132

ESSENTIAL DINGWALL, SCHACK, TORUN, PEAVEY AND ASHDOWN BASS GEAR ON TEST!
Issue 132 July 2016
Stanley Clarke | Chris Kael, Five Finger Death Punch | Lee Sklar | Steve Luna, Lemmys bass tech | Youth | Sheldon Dingwall | Mike DAntonio, Killswitch Engage | Dingwall Z3 | Schack | Torun 5 | Peavey Headliner | Ashdown EVO-10T AAA combo

8,500
Gold Leaf Torun
reviewed inside!

STANLEY CLARKE PEOPLE USED TO LOOK AT ME LIKE I WAS CRAZY!

CHRIS KAEL
FIVE FINGER DEATH PUNCH
MIKE DANTONIO
KILLSWITCH ENGAGE
STEVE LUNA
LEMMYS BASS TECH
SHELDON DINGWALL
LEE SKLAR
YOUTH
www.bassguitarmagazine.com UK 4.75 Issue 132 July 2016
32

9 771476 521061 >

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003.indd 3 15/06/2016 14:54
 CONTENTS
I S S U E 1 3 2 J U LY 2 0 1 6

W
hatever your
preferred
style of bass
playing,
52
Schack
you owe a debt to
the great Stanley Unique 5
Clarke, who is
most famous
for his jazz bass
explorations but
whose importance
in our world cant
be summed up in
a single genre tag.
We could have
filled this entire
EDITOR Joel McIver,
joel@blazepublishing.co.uk issue with tales of
SUB-EDITORS Kate Puttick, Nick Robbins his greatness when
TECHNICAL CONSULTANT Stuart Clayton it comes to the low
CONTRIBUTORS Angus Batey, Bob
Battersby, Duff Battye, Andy Baxter, Nick frequencies: its a
Beggs, Jeff Berlin, Jamie Blaine, Silvia Bluejay,
Mike Brooks, Joe Burcaw, Dave Clarke, Stuart
Clayton, Ben Cooper, Joe Daly, Hywel Davies,
Jon DAuria, Daryl Easlea, David Etheridge, Mike
Flynn, Paul Geary, Ian Glasper, Joel Graham, Ruth
genuine privilege to have him back on our cover, his first since BGM 31
back in 2007. Elsewhere in this issue were also treated to a chat with
the equally veteran Lee Sklar, perhaps the most fted session and stage
56
Torun 5
Goller, Spencer Grady, Paolo Gregoletto, Hugh
bassist ever, and the mighty Martin Youth Glover, most famous for
Gulland, Chris Hanby, Andy Hughes, Ken Hunt, his bass and production work with Killing Joke, the Orb and up-and-
Kevin Johnson, Steve Lawson, Phil Mann, Lee
Marlow, George Martin, Michael McKeegan,
coming bass newcomer Paul McCartney. New (or new-ish) virtuosos
Stewart McKinsey, Greg Moffitt, Chris Mugan, from the bass scene appear in the form of Chris Kael and Mike
Douglas Mullen, Ellen O'Reilly, Franc OShea, DAntonio of Five Finger Death Punch and Killswitch Engage, while
Dayal Patterson, Harry Paterson, Raz Rauf, Alison
Richter, Steven Rosen, Kevin Sanders, Amit Lemmys tech Steve Luna pops up to raise a glass to his late employer.
Sharma, Joe Shooman, Rob Statham, Scott As always, our reviews section is a feast for the eyes and a threat to
Surine, Jon Thorne, Freddy Villano, Ray Walker,
Alex Webster, Sam Wise the wallet, not least with the incredible gold leaf Torun 5 which will set
ADVERTISING SALES Guy Meredith you back no less than 8,500. And BGM wouldnt be what it is without
GRAPHIC DESIGN Steve Dawson our world-class education section, where we aim to make you the best
AD DESIGN Matt Smith
bassist you can be regardless of ability. Here comes the summer: lets
COVER PHOTOGRAPH Tina K
STUDIO PHOTOGRAPHY Eckie make it a bass-heavy one!
OPERATIONS DIRECTOR James Folkard Joel McIver, editor
ASSISTANT PUBLISHER Ruth Burgess
PUBLISHER Wes Stanton

48 Gear
ACCOUNTS Dave Deo
SUBSCRIPTIONS 01926 339808,
subs@blazepublishing.co.uk
SUBSCRIPTION RATE UK 69
Dingwall Z3
48Dingwall Z3
For all subscription offers and overseas
prices visit www.bassguitarmagazine.com
or call 01926 339808
Printed in the UK Blaze Publishing
Mike Brooks runs this fan-
Ltd 2016. fretted phenomenon through
All Rights Reserved. No part of this
publication may be reproduced in any form, its paces
stored in a retrieval system or integrated
into any other publication, database or

52Schack Unique 5
commercial program without the express
permission of the publishers in writing.
Under no circumstances should this The love Schack is a little
publication and its contents be sold, loaned
out or used by way of trade, or stored or known place where we can get
transmitted as an electronic file without the
publishers prior written approval. together with Mike Brooks
DISCLAIMER

56Torun 5
While Blaze Publishing Ltd prides itself on
the quality of the information its publications
provide, the company reserves the right not
to be held legally responsible for any mistakes This 8,500 bass is covered
or inaccuracies found within the text of this
publication. with gold leaf and costs 8,500.
Bass Guitar Magazine is an independent
publication and as such does not necessarily
Ellen OReilly road-tests all
reflect the views or opinions of manufacturers 8,500 of it. Did we mention that
or distributors of the products contained
within. All trademarks are acknowledged. it costs 8,500?
DISTRIBUTION
Distributed to the news trade by Comag
Magazine Marketing, West Drayton,
Middlesex, UB7 7QE
PUBLISHED BY
Blaze Publishing Ltd. Lawrence House,
60Peavey Headliner 1000 head &
Headliner 410 Cabinet
Brooks meets the brand new
Morrell Street, Leamington Spa,
Warwickshire, CV32 5SZ Headlining team
Bass Guitar Magazine is proud to
support the Music Industries Association.

