Roger David Glover November 30, 1945 – Present Roger Glover was the bassist for Deep Purple from 1969–1973. From 1979 to 1984 he was the bassist for Rainbow. In 1984 Deep Purple got back together and there he has stayed. Glover was inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame in April of 2016. “Smoke On The Water” Let’s start with one of the most iconic guitar riffs ever, “Smoke … Continue reading Bass Influence: Roger Glover
Raymond Berry Oakley IIIApril 4, 1948 – November 11, 1972 Another one of my favorite bands, The Allman Brothers. Their founding bassist was none other than Berry Oakley and he was amazing! He is ranked #46 on Bass Player Magazine’s list of “The 100 Greatest Bass Players of All Time.” We are fortunate enough to have had him record four full albums with The Allman Brothers and … Continue reading Bass Influence: Berry Oakley
I have decided to learn more about Jazz music as part of the expansion to my personal musical education. Why? Musicians need to continue higher learning try to expand the pallet. Terence Blanchard Many of my bass heroes have a background in Jazz music. It gives me an opportunity to expand my musical vocabulary. ie. phrases, patterns, and harmonies that are not common in rock/pop … Continue reading Must Learn Jazz Standards
This is a very sensitive subject when it comes to musicians. I personally do not read music very well and I have a long way to go before I can call myself proficient at it. That being said, it is something that I continue to work on. I continue to work on it because I want to master my instrument. This may never happen, but … Continue reading Musical Notation Vs. Tab
John Symon Asher Bruce 14 May 1943 – 25 October 2014 Jack Bruce is primarily know for his time with the band Cream. Cream consisted of three members, Eric Clapton on guitar, Jack Bruce on bass, and Ginger Baker on drums. Although, they were only together for a couple years, they left a huge mark on Rock & Roll. All three musicians went on to have … Continue reading Bass Influence: Jack Bruce
I think that these videos are so cool!! Two different Bassists display their technical abilities by demonstrating various techniques in the YouTube videos posted below. Even though some of the techniques used are the same; you can really hear the difference in their styles. Let me know what you think in the comments below. 40 Techniques in One Bass Solo – Nathan Navarro Wow!! It … Continue reading Bass Technique Demonstrations
ZZ Top’s bassist Joseph Michael “Dusty” Hill is my personal choice for best bass guitar mentor for the beginning bassist. I consider Dusty Hill to be one of the most solid bass players around. He is proof that it doesn’t have to be fancy to rock hard. ZZ Top also happens to be one of my favorite bands. Dusty Hill started out playing cello is … Continue reading Bass Influence: Dusty Hill
I learned late in my bass playing adventure how important choosing a mentor/hero/influence was. Obviously, our bass playing is influenced every time we learn something new. I am saying that your knowledge and skills can increase faster if you incorporate a study of a single bass player. For a long time, all I did was learn songs. After choosing someone with a style that I … Continue reading Choosing A Bass Mentor/Hero/Influence
“Bass Aerobics” by Jon Liebman Chapter 1: Chromatics – Workout 2 This exercise resembles the first exercise in the book, but it covers more of the neck. Make sure that you are not just playing the patterns. Pay attention to what note you are on and what note you are moving to. I found myself using more of the tablature than the musical score. Once … Continue reading Bass Aerobics: Workout 2
I recently bought a short scale bass and with it, short scale bass strings. Each string manufacturer has their own parameters for their bass strings. Just because it says “Short Scale” does not mean that it is the same length as the next brand labeled “Short Scale.” This could have a huge effect on your intonation. Now I am going to send you to a … Continue reading All Bass Strings Are Not The Same Length.
Northwoods Bass Log 