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Practice Session Tips

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In recent months I’ve been practicing a lot.  My father and I have spent a lot of time talking about Arnold Schultz and his techniques and concepts and some of it has resonated very strongly with me.

As I work on it, and as I record every practice session and listen to it, I continue to make interesting discoveries about my playing.  I think some of these things would be helpful for many other musicians so I thought I’d share a few.

My left hands leads. 
For many years I’d focused my attention on my right hand as the culprit for time and articulation issues.  I discussed it with Dave Weckl once and he suggested maybe it was my left hand.  After all this time it seems he was correct.  I’ve spent a lot of time practicing very softly, sometimes only articulating every 2 or 3 notes in the course of a fast passage (say 8th notes at ¼ note=300bpm) and realized that my left hand was kind off in…well…left field.  After clearing the confusion the right hand was causing out of the equation I was able to hone in on the left hand and realized that it hadn’t been carrying it’s own weight at all.  Now that I’ve brought the left hand into it’s proper role in the big picture, my right hand is left to play loud or soft, staccato or legato, warm or harsh…whatever.  It also really evens out the notes when you’re playing lines that are part right-hand articulated, and part hammered.  For me…for now…this starts happening once I exceed 1/8th notes at 1/4=300~320bpm.

Account for every note.  This is something else Weckl brought up with me and one of Anthony Jackson’s mantras.  I understood, of course, but was never able to wrap myself around the applied reality of it.  Now I see, though.  In the context of the Schultz paradigm, the consciousness is the conductor of what you do, and the motor nervous system is the executor.  In other words, you may consciously will a result, but the task of actually doing it needs to be delegated to the motor nervous system in order be done with accuracy and predictability.  In fact, this seems to me to be an absolute truth.  It’s hard to accept that we don’t directly consciously control our muscles…but we don’t.  Anyway, another thing the conscious mind does WHEN IMPROVISING in particular, is to establish WHAT to play and sort of reconcile it with the music.  I’ve been amazed at times when I’ve played lately that even in the context of an extremely fast or complicated line, I’m consciously aware of every single note that I’m GOING to play a split second before I play it.  Not groups or patterns, but every single detail.  This doesn’t happen constantly and in every situation yet as I haven’t really nailed the nervous coordination yet.  My goal is to be able to do that with everything all the time.

Legato seems to be the path to control.  For me, once I’m cool to play something very legato and perfectly in time, I can put any kind of articulation, dynamics, feel, etc. on it.  This is, again, more of a left hand issue.  Regardless of how you time the plucking of the note with the right hand, your left hand has to hold a note down as long as is possible before the next note is struck.  I know, it seems intuitive.  But when you’re really wailing around, the notes tend to get shorter because, I think, of an urgency to get the note sounded and get to the next one in time.  That tends to leave you relegated to playing the note however you can get it played, which often means the note name is the only factor that plays into your musical statement.  I believe this is part of where Victor Wooten is coming from with his “2 through 10” concept which points out to players that just the note name itself has only a small role in music.  Integrating other factors like articulation, dynamics, timbre, feel (and 5 more that I can’t remember…sorry Vic), and more specifically variations thereof, give the music much more meaning.

I hope this is helpful for somebody.  Keep working and remember, there’s no substitute for knowing what you’re doing!

Bass Videos

Interview With K3 Sisters Band

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Interview With K3 Sisters Band

K3 Sisters Band Interview…

It is very rare when I talk to a band where all the members play bass. The K3 Sisters Band is a perfect example of a group where Kaylen, Kelsey and Kristen Kassab are all multi-instrumentalists and take turns playing bass.

Hailing from Texas, these three sisters have been playing music since they were very young and have amassed an amazing amount of original music,  music videos, streaming concerts, podcasts, and content that has taken numerous social media platforms by storm. On TikTok alone, they have over 2.5 million followers and more than a billion views.

Join me as we hear the story of their musical journey, how they get their sound, and the fundamental principles behind these prolific musicians.

Here is the K3 Sisters Band!

Photo, Bruce Ray Productions

Follow Online:

k3sistersband.com/
TikTok
YouTube
Instagram
Facebook 

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Bass Player Health

What is a Pinched Nerve? with Dr. Randy Kertz

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Dr Randal Kertz - Bass Player Health - Oct 2022

What is a Pinched Nerve?

In this month’s video, we will cover how to tell if you have a pinched nerve and when to seek professional help.

Dr. Randall Kertz is the author of The Bassist’s Complete Guide to Injury Management, Prevention and Better Health. Click here to get your copy today!

