywood and curtain rods that he’d twang while Carly hammered out rhythms…

DINGWALL www.dingwallguitars.com Take a long look! These are two beautiful basses, carrying with them all the attention to detail and design ethos that you would expect of a Dingwall instrument. The Aquaflake model is a looker by any reckoning, and then we have the Hellboy Limited Edition—a bass, it is claimed, that comes straight from hell. It comes fitted with a Darkglass distortion circuit, so there’s no need for pedals, effect modeling, or amp tinkering—the Hellboy can be made to rip and tear into any band mix with the turn of a control. Read on! Build Quality Both instruments follow the D-Roc body template, with a sizable cutaway to allow extended access to the upper-range frets. To facilitate the Hellboy graphic on the body-facing, the standard raised central portion of…

Hey there, bass players! Welcome back to our discussion of rhythm. While scales and arpeggios are great ways to practice technique, let’s maintain a musical balance with our understanding of rhythm, articulation, and note duration. These concepts can make or break your groove, so learning how to create or interpret different rhythms will help you stand out of the pack, or more importantly, stand next to a drummer on the bandstand. We’ve spent the past few columns discussing two types of triplet-based rhythms: Swung eighth notes and eighth note triplets. Now, it’s time to tackle something slightly more complex, the quarter note triplet. At first glance, you may be wondering, “How can this be more complex? Quarter notes are larger increments than eighth notes, so shouldn’t this be easier?” Yes…

The great reggae bassist and producer Robbie Shakespeare died in early December, aged 68. Often paired with the equally great drummer Sly Dunbar, Shakespeare was half of one of the world’s most sought-after rhythm sections, playing with artists such as Bob Dylan, Sinead O’Connor, and many others. Announcing his passing, Jamaica’s Culture Minister Olivia Grange said “Sly and Robbie took bass playing and drumming to the highest level as they made music for themselves as a group, and for many other artistes locally and internationally.” Jamaica’s Prime Minister Andrew Holness added, “When it comes to reggae bass playing, no-one comes close to having the influence of Robbie Shakespeare.” The music business had long known this about Shakespeare, nominating him for 13 Grammy awards over the years, of which he won…

01 JACO PASTORIUS “I am a very bad imitation of Jerry Jemmott.” Jaco Pastorius, as told to Peter Mengaziol in Guitar World, 1983 It’s arguable that the greatest bass player who has ever lived was the late Jaco Pastorius, whose breathtaking technique, coupled with searing innovation, inexhaustible creativity, and a charismatic personality, has made him a bass legend like none other before or since. It’s a sign of this unique status that we in the bass-playing community only need to use his first name when referring to him: Like Elvis, Madonna, and Prince, everybody knows who Jaco was. Born on December 1, 1951 in Norristown, Pennsylvania, John Francis Pastorius III started his musical education with the jazz which his father, Jack, a professional drummer, played for him. He trained as…

01 DUSTY HILL July 28, 2021 was the saddest of days. Joe Michael ‘Dusty’ Hill departed the planet at the age of 72, and the world became that little bit less fun. Of course, the long-bearded Dallas native left a long legacy with ZZ Top, with whom he starred for five decades. The hard rock and blues juggernaut continues, as Hill personally requested, with his former bass tech Elwood Francis on bass. It was the cello that first turned Hill’s head, but by age 13 he’d already decided that the electric bass was his bag, and he duly exploded onto the local bar scene while still in high school. Later, he and drummer Frank Beard played in various Texas bands, including American Blues, at that time also featuring his older…

01 CHARLES BERTHOUD “My favorite bass player of all time would have to be Victor Wooten. He combined new techniques with a beautiful tone, incredible sense of groove and great compositional instincts to create some of the most iconic bass performances of all time, and then became a world-renowned educator to inspire the next generation. It doesn’t get much better than that!” Charles Berthoud First, Charles Berthoud wins our first ever Rising Star award, then you vote him Best New Bass Player in this poll? It’s been quite a year for the Brit, who crossed the pond to take up residence on the east coast of the USA. He’s enjoyed a rapid ascent to YouTube stardom thanks to the wit and skill he displays in his videos, over 200 of…

I once watched a wonderful exchange between the Oscar-winning actor Tom Hanks and the star of the Marvel franchise, Tom Holland, where the actors discussed a speech exercise formulated from repetitions. The objective was simple: Ask the same question using different vocabulary. The question was simply “Would you like more coffee?” Holland’s first response was “Coffee? Boy, do I need more coffee!”, but then he was required to repeat the process using different words. “Would you like more coffee?” Hanks asks. “Yes please, Mr. Hanks, I need some more coffee!” The process repeats, stretching Holland’s vocabulary. “Would you like more coffee?” “Coffee? Come on, Tom Hanks, all I want is more coffee!” comes the reply. Eventually, with the exercise exhausted, the process forces the speakers to use a whole variety…

This question might sound silly for an advanced lesson, but here it is. How well do you know your major scale? I know the tried and true 2-4, 1-2-4, 1-3-4 pattern has been our go-to for years now, but there are distinct advantages to learning as many of the major scale patterns as you possibly can. The same goes for minor, melodic minor, melodic major, harmonic minor, harmonic major, and bop scales. But let’s not get crazy here. In all honesty, I don’t know anyone who has done all that work—so today we’re only going to be focusing on the major scale. One of the main advantages of learning the different ways to play a particular scale is the economy of motion provided by its alternate shape, especially when playing…