64Ashdown AAA-60-10T AAA Combo

Joel McIver reviews
Ashdowns new budget bass box

004 Bass Guitar Magazine July 2016

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 f/bassguitarmagazine o/bassguitarmag CONTENTS

Pic: Eckie
Pic: Harry Reese
Tuition
70 Frontline
Four pro bassists offer
you their collective wisdom.
Get smart here

BEGINNER
72 Ellen OReilly
Augmented triad fun

34 with beginners buddy Ellen

Lee Sklar 74 Paul Geary

Smokin reggae grooves
with the great Geary

Pic: Eckie
INTERMEDIATE

76 Stuart Clayton
Commander Clayton
launches a brand new 12-part
soloing series!

78 Rob Statham
Metric modulation
unpacked with intermediate
techniques guru Rob Statham

ADVANCED
32
Chris Kael, 44 80Franc OShea
Combine chord voice
leading with arpeggios and
melodic phrases, says Obi-
Five Finger Death Punch Sheldon Dingwall Wan Franc

84Philip Mann
Bassists 32 Chris Kael,
Five Finger Death Punch
Hywel Davies gets the metallic
Quintuplets are easily
delivered, says midwife of
bass Mann

22 Stanley Clarke
In a meeting of bass minds, the great jazz pioneer discusses the
philosophy of the low frequencies with Steve Lawson
lowdown from 5FDPs bass
monster
86David Etheridge
Girl From Ipanema

34 Lee Sklar given the double bass solo

Pic: Robert John

The greatest session treatment

bassist ever to stalk the stage
updates Mike Brooks
88Steve Lawson
Consider the context,

38 Steve Luna
Lemmys bass tech salutes
his late, legendary boss
says pedal king Steve

40 Youth
Martin Youth Glover
90Classic Bass Albums
Earth, Wind & Fires I
Am album celebrated
revisits his unequalled career
with Dayal Patterson

SUBSCRIBE
NOW
44 Sheldon Dingwall
The master luthier talks
tone with Silvia Bluejay

38 46 Mike DAntonio, Killswitch Engage

Rockin and ragin with

Steve Luna Mike D

DETAILS PAGE 82
Bass Guitar Magazine July 2016 005

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 LOW
THE

DOWN
News and views from the bass
world, collated by BGMs team
of intrepid newshounds

stoNe freeK
Funk basssist extraordinaire and star of London Bass Guitar Shows past Freekbass Sherman
has announced a signature bass from New Zealands Stonefield Guitars. Says Freek:
Its not often that you sit down with an instrument you have never played before and
feel immediately at home, but thats the feeling I had when I first picked up a Stonefield
bass. I was lucky enough to run into Tomm Stanley of Stonefield at this years London
Bass Guitar Show. Tomms basses immediately caught my eye, and I asked Tomm if I could
have a go with one. The neck was the first thing out of the gate that had the perfect level
of comfort. Once we flipped the amp on, the tone and low end were perfect. Tomm gave me
a shout once I got back to the States about doing something together, and with a few ideas
from a little bit of my madness, he came up with the ultimate-funk-low-end-hybrid bass that
any bass player could hope for. I am very excited to get this out on the road and the studio
this year... watch out!
www.freekbass.com, www.stonefieldmusic.com

006 Bass Guitar Magazine July 2016

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 Loose Grooves
Our chums over at Tight But Loose, the eminent Led Zeppelin fanzine, have scored a killer
interview with John Paul Jones in which the great man discusses all things Zep as well as his
various ongoing musical projects. Asked by TBL head honcho Dave Lewis if hes planning a third
solo album, JPJ explains that promoters arent keen to book his band because they always want a
singer. Well, heres an idea reform Zep and tour...?
Grab one at www.tightbutloose.co.uk.

Bass Guitar Magazine July 2016 007

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 The Lowdown

Orange Appeal
Orange has recruited some tasty bassists to their roster of brand ambassadors, namely Deftones low-end master Sergio Vega, Theo Ellis of Wolf Alice,
Matt Dirito of Pop Evil and others. The company already has a posse of bass names to conjure with on its roster, specifically Geddy Lee, Glenn Hughes,
Brent Hinds and John McVie, so the new boys are in good company. Sergio Vega explains that his AD200B MK3 Head and OBC810 cabinet serve
him well because of the way he attacks his bass (read more about that in Sergios cover feature in due course), while Jake Figueroa of Crobot adds:
The OB1 is a badass amp. Go to war with a battle stag of monstrous filthy tone or dial her back a bit for warm and crisp clean runs. This amp is just as
versatile as it is reliable. A work horse to the fullest extent. Whatever a battle stag is, we want one.
https://orangeamps.com/bass-gear
Tina K

Duff Notes
The wit and
wisdom of Guns
NRoses bassist
Duff McKagan
is captured in a
new documentary,
Its So Easy (And
Other Lies), a live
show in which
the great man
reads from his
autobiographical
tome and plays
songs for the
audience. He
was always the
coolest member
of GNR (anyone
who disagrees
is wrong) and
well be first in
line to pick one
up. We just hope
he shares the
anecdote about
the time his
pancreas exploded.
Really, it did.

008 Bass Guitar Magazine July 2016

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 wooteN LIve!
Yes, yes, we know its short notice, but make sure you attend one of the
mighty Victor Wootens tour dates in Bristol, Manchester, Leeds and
Brighton from 27 June to 5 July. Weve mentioned the UK leg of the
Woots much larger European summer jaunt in previous issues, but lets
give the chap as much support as possible. See you down the front, and
the first person to shout Double thumb it, Victor! is a rotten egg. By the
way, hes on our next front cover. You literally read it here first.
www.victorwooten.com

REVOLVER
Every month w
e tell you the bass-line we cant stop listening to

THIS MONTH: Talk Talk, Today (1982)

Bassist: Paul Webb

If you had to make a playlist of songs whose introduction is the
coolest bit, it would be amazing, and in the case of Talk Talks
atmospheric single Today, doubly so. Fire up this slightly sinister new
wave single and after a hissing
reversed cymbal kicks it off, a
splendid fretless bass riff brings the
song to life.
Bassist Paul Webb is highly
revered in our community, of
course, but never received the
adulation he deserved among those
sad folks who dont play bass, so its
down to us to keep his flag flying
by playing songs like this loud
and frequently.

