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Today, we continue the Slap Bass 101 series, adding the basic “funk/rock scale” – the minor pentatonic, with trills, to what we’ve learned so far. Check out the entire Slap Bass 101 series: Part 1: Slap Bass Introduction Part 2 – Building on the Basics Part 3 – Left Hand Slap & Hammer-Ons Part 4...

In today’s featured video, Richard Bona performs his tune “Dina Lam”, from the 2003 album Munia: The Tale.

Former White Zombie bassist Sean Yseult has announced that her new book, I’m In the Band: Backstage Notes from the Chick in White Zombie, will be hitting stores on November 1st. The book chronicles her time in the band through a combination of tour diaries, flyers, and photos to document her role as a female...

Aguilar Amplification has unveiled their newest pickup set: the AG 5J-60. The pickups are made to bring the tone of a 60’s era Fender Jazz to modern 5-string basses using all period correct components, including Heavy Formvar wire and Anico V magnets. The AG 5J-60 set is made to be a direct replacement in the...

Q: Whenever I play, I tend to speed up, and my play is kind of choppy and uneven. Do you have any tips to help my playing become more consistent? A: I’ve probably touched on this in previous articles, but it’s worth repeating. The best way to work on any facet of your playing is...

While this isn’t the highest quality video out there, we couldn’t pass up the chance to feature it. Bassist Viaceslav Svedov took Jimi Hendrix’s “Voodoo Chile (Slight Return)” and Marcus Miller’s “Power” and mashed it up into a great solo bass performance.

Though he may not be working with MGMT just yet, Sir Paul McCartney has lent his bass work to Travis frontman Fran Healy’s first solo release, Wreckorder. The album has an October 5 release date, and features McCartney’s melodic lines on the track “As It Comes.” As part of the deal, Healy agreed to go...

VG-EC, sunburst finish, maple body and set neck, fretless ebony fingerboard (no lines), dot markers on the side only (for unknown reasons the dots have been moved to the in-between the frets position), 2 humbucking pickups, 2 band passive EQ, 4-way rotary switch, single ply black pickguard, bridge accommodates top loading or string through body, one strap button moved from back of body to bass cutaway, originally called the L-9S, by '74 Gibson changed the name to the Ripper, Rick Danko of the Band use one in the "Last Waltz" movie, 1-11/16" nut, 34" scale, no bridge cover, made in the USA, with shaped OHSC (red lining) (SN:500394) ($850.00)

Meet Ryan Madora, a bassist from Philadelphia, PA and our player in the spotlight for August 31, 2010. Bio: Redefining the look of traditional bass players, Ryan Madora is currently lighting up the Philadelphia music scene with old school soul and blues inspired grooves. At the age of 16, Ryan began attending blues jams in...

The EP2 Envelope Phaser is a rework of the Pigtronix’s flagship EP1, which they released six years ago. Though similar in concept, the new model really expands on its sonic capabilities and controls. The pedal, which features true bypass, is a phase shifter that is controlled by an Envelope (EF) or a LFO, giving you...

Today’s special is “Memphis Soul Stew”, with about a half a tea cup of bass from Jerry Jemmott. Listen to the band move, watch the people groove y’all.

Forty years after it’s original release, Miles Davis’ Bitches Brew has been re-mastered and re-released in a 3-disc set, with the original album and six bonus tracks over 2 CD’s as well as a DVD of the previously unreleased Copenhagen concert from November 4, 1969. The psychedelic, electrified album was Davis’ first to go gold...

VG-EC except needs work (clean electronics, dress frets, setup, etc. - sold AS-IS), offset double cutaway body, sunburst finish, bolt-on one piece maple neck, 21 frets with black dot inlays, 1-11/16" nut width, 34" scale, one single coil pickup with 8 adjustable pole pieces, one volume and one tone control, black crinkle finish bridge plate, neck plate and control plate, top-load bridge, nickel G&L tuners, made in the USA, with black OHSC (brown lining) (SN:B016566) ($375.00)

EC- except needs some work (polish frets, clean electronics, setup, etc. - sold AS-IS), black finish, offset double cutaway alder body, bolt-on maple neck, 20-fret maple fingerboard, black dot inlays, 1-1/2" nut width, 34" scale, one split coil pickup, volume and tone control, chrome hardware, made in USA, with thermoplastic OHSC (black lining) (SN:07450483) ($135.00)

VG-EC, transparent cherry red finish, mahogany Les Paul Junior style double cutaway body, set mahogany neck (neck has been reglued at some point and 3 large screws were added to joint), 20-fret rosewood fingerboard with pearl dot inlays (one replaced dot at 12th fret), 1-5/8" nut width, ~30" scale length, one humbucking pickup with black plastic cover and adjustable pole pieces, one volume control and one tone control with metal pointers, black plastic pickguard, cast one-piece bridge-tailpiece combination, 4 stairstep "Banjo" tuners with white plastic buttons (one button is a replacement), pearl "Gibson" and crown headstock inlays (small chip in overlay near "G" string), pots codes date to 1959, one strap button has been relocated from back of body to bass side cutaway, this is the same Gibson bass model that Gene Simmons used early in his "KISS" career, with newer rough condition HSC (bugundy lining, broken handle, torn tolex) (SN:0 8595) ($1,850.00)

In case you missed it in March, the Experience Hendrix Tour, anchored by Hendrix bassist Billy Cox, will be making it’s comeback this Fall for another twenty dates across the East Coast, Midwest, and Canada. Cox is the sole-surviving member of Hendrix’s Experience and Band of Gypsy’s groups. “It’s a thrill for me to play...

This is your friendly neighborhood bass columnist bringing you the second half of a look at Mr. Paul Chambers (or for short, “Mr. P.C.”) I hope you got a chance to play through “Mopp Shoe Blues” from last time, and try a bit of Chambers’ solo. As I said last time, this is one of...

This is a clip from the Joe Satriani: Live in San Francisco DVD, in which Stu Hamm proves why he is among the bass greats. Starting with a bass arrangement of Satriani’s “Love Thing,” the solo soon morphs into Beethoven’s “Moonlight Sonata”, and then “Country Music”. And don’t worry, the crowd isn’t booing him, they...

Here are the most read, most popular stories and features on No Treble for the week of August 22 – 28, 2010. Slap Bass 101: Part 4 – Right Hand Pluck/Pop Video: Time Warp: Robert Trujillo Breaks Down His Technique Gear: A Closer Look at the Ibanez Ashula Fretted/Fretless Hybrid Contest: Win a Signed Copy...

Music Man is now offering roasted maple necks as an option for their instruments. Besides looking great, the thermally treated necks have other benefits, including resistance to temperature and warping, increased resonance, and clearer tone. The heating process also gives a microstructure similar to naturally aged woods with lower moisture content. The new roasted maple...