The Bassist’s Complete Guide to Injury Management, Prevention & Better Health

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This Week’s Top 10 Basses on Instagram

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TOP 10 Basses of the week

Check out our top 10 favorite basses on Instagram this week…

Click to follow Bass Musician on Instagram @bassmusicianmag

FEATURED @colibriguitars @adamovicbasses @brooksbassguitars @lecomptebass @mgbassguitars @mauriziouberbasses @jcrluthier @biarnel @officialibanezguitars @chris_seldon_guitars

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Gear News

New Gear:  Ashdown ORIGINAL-EVO-C112T-300

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New Gear:  Ashdown ORIGINAL-EVO-C112T-300

Introducing the Original-EVO-C112T, a ground-breaking innovation in the realm of bass amplifiers. This exceptional amplifier redefines the standards of power, portability, and precision, offering musicians an unparalleled experience in amplification technology.
 
Weighing in at a mere 13.5kg, the Original-EVO-C112T packs an astonishing 300 watts of unadulterated Ashdown bass tone into a compact and lightweight package. Say goodbye to the days of lugging around heavy and cumbersome gear – this amplifier is designed for the modern musician on the move.

Introducing the Original-EVO-C112T, a ground-breaking innovation in the realm of bass amplifiers. This exceptional amplifier redefines the standards of power, portability, and precision, offering musicians an unparalleled experience in amplification technology.
 
Weighing in at a mere 13.5kg, the Original-EVO-C112T packs an astonishing 300 watts of unadulterated Ashdown bass tone into a compact and lightweight package. Say goodbye to the days of lugging around heavy and cumbersome gear – this amplifier is designed for the modern musician on the move.

Designed to accommodate global touring, the Original-EVO-C112T features auto-protect voltage support and an adaptive temperature-controlled fan for optimal performance in any environment.
 
In summary, the Original-EVO-C112T is a game-changing amplifier that combines power, portability, and precision. It’s a testament to innovation and quality in the world of bass amplification, deserving attention from musicians looking to take their music to the next level.

Product Specification-

Power Output: 300 Watts
Power Requirement: 115-230 Volts
Speaker Configuration: 1 x 12” + Horn
High Instrument Input: Impedance 3.9m Ohms, Input range 150mV – 20mV p-p
Low Instrument Input: Impedance -1M Ohms, Input range 150mV to 10V p-p
Line Input: Impedance 10k Ohms, Input range 300mV – 40V p-p
DI Output: 600 Ohm balance / Level -20dBu nominal
Minimum Impedance: 4 Ohm
Headphone Output: Yes and safe for silent practice
EQ: Bass +/-15dB @ 100Hz, Lo Mid +/-15dB @ 220Hz, Middle +/-15dB @ 660Hz, Hi Mid +/-15 dB @1.5kHz, Treble +/-15dB @ 7kHz
Effects Send: Impedance 22k Ohms / Level 0dBu nominal
Effects Return: Impedance 22k Ohms / Level 0dBu nominal
Dimensions (H x W x D in mm): 470 x 606 x 381
Weight: 13.5kg

For more info please visit www.ashdownmusic.com

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Gear News

Tech 21’s SansAmp Bass Driver DI Celebrates 30th Anniversary

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30th Anniversary Limited Edition SansAmp Bass Driver DI

Tech 21’s SansAmp Bass Driver DI Celebrates 30th Anniversary…

The SansAmp Bass Driver DI has been an arsenal staple for players and studios almost since the day it was introduced in 1994. To commemorate its 30th anniversary, Tech 21 is issuing a limited edition with an anodized precision-machined aluminum billet housing and all metal knobs.

This all-analog multi-function, multi-application pedal dials up big vintage tube tones, bright modern slap sounds, gnarly distortions, and all in between. There are three different outputs to drive power amps, recording desks, PA mixers, or simply enhance your current rig. Controls include Presence for definition and upper harmonic content; Blend to combine the ratio of direct signal and SansAmp circuitry; and active 3-band EQ with 12dB of cut or boost.

The 100% analog SansAmp Tube Amplifier Emulation technology encompasses the entire signal chain, from pre-amp to power amp to speaker simulation. An integral part of the circuitry, the individually-tailored SansAmp speaker simulation will complement any type of bass speaker cabinet system.

It is rare an electronic music-related product can withstand such a test of time. The SansAmp Bass Driver has been used for every kind of music style from death metal to commercial jingles, in countless studios, and on tours around the globe. In fact, many mammoth stage rigs you see are actually driven by a SansAmp nestled behind the backline. It has defied the odds and to this day, SansAmp remains the standard of the industry.

Anticipated Availability:  May/June 2024

For more information, visit online at tech21nyc.com/products/sansamp/bass-driver-30/

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