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 the LowDowN

Bass BattLes
Occasionally we like to get a bit tabloid here at the BGM command
bunker, even though we normally occupy a moral high ground that
mere mortals (eg drummers) can only dream of. This month weve been
enjoying the antics of our favourite raven-haired hard-rock bass players
Gene Simmons of Kiss and Nikki Sixx of Mtley Cre, who have been
sniping at each other like its 1986 all over again.
It all started in early May when Simmons reacted to the premature
death of Prince with the words How pathetic that he killed himself.
Dont kid yourself, thats what he did. Slowly, Ill grant you but thats
what drugs and alcohol is: a slow death. After his Kiss bandmate
Paul Stanley expressed disapproval causing Simmons wife Shannon
Tweed to castigate Stanley in turn Simmons apologised. That could
have been the end of it, but no, Sixx stepped in, saying Gene Simmons
recent heartless and uneducated remarks about Princes death shows
Tina K
why hes not my hero any more or anybodys, adding a few choice
insults as time passed.
This persuaded Paul Stanley to defend Simmons, saying Jesus
Christ, Nikki Sixx! Would you please shut up, find another way to
be in the news and get off your self-inated pedestal? Regardless of
some things Gene Simmons has said that I may take issue with, his
inuence on musicians (you included) is undeniable and will continue.
More importantly, his work, generosity and monetary contributions
to numerous causes and charities for those less fortunate makes your
ongoing rant, in the scheme of things, the unimportant but annoying
squeak it truly is.
Sixx then backed away from the row, concluding accurately: We just
kind of look like a bunch of old women fighting at this point.
Thats enough gossip. Back to proper journalism now.

BeGINNING at fortY
Spectors UK distributors Barnes & Mullins
has announced the arrival of two limited edition
40th Anniversary basses. Launched at Winter
NAMM 2016 by Stuart Spector to celebrate the
companys four-decade history to date, the models
are variants of the Euro series of hand-crafted
Spectors and come in at a deservedly hefty 2340.
Available in red and blue stain gloss versions, both
models feature Spectors stylishly carved, solid
maple bodies and are loaded with all the hardware
and electronics that has popularised the Euro
Series for many years. Every model is individually
crafted from hand-picked tone woods and the
finest source materials to ensure a top quality
resonant body. The 40th Anniversary models are
finished with a striking red or blue gloss top broken
by a solid black band down their centre and a black
maple neck, neck-through construction and 24
fret rosewood fingerboard that includes a 40th
Anniversary 12th fret inlay, they tell us. Graphite
reinforced truss rods, custom-wound Bartolini and
EMG pickups plus Spectors Tone Pump circuit add
to the fun. Let us at them!
www.bandm.co.uk
BAYWATCH
Every month, keen bass-
spotter Ray Walker brings
us an online bargain.
This month: Pedulla
Thunderbolt
This month we look at a Pedulla
Thunderbolt bass. A serial-number web
search shows this bass dates back to
1993. Theres not much information from
the seller, other than its kitted out with
Bartolini pickups. My research shows it
weighs in at 9lbs, so it shouldnt be too
tough on your back for that third set. It also
sports 22 frets on a rosewood fingerboard
for a velvety feel and a warm sound.
According to Pedulla, this slightly shorter
fingerboard helps deliver a meatier, more
substantial slap sound. The body consists
of soft Eastern curly maple with a book
matched top. The control set-up consists of
master volume, master tone and a pickup
blend. Mmm, vintage goodness!
http://tinyurl.com/zn8qpdz

010 Bass Guitar Magazine July 2016

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011.indd 11 15/06/2016 14:57
 BASSICALLY
speaking
Bassists reveal the tricks of their trade faster
than a snapping D string
GEAR
Basses Elio Martina and Scott, Sadowsky, Dunlop strings
Effects TC Electronic
Amps Vanderkley Aurora

Moyses Dos Santos Lolas Day Off, Shades

I play a five-string bass because the extra range gives me more
flexibility, allowing me to reach lower notes. For other gigs I play a
four-string bass: it just depends on what the occasion requires. I slap
because I love the sound and vibe that it generates. It adds a rhythmic
element that enhances the synergy of the drums and bass. The
secret of playing bass well is discipline, practice and passion for the
instrument. These three elements combined allow the bass player to
overcome any difficulty and discouragement that might come along
the way. My first bass was a Brazilian bass called Gianinni from 1972.
It sounded amazing. My favourite bass to date is a 1963 P-Bass that
my father gave me. Anthony Jackson is currently my favourite bass
player. I just love his sound! He manages to impress me every time
I hear him playing. The greatest bass player that ever lived is Larry
Graham. Last year he invited me to jam with him on stage while he
was playing at the Jazz Caf: this was a great honour. Listening to him
live was something I had always wanted to do. The Nightfly by Donald
Fagen is, for me, one of the best bass records. It sounds fat, with so
much feeling that it is inspiring. I also like the tone of Bernard Edwards
on all those dance classics. Im currently working on my debut album
and so far Ive recorded three tunes with the participation of musicians
from the UK, US and Brazil. My pop rock band, Shades, is launching an
EP in the next couple of months. My jazz band, Lolas Day Off, will also
launch an EP in September.
www.lolasdayoff.com

GEAR GEAR
Basses Fender Jazz Basses Fender Mustang, Fender Jazz
Effects Various Effects Electro-Harmonix Big Muff Pi, SansAmp
Amps Mesa Bass Driver, Ernie Ball volume pedal
Amps Trace Elliot, Gallien Krueger, Avalon DI
Jose Patricio Zuniga Labarca
Nahko
I feel most comfortable playing four-string basses. I practise and
play every day. We never stop learning our instruments. Every
day something new shows up to see and learn, so play it every
day. My first bass was a Fender Jazz and my bass heroes are
Jaco Pastorius, Aston Family Man Barrett and Pino Palladino.
If I could get the bass tone of any album ever released, I would
choose the Voodoo album by DAngelo and Mamas Gun by
Erykah Badu. One of the many things that Ive learned being
a musician is that music is for sharing and learning and giving
and inspiring others. I dont buy the stuff about who is the best
or whatever: music is sharing, baby. We are touring right now
through the East Coast of the USA on the Make A Change Tour,
getting ready for our album release in June, Hoka. Check it out!
www.nahko.com

