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Anatomy of MY Groove : Grooves With Reggie Washington

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Greetings fellow low-end dwellers!! From my studio in the basement; (Stone Nives & Bare Skinz Studio)
I’d like to talk about…GROOVE!

A number of years ago I did a CD w/Steve Coleman called “Anatomy Of A Groove”. (Good CD)
I thought it would be a good title for a series of articles. The only groove I can talk about is mine!! So…….

The anatomy of MY groove is made up of a few things. Groove comes from life experience, (where you come from, what you did before & how you did it) & musical experience. (All the things you heard growing up, instruments you played good or bad & your adventures into each)

I started out hearing EVERYTHING EVERYDAY!!! The 60’s & 70’s was a groove hot box!! Groove came to me in many different ways & from many places!! From the radio, records my dad & brother were buying, from the jazz concerts & outdoor festivals my parents took us (my brother drummer Kenny & my sister violinist Yvette) to see. Groove came from the playgrounds in my hood in NYC where the Puerto Rican brothers were singing and playing congas & other percussion instruments all day…& night. The groove came from the church every Sunday! Saturday afternoon & Wednesday night if I was @ my aunt’s house!

All of these things fed my passion & my “groove”.

The next element was structure. I got that from playing sports & my classical studies on cello. It took a strange turn when I heard Ray Brown, Oscar Pettiford & Sam Jones play jazz on cello!! Freedom & structure for me came together at that moment. I began to collect more information to build “my groove”. Motown, Stax, Muscle Shoals & many, many other energies of music I came into contact with. Jackson 5, Stevie Wonder, The Meters, Led Zeppelin, Jimi Hendrix, Curtis Mayfield, James Brown & Donny Hathaway got into me & took a hold! This was the time “my groove” was forming. Bass wasn’t even a serious thought yet… but my groove was taking root & growing.

Now all I had to do was GET A BASS!!!!

One of the elements of music I focused in on was…The Rhythm Section!! This was where all the groove was coming from. A smooth & smoking rhythm section in the 70’s that shaped how I listen & play music was of singer/composer/pianist Barry White. His rhythm section was full of accomplished players in their early days!! Ed Green-drums, Ray Parker-Guitar, Nathan East-Bass & of course Barry playing piano. I reached out to Nathan East (on tour w/Herbie Hancock at the time) while doing research on Love Unlimited Orchestra rhythm section.

Nathan was a young player when Barry heard him in California & invited him to play in the band. He told me it was an exciting experience being in the studio cranking out hit after platinum hit w/Barry White.

For me, each tune was a blueprint of discipline. The art of playing in a section where everyone has their part & function is lost in this time of guitar & bass Olympics. No one person was more or less important than the other. There was no overt flash or screaming guitar solos or mad bass slapping or thundering double bass pedal or cymbal crashing!! That section moved like a well oiled machine…or like I said to Nathan; “it sounded smooth like buttah”. The beauty of simplicity is what really got me about those guys! AND to find out it was Nathan playing bass, it made sense why I dug the bass. It was solid, good notes & to the point.

So; instead of checking out the “Bass Olympics” & “Guitar Aerobics” that pollute our sound waves nowadays, try checking out music that makes you move & feel good…not jump out of your skin!!

Music is not just notes. It’s composed of silence too. That’s why the musical rest was invented.

It’s O.K to create space. It’s been communicated many ways…”Less is Best”…”When in doubt, lay out”…& the most famous…”Silence is Golden” because he who lives by the note, dies by the note!!!

I’ll drop some more titbits on The Anatomy of MY groove next issue.

Keep the Bottom!!

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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