Buying a set of bass guitar strings can be one of the toughest decisions you'll ever make. How bright do those sound?, will those sound good in the mix?, will my bass be heard on stage?, will these give me more of an upright bass tone or more of a Chuck Rainey-1970s sound? are just some of the questions you might find yourself asking yourself as you stare behind the counter … [Read more...] about The Ultimate Beginner’s Guide to Everything About Bass Guitar Strings
Reviews
Track Review: Guus van Beelen’s ‘Springtime’
Sunshine, birds chirping, warm weather. All things one would associate with spring. One reader submission captures those warm, lax feelings of a lazy spring day called ‘Springtime’. Submitted by Dutch bassist and teacher Guus van Beelen, his latest composition, ‘Springtime’ perfectly captures the easy-goingness of a warm spring day. Combining pinch harmonics and carefully … [Read more...] about Track Review: Guus van Beelen’s ‘Springtime’
Review: 4” Black Leather Bass Strap by Italia Leather Strap
Few things say cool and smooth quite like leather. And when you combine bass playing with leather then you've got a sight and sound fit for the sleekest jazz bar. While there are many leather strap makers out there, in this review we're going to look at one of the smaller ones out there doing big things out there for a whole slew of artists all around the world. Italia … [Read more...] about Review: 4” Black Leather Bass Strap by Italia Leather Strap
Review: Bernell’s Steak Sauce Bass Additive Overdrive Pedal
Bass overdrive pedals are pedal board staples. They add a special grind and dirt to a bass signal like no other pedal can. Whether a little wool for a classic rock song or a lot of wool for a dirty funk anthem, overdrive pedals are a must have and having the right overdrive pedal in your board is essential. Today we're going to take a look at a special, boutique overdrive … [Read more...] about Review: Bernell’s Steak Sauce Bass Additive Overdrive Pedal
Album Review: Mark Egan’s ‘Direction Home’
Mark Egan often provides subtle accompaniment, holding things together with his bass work and making other musicians look good in his role as a studio musician. The music on Direction Home, his latest release, showcases a range of musical personality from the mellow support to the exuberant lead in a rush of cool, collected jazz compositions. “Summer Fun”, a comfortable … [Read more...] about Album Review: Mark Egan’s ‘Direction Home’
Album Review: Rich Brown’s Between Heaviness & Here
Toronto bassist and composer Rich Brown wears many musical hats. Brown is known for his widely varied studio work as well as his playing in the group Gamak and the modern jazz band he leads, rinsethealgorithm, has released a solo bass record, Between Heaviness & Here. Between Heaviness & Here as a total listen showcases Brown’s some of brown’s most consistent musical … [Read more...] about Album Review: Rich Brown’s Between Heaviness & Here
Album Review: Josh Cohen’s Out of the Bassment
Many bassists will release an album of solo material but ‘solo’ usually means that the bassist is the focal point of the album and there are additional musicians featured throughout the album to support the star. It’s not too often that you see, literally, a solo bassist album where the bassist is the only musician featured on the album. Josh Cohen’s Out of the Bassment is one … [Read more...] about Album Review: Josh Cohen’s Out of the Bassment
Review: Fuzzrocious Pedals’ ZUUL Oscillator Pedal
Ghostbusters fans go nuts for Fuzzrocious Pedals' tribute to Egon and guitar pedal hardware. I had been exchanging pedals back and forth with Fuzzrocious founder, Ryan Ratajski (pronounced ‘ruh-tie-skee’), about doing a review of Fuzzrocious’ ZUUL pedal and this is that review. I had first come across the ZUUL pedal, also known as the There Is No Dana…only ZUUL, at the time I … [Read more...] about Review: Fuzzrocious Pedals’ ZUUL Oscillator Pedal
Review: Death From Above 1979’s ‘The Physical World’
Bassists unfamiliar with Death From Above 1979 should make themselves familiar with this act if not for one reason only: it's a bass guitar and drummer duo. Death From Above 1979 (or DFA 1979 for short) are a duo from Toronto, Ontario, Canada made up of bassist Jesse Keeler and drummer Sebastien Grainger. The band has been called everything from punk rock to dance rock to … [Read more...] about Review: Death From Above 1979’s ‘The Physical World’
Review: Anadime Bass Chorus by Providence LTD
Small, sturdy, simple, and functional. All words I would use to describe Providence LTD's newest addition to their bass guitar pedal line, the Anadime Bass Chorus. I had the pleasure of being able to demo one of these pedals for my first gear review for Smart Bass Guitar this past month after getting in contact with the pedal manufacturer's representative, Masaki. This … [Read more...] about Review: Anadime Bass Chorus by Providence LTD