012 Bass Guitar Magazine June 2016

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 stonefield

GEAR
Basses Music Man Stingray, Fender FSR Deluxe Precision Special
Effects Abominable Electronics Hail Satan Fuzz Deluxe, SansAmp Bass Driver, Boss DD-3 Delay, Palmer The Junction DI box
Amps EBS Fafner 2, Orange OBC-810 cab

Jonny Rob Boy Jumps Ship

I try to keep that all-important anchor between melody and rhythm constant. I dont
play anything more than a four-string on the basis that I just dont have to. I love the
challenge of creating interesting lines with just the four strings. All of my favourite bass
players played four-string basses. Slap was something I learned to do when studying
music at university, so at one point I was pretty useful at it. The secret of playing bass
well is awareness of tone, of melody, of rhythm, of your role in the song, of your stage
presence. Ive always been an admirer of a bass player who knows when to sit back and
disappear into a song but can rip when called upon! It takes a lot of awareness and self
control to be able to do that. My first bass was a borrowed Rickenbacker 4003 copy.
It was shocking, I have no idea how it didnt manage to put me off bass altogether. It
weighed a ton, sounded terrible and had an action you could fit your hand under. At
18 I was lucky enough to get a Music Man Stingray 4. I used that solely for many years,
it must have played hundreds of shows. That bass means a lot. It has just been retired
for a Fender FSR Deluxe Precision Special that I have absolutely fallen in love with. For
years there has been a particular tone in my head and Ive eventually found it. As I got
older I found I was less interested in technical ability and found far more satisfaction
in a good bass tone. Geddy Lee really caught my attention, his tonal identity is iconic.
The same could be said for Tim Commerford, a super inventive player that I discovered
at a very early age. What angsty teen wouldnt listen to Rage Against The Machine?
Even after all these years, he is a player that I find myself constantly going back to for
inspiration. Apparently he was a keen advocate of not using a DI. Just a mic in front of
a blasting speaker.
www.boyjumpsship.com

Eloise Campbell
Vicky Warwick Charli XCX
My bass style is as tasty as a posh fry-up on a Sunday morning. Just what you need, when you
need it. A few tasteful frills (poached eggs, that sprig of rosemary) but reliable and satisfying! I
have the worlds smallest hands and play short-scale basses. Im still on a quest for a shorter-scale
five-string. I did try a Fender American Deluxe Jazz 5 over at Aguilar HQ recently and I loved
it. If I need to go lower, I tend to detune. Six strings arent really my thing: I always think that
if four strings were enough for James Jamerson, theyre good enough for me. Slapping is such
an important strand of the performance of the bass guitar as an instrument. I dont do it all the
time: fingerstyle and playing with a pick have been called for more often. Also, there was a time
when I was at music school where a lot of the bassists spent every spare second slapping away.
That unplugged racket, before every class, even while the teachers were speaking, did put me off
for a bit. Now, Im truly ready for my slap bass revival. Your job is to be as solid and consistent as
possible: after that you can bring in your creativity. Im always blown away by the composition
of James Jamersons bass-lines. Ive also been getting into the Smiths recently and love the
bass-lines on The Queen Is Dead by Andy Rourke. I also have a huge amount of admiration for
Yolanda Charles, to mention someone in the current London scene. Right now, Im lusting after
Pinos tone on DAngelos Voodoo. It depends what mood Im in: other days I think Nirvana
showcases tone perfection on Nevermind. Make good music with good people. When the magic
of music and personal relationships come together its the most blissful feeling. Im pouring all
my time into finally writing my own music. I think its a rite of passage all bass players have to go
through at some point, to convince the world that Im more than these four strings!
www.sheplaysbass.co.uk

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 g stuart DahLQuist
the poisoNeD GLass
I try to wring as much out of every note as possible but lean on
tonal mass more than dexterity. Ive got quite strings enough with
four and would reduce further if the right instrument showed up.
My tuning is B (sometimes ranging lower) EAD and the D gets very
little usage. Slap provides a great rhythmic grounding for anyone
wanting to learn how drums and bass relate, and I really took to it
early on. Theres a guy here in Seattle called Jimmy Johnson who
I learned so much from, then theres Mark King, Bootsy Collins,
Larry Graham, and a bit later Flea, who all had great influence. I GeaR

like the angular approach of Busta Jones and I try to ape him if the
chance arises. It was something I worked hard at, but now not so
much. I still like to pick up a bass at the shop and pop a bit, because
you can really feel whats going on in the neck of an instrument.
Un-playing is king. I like listening to really good players who can
do all kinds of stuff, but if it becomes a distraction itll lose me.
My playing is dependent on a whole different aesthetic where the
bass is tonally super-aggressive, but passive in that there is very
little overt movement. My bass heroes are Tony Levin, Bob Babbitt,
Alphonso Johnson, Dave Sims, Verdine White, Jaco Pastorius,
Paul Chambers, Carol Kaye, Steve Swallow, on and on. I also love
Dave Ewald
Bass Gibson RD artist
effects None
aMps acoustic 360/361, acoustic 470, ampeg sVt cab
the compositions of Penderecki, Grecki, the choral of Prt, Bach,
Ives. Theres a lot of really inventive people out there. Dave Sims
of Jesus Lizard has the most badass tone ever, not that Id want
to ape anyones ridiculously great tone. I feel good about the tone
Ive found... Its not for everybody and wont work in a majority of
musical settings but it works as Id like it to.
https://soundcloud.com/gsdahlquist-asva

Peter JorDan stoNe triGGer

My bass style is solid, precise and in the pocket. Ill play simple
when required and Ill play technical when required. I do like to
work on my chops and for me its always been hugely important
to be the best bassist that I can possibly be. Although I dont do
any two-handed tapping, I do like progressive music and to be able
to shred a good bit. I always like to study and accomplish complex
bass-lines. Songs such as Frank Zappas Zombie Woof, Extremes
Cupids Dead and Steve Vais Kill The Guy With The Ball are
among the songs of that ilk that I learned years ago and love to
practise to keep my chops up. I havent yet had the chance to play
material like that in a band, but Id like to at some point.
I play five-string bass, because I like to have the extra range
of the low B string when needed. Before I acquired my current
five I used to adjust one of my four-strings so it could tune down
to either BEAD or a half step up to CFA#D#, which I never liked
doing as it used to always throw my reference off, so my five-string
sorted that. When down-tuning my four-strings I prefer to go to
D standard as the lowest. I plan to purchase a couple of Hipshot
Bass Xtenders in the near future. I have no interest in six strings or
more. To me, the secret of playing bass well is not only locking in
with the drummer and having a great rapport as a rhythm section,
but also with every other instrument youre performing with.
My favourite bass to date is the Fender Jazz. Everything about
them, from the shape of the body to the slim but broad-ish neck
profile and the pickups, feels right to me. Im thinking of upgrading
mine with Aguilar hum-cancelling pickups because their split-coil
design will give me the option of a more Precision-like tone, without
the usual buzz that can plague single-coil pickups when theyre
adjusted at different levels to each other. I have many bass heroes:
my top 10 are James Jamerson, Steve Harris, Rudy Sarzo, Neil
Murray, Lee Sklar, Scott Thunes (Frank Zappas bassist in the 80s),
Mike Porcaro, Flea, Dug Pinnick and Cliff Williams. Last March I had
the honour of being present in London at the UK premiere of Robert
Trujillos film Jaco which took place at the London Bass Guitar Show
at Olympia. A great night to remember. Stone Triggers latest video
is a song called Show Your Hands which is up on Youtube. Im also
working on a side project with Tommy, the lead singer of Stone
Trigger, and I do some freelance and session work with other musical GeaR
friends and colleagues in Ireland.
Basses fender Jazz, peavey Millennium BXp 4, tanglewood acoustic
effects None
www.facebook.com/PeteJordanBass aMps ampeg Ba-112

014 Bass Guitar Magazine July 2016

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015.indd 15 15/06/2016 14:57

GEAR
Basses Gibson
Effects None
Amps Carlsbro Stingray Super
Pasha Coxhill Super Fast Girlie Show
I would describe my bass style as rhythmically erratic, lacking
in finesse and over all too quick, but fantastically enjoyable,
much like that first time as a teenager behind the town library.
I dont play anything with more than four strings, it seems very
unnatural. I was raised in the heyday of Level 42, so to slap a
bass like that was a massive social no-no, youd be strung up
from the nearest lamp-post. To this day I still cant bring myself
to do slap bass. The secret of playing the bass well is to play
with a good drummer. Metronome Jones, you know who you
are! You have to get that rhythm tight and those stops sharp.
My first bass was a red one, from a well-known pawn shop
that converts your treasured possessions into not very much
cash. Ive never really been one for having to have all the
gear, I just like making a noise with whatever is available. My
favourite bass is the 1960s short-scale Gibson that Im currently
playing. When it stays in tune its a lovely thing to play, and it
fits like a glove.
My bass hero is Carol Kaye: man, there was barely a record
from the 60s that she didnt play on. Im a huge fan of Naoko
Yamano too: I saw Shonen Knife play in front of about 10
people in a tiny place in Liverpool, she played like there was
thousands there, she killed it. Then theres Steve Harris: who
doesnt want to play the bass like its a rifle? Mike Watt: theres
barely a day that goes by without him gigging somewhere in
the world, he loves it big respect to him. Phil Lynott: Thin
Lizzy are one of my absolute favourite bands of all time. Suzi
Quatro: she is so cool, and changed the idea that women cant
play bass, let alone front a band playing a bass. And of course,
the irreplaceable Lemmy. The greatest bass player of all time
has to be Charles Mingus: those fingers are sublime; check out
Moanin and Haitian Fight Song they are absolute belter that youve developed more control of the instrument and your
tunes. If theres one bass tone I would like to have its Lemmys
bass tone from Damage Case, its deep, growly and gets me
right in the guts every time. SFGS have just released an album,
Dont Go Down Gentle.
www.facebook.com/superfastgirlieshow
016 Bass Guitar Magazine July 2016
012-014, 016 Bassicallys_rev2_NR.indd 16
GEAR
Basses Fender Precision, Gibson SB-350, Guild SB-202, Richie Baxt Jazz, Juzek upright
Effects EHX Octave Multiplexer, EHX Bass Big Muff, EHX Memory Boy, EHX POG, MXR Phase 90, EHX Memory Man,
EHX Frequency Analyzer, Bass MicroSynth, Boss CH-1 Super Chorus, SansAmp, 1176 Compressor
Amps Acoustic 800, Ampeg 4x10 cab, Ampeg B-15, Ampeg V4, Magnatone
Matt Basile Mother Feather
In Mother Feather I get to stretch out and try some things,
especially sonically, but overall its a pretty meat-and-potatoes
approach. Playing next to our drummer, whos so expressive, you
definitely want to hone in on a solid part and stick to it, which is
really what youre supposed to be doing on bass anyway. Its been
a long time since Ive thought about extended range basses. In
the 90s I did own a five-string Yamaha, which was a really good
instrument as I remember. I think I just evolved out of all that stuff
when I realised that 95 per cent of the time I was only playing the
E and A strings. To be honest, I was never any good at slapping. Its
not really applicable to most of the music I like or play, so its just not
something I explored. That said, there are definitely times where
its really the perfect thing. Im thinking of Mark King in Level
42 playing Something About You or Louis Johnsons part on the
bridge of P.Y.T. And theres Trent Reznors part on Sanctified I
mean, its just so awesome and its the same part for the whole song.
There is a track that I produced for Misty Boyce of Stings band a
couple of years ago called Hands Untied where I thought it needed
more attack in the odd-time pre-chorus section, just on one beat.
The only solution was to overdub a bass slap. I just laid it on top of
the regular bass and it totally worked. So, I guess I do slap after all
although Im not sure anyone but me would notice!
If I were giving advice, I would tell any young player to buy three
things: an upright bass, a metronome and a tuner. Even if you think
youre not into jazz or ever want to play gigs on it, there is probably
no better way to get your fundamentals in order. I came to upright
bass really late and Im thankful for friends like Tim Lntzel and Ben
Rubin, NYC guys who are truly great players, for helping me get my
bearings a bit. Theres no way to get a good sound or pitch on upright
unless youre actually producing that sound with your hands. So
when you go back to electric, with amps and your pedals, all these
choices you make about playing really become choices, in the sense
ability to produce a sound or influence a groove. My first bass was a
Peavey P-Bass. I think it was called a Fury? I wish still had that bass.
After so many hours flipping Whoppers at Burger King, saving up
for that thing, its a shame that I have no idea where it ended up!
www.motherfeather.com
15/06/2016 14:36
 THE LOWDOWN The Luthier

Ace luthier Doug Mullen of Eve Guitars continues his

series on the creation of a state-of-the-art bass

I
n this issue Id like to focus on one of the two most important parts
of the bass: the nut and the bridge. Since these two anchor points
are where the strings vibrate to create sound, I think each deserves
attention over two issues so that we can delve into the importance of
these components and how they contribute to your bass.
Firstly, lets discuss the nut. What is the nut, and why is it
important? Every part of an instrument impacts the sound, and the nut
has its own variety of materials from which it can be made, with each
creating a slightly different timbre to the overall tone, although this
is subjective. How the nut vibrates is dictated by its composition. The
most common types are bone, graphite, brass, wood, and plastic: these
are usually glued into position either at the factory, or by the luthier
with epoxy resin or cyanoacrylate glue (aka superglue).
Technically, the nut is simply another bridge located where the
fingerboard ends and the headstock begins. Its purpose is to locate
the strings from the tuning heads to their relative position on the
fingerboard at the required string height. This also applies to headless
instruments, where the string ball-ends are located by a metal plate
attached to an extended portion of the neck. There is also something
called the zero fret, where the zero position on the fingerboard is an
actual fret rather than a traditional nut. The nut that sits behind this
fret acts simply as a locating device so the desired string spacing is
correctly provided.
When the strings anchor from the headstock to the nut, tension is
produced so that direct pressure is applied to the nut. In Gibson-style
instruments, this is achieved by an angle on the headstock so that the
correct amount of pull is exerted at the nut: this provides downforce
on the strings over the nut, creating tension in relation to pitch. In
Fender-style instruments the headstock is scooped rather than angled,
and the headstock is relatively parallel in relation to the underside of

the neck. It has a retaining string tree which tensions certain pairs of
strings by pulling them down towards the headstock.
Since the nut is fixed, theres a potential problem if a different gauge
of string is used later on. If the nut is glued and has been shaped to the
correct gauge of the old string, there could be issues if it rattles around in
the channel. You can tell if the correct diameter of the nut has been cut
for the appropriate string by the snug of the fit. One of the ways we here
at Eve Guitars have solved this issue is to use an ABM brass nut: this is
height-adjustable via threaded screws, which can be replaced and cut to a
new string gauge without the need to remove the nut entirely.
Next month, lets examine the role of the bridge, and how these three
areas are the fundamental starting point for the design of a bass.

www.evebass.com

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 THE LOWDOWN
Rockschool

Applied Improvisation with

Rockschool
Blues and pentatonic patterns reinvestigated by Joe Hubbard
EXAMPLE 1

T
his month, lets continue to
explore blues and pentatonic
scales in order to examine some
cool structural patterns that
you can add to your performance
toolbox. Learning to play scales up
and down the neck is a great way
to learn their sound: by doing this, EXAMPLE 2
youll gain more familiarity with
your fingerboard, but it doesnt
relate to the way that we would
use a scale when performing.
So why is it that so many
teachers prescribe running up
and down scales? A fundamental
problem exists when learning
to improvise from the time
that you learn a scale and then
fast-forwarding yourself into a EXAMPLE 3
performance. In fact, there is a
whole A to Z process to investigate.
A missing link in bass education
is learning to bridge the gap
between theoretical and applied
concepts, which becomes part of
that A to Z process. Remember that
EXAMPLE 4
the only reason that you would
want to learn an arpeggio or a scale
is to be able to use that musical
content in a song. One of the first
ways to understand this concept
(remember, there are many paths
to enlightenment) is through what
is called melodic sequencing.
In this lesson we are going
to take a look at some melodic

A MISSING LINK IN BASS EDUCATION IS LEARNING TO BRIDGE

sequencing ideas and learn
how to apply this concept to the
blues and pentatonic scales that
we learned in the last lesson.
Melodic sequences are diatonic
melodic patterns that are played
sequentially from every degree of
the scale. These help to establish
structure within a melodic
pattern that you are playing.
The human ear adheres and
responds to structural patterns,
so please remember that this not
only applies to you, but also the
musicians you are playing with
and the audience.
The following four examples
employ this concept of melodic
THE GAP BETWEEN THEORETICAL AND APPLIED CONCEPTS
sequencing using ascending scale steps. Notice that in example 1 we are going up the minor pentatonic scale in
diatonic scale steps and repeating this for every scale step. For instance, we start on A and go up to C (the first two-
scale steps in the scale). From there we continue to repeat that pattern from every scale step, as the next group of
notes is C to D, followed by D to E and so forth.
When we reach the top, we start to descend back down the scale, but we are still playing ascending scale steps.
Notice in the second bar of example 2, we have E up to G, then descending down to D up to E continuing the melodic
sequence back down the scale.
Next, were going to repeat this same pattern over the minor blues scale in example 2, the major pentatonic scale
in example 3 and then finish off with the major blues scale in example 4. By taking the same structural melodic
pattern and fitting it over these four different scales, we will start to open up an entire new universe for you.
Until next time practise smart, work hard and play creatively!

018 Bass Guitar Magazine July 2016

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019.indd 19 15/06/2016 14:58
 THE LOWDOWN
THE MU BASSCHAT
The MU and Basschat
Handy hints to bear in mind before you head Stateside
T
ouring the US is an exciting opportunity, but weve all heard stories of
musicians being turned away at the border. If youre thinking about
crossing the pond for a tour or showcase, make sure you travel with
the right documentation, and get the right advice.
Visas
Getting an offer to tour the US is a dream come true for many artists, but
making it a reality can be expensive. The MU estimates that acquiring
work visas whether for an individual artist or a five-piece band can
cost in the region of 3000 to 4000. By comparison, a UK Tier 5 visa for
a US act applying to play in the UK can cost just 900 and a sponsored
work permit is just 84.
Artists seeking a visa to perform in the US also need to collate
enough material to demonstrate their musical profile and standing. Such
material includes press cuttings, letters from record labels and so on. For
independent artists, such evidence can be hard to produce. However,
in response to members requests for help with supporting evidence,
the MU now offers members a letter confirming their status as an MU
member and thus as a working musician, which can be submitted as part
of the visa application process. Your first port of call for visa information
and travel advice should be the UK governments foreign travel advice,
available atgov.uk/foreign-travel-advice. The MUs Live Performance
departments guidance note on travelling to the US, as well as advice on
travelling to otherother countries, is availableattheMU.org/PlayingLive.
Visa Waiver Program
If you have been invited to perform at industry-facing events,
conferences or showcases such as SXSW, CMJ, A3C, AMA or the Folk
Alliance International for no fee, you may be entitled to enter the United
States under the Visa Waiver Programme (VWP) orElectronic System for
Travel Authorisation (ESTA). However, if travelling under these auspices,
you would not be eligible to accept further paying gigs in addition to the
event that allows you to travel under a VWP/ESTA.
You willneed to take your ESTA with you, along with your invitation
to attend the showcase or conference, and a signed statement from each
musician in your group travelling under the ESTA that says you are in the
US for solely promotional purposes and will not receive a fee. Even then,
we have heard of musicians being turned away at the border, so its vital
that you carry as much supporting evidence as possible.
Together with British Underground, the MU has devised a letter
stating our request for the musicians to be able to enter the country
without hindrance and delay under the Visa Waiver Programme. If you
are travelling to the US to perform at a showcase under the Visa Waiver
Programmeor ESTA, take this letterwith you. You can find the letter,
along with more advice on travelling abroad, attheMU.org/PlayingLive.
Visa Taskforce
TheMusic Industry Visa Taskforce, of which the MU is a founder
member, is working to address the many issues affecting UK artists
trying to perform gigs and tours in the US. Those issues include the level
of fees, application timeframes, the use of visa specialists/lawyers and the
problems that arise when artistsattend US Embassy appointments.
The Taskforce is made up of industry professionals whose day-to-day
work involves supporting UK artists as they work in the US
Get in touch
For advice on visas, the visa waiver programme and touring abroad, get in
touch with the MU via theMU.org/contact..
020 Bass Guitar Magazine July 2016
020 basschat mu_rev3_NR.indd 20
Silvia Bluejay of Basschat addresses
the unthinkable... quitting
bass-playing!
B
asschats membership comprises
bassists of varying ages and skill
levels. Some have been playing, on
stage or at home, for years or decades,
while others are beginners, just dipping
their toes in the magical art of the low
end. Regardless of experience, many of
us may at some point need advice and
support from our community. This time Im not
talking about choosing P or J pickups, roundwounds or flatwounds,
four or five strings; I refer to those moments when a bassist is about
to throw in the towel and either quit their band, or give up playing
bass altogether.
As a learner, after a relatively short time spent getting used to the
instrument, its easy to expect progress by leaps and bounds if we put
in some effort and dedication. However, all of us, nobody excepted,
will reach some kind of a plateau: thats how learning works. We feel
that our progress has ground to a halt, and have moments of self-
doubt. Add to that the presence in our life of pesky distractions such
as working for a living, having relationships, or raising children, and
playing bass can soon become a chore rather than a pleasure.
Since weve all been there, at the first sight of a cry for help, our
community is quick to suggest courses of action stemming from
experience. If youre starting out, get some one-to-one lessons with
a good teacher who can inspire you. Listen to artists that you like,
and study their technique challenge yourself in a different way.
If you can play a few songs, join your first band: most Basschatters
who did so noticed that they were nowhere near as musically
incompetent as they feared. Above all, remember that its not a race.
Alternatively, take a break from bass playing if you feel that life is
getting in the way: music will irresistibly draw you back when the
time is right.
Its not just the beginners among us that occasionally feel
discouraged. Sometimes the frustration of having to put up with less-
than-ideal bandmates takes its toll even on experienced, reasonably
successful bassists. Theres the prima donna vocalists, guitarists
whose volume only has the 11 setting, drummers who play in too
many other bands. Then theres those who come to rehearsal without
having done the tiniest amount of homework, expecting to learn the
songs from scratch there and then infuriating when you yourself
have diligently memorised them at home (that situation being so
familiar to Basschatters that we wonder whether in fact we had all
joined the same band!)
All of this can make you want to retreat to your bedroom, plug into
your headphone amp, and never go out again. However, its crucial
to be clear on what your musical aims are: are you hoping to hit the
big time? Are you supplementing the income from your day job? Is it
just a bit of fun and socialising? Then re-assess your band in that light
(the fun-to-politics ratio) and decide if its worth it. If its not, leave
for pastures new. Unfortunately, even those of us who are happy
with our band may still end up facing indifferent audiences, or badly
organised or dishonest venues, and wonder why we bother. Yet its
plain to see from the forum that most of us are far happier playing
live than not. Dont lose heart!
www.basschat.co.uk
13/06/2016 15:39
021.indd 21 15/06/2016 15:00
 022 Bass Guitar Magazine July 2016

022-026+028-030 Stanley clarke_rev4_NR.indd 22 15/06/2016 14:29

 bassists Stanley Clarke

h a r d to
j u s t as n as
w

r
n ed B r o
I liste and James

ve
ix
Hendr Davis

e
es

r
to Mil

Fo
a
m In r e a t j a z
The g ke has done m most
n e e
z pio ore for r S t anley
Its way too easy for our
media-saturated brains to
forget just how young the
electric bass is. Among the
list of legends of the
instrument, a handful of

Clar bass than al

players stand tall as the
ones who truly took it into

e e l e c t r ic v e L a w s on uncharted territory. They carved a path

th
o d y e l s e . Ste k into for the rest of us. From Jet Harris and James

anyb end for a loo ed

Jamerson to Jaco Pastorius and Larry Graham,
you can count on your fingers the players

e leg hap
me philosophy that sration
t h whose legacy comes close to that of Stanley
e t s Clarke, once of the fusion band Return To

the a gene ics: Tina K

Forever and since then a constant collaborator
with the great and the good of music.
P Stanleys last solo album, Up, drew on every
aspect of his mythological career, from his
beginnings as the acoustic jazz wunderkind
of the late 60s, through his funk and pop
experiments, to carving out a niche as one
of the finest film composers on the planet.
We caught up with Stanley for a talk about
everything bass and beyond...

Bass Guitar Magazine July 2016 023

022-026+028-030 Stanley clarke_rev4_NR.indd 23 15/06/2016 14:30

 encouraging
young musicians is
,
something that s
really important
to me

Stanley, you talked about your last album Up
being the most fun youd had on a record in a
long time.
The album started out with just me and Stewart
Copeland: we live close to each other and hang
out quite frequently. Id been approached by
the Mack Avenue label about making a record,
but I thought Are you serious? In the collapsed
record market today? Not that Id considered
not recording again, but their interest in me was
itself interesting. So me and Stewart went in,
and the first thing we cut was the tune Up with
Joe Walsh. I called it Up because of Stewart: hes
probably the most positive musician I know,
naturally looking at the upside of everything.

Theres an interesting contrast in your career
between your deep roots in jazz history and
your regular habit ofencouraging new, young
musicians. Especially in an age of the all star
line-up.
Yeah, the legacy bands To be honest, and
maybe a lot of those guys wouldnt like to hear
me say this, a lot of those are just business
ventures. You get a bunch of names, packaged
together, and the promoters and agents like it
and find it easier to get gigs. Me, I dont mind
playing with Chick Corea and some of my
friends that Ive played with in the past, but
bringing on young musicians is something thats
really important to me.
When I started, at 18 I was playing with Stan
Getz and Art Blakey those guys were very
nice to me. I got to go around the world with
them. Chick and I hooked up when I was 18
or 19: hes exactly 10 years older than me, so
he was still a kid too! I was very fortunate. So
seeing these kids now is so great, it feels very
natural to me.
I dont just use any younger guys: these
are really special. The piano player, Beka
Gochiashvili, is a serious little genius. The
drummer, Mike Mitchell, just turned 20. As a
joke, my sound engineer and I said, Lets look
for the best drummer in the world under 21.
We went on Youtube and Mikes name came up.
I listened to him and thought, This guy is killing
it! He came out to California and we hung out
and played.
Theres another responsibility too, of passing
on the lessons of jazz music I like to call
it instrumental music. I dont think people
will ever lose the desire to love really great
instrumental music, because theres something
about it the effort, the skill but it is a harder

024 Bass Guitar Magazine July 2016

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 bassists
Dave Swift,Stanley
Jools Holland
Clarke

Bass Guitar Magazine July 2016 025

022-026+028-030 Stanley clarke_rev4_NR.indd 25 15/06/2016 14:30

 bassists
Stanley Clarke

music to sell to, say, Taylor Swift fans. So I feel a

duty. Plus, its a great game to find young players
that want to play and can play.

Can you clarify not seeing what you do as jazz,

but as instrumental music?
The word jazz is undefined. As years go by it
has turned into a metaphorical term. The only
thing that unifies music with the jazz term
attached to it is improvised soloing. Thats about
it. Ive heard young rock bands, which dont
even come harmonically close to a jazz chord,
but theyll say Play a solo, play something jazzy
and thats fine with me. Its not Charlie Parker
or Thelonious Monk, but why should it be? This
is where me and the staunch traditionalists part
ways. Id rather see it evolve. Im more like the
Miles Davis school... Im not sure where these
other guys are coming from.

With Up, it feels like theres a parallel open-

mindedness here with what you were doing
in the early 70s, going from the conservative
acoustic jazz world, and everything exploding
with Return To Forever, Weather Report
and Mahavishnu.
It wasnt as calculated as some have said, as
though we going electric and dressing like that
was a big plan: it wasnt like that at all. I was
much like these kids now. The young guys I
play with listen to hip-hop, but at the same
time they know all the jazz standards, they can
swing. But when I say What are you listening
to? and theyre like Check out this Nicki
Minaj track, man! I cant stand her! But theyre
listening, theyre into the whole culture. Thats
their music.
It was the same for us. I listened just as hard
to Hendrix and James Brown as to Miles Davis.
The music of that time, that was me. Miles had
blown the doors open against conformity. I feel
like that now not to compare myself with
Miles Davis but I understand.

Do you recall when you first became interested

in the electric bass?
It was after Jaco Pastorius, when the electric
bass became what it is today. With our records,
Chick Corea and I were lovers of composition, so
we wrote a lot, and I was really interested in the
electric bass as a songwriting instrument. I didnt
study it like a lot of the guys did post-Jaco I just
picked it up because it was there. My first bass was
a horrible-sounding Gibson EB-0. Then when Rick
Turner built me an Alembic, it changed my life,
and changed the world of the bass too, because
suddenly the sound of the bass became clear.

What was your motivation for adopting the

electric bass as a lead instrument?
It came out of something really simple. I

People used to
used to play in bands, and Id be the only guy
that could arrange the music, the only guy

look at me like
that could write, and the only guy that could
rehearse the band properly. So I thought, If I

I was crazy!
have all these abilities, why dont I just write
some shit for the bass? I have to admit, I

026 Bass Guitar Magazine July 2016

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027.indd 27 15/06/2016 15:01

really had some people that used to look at me
like I was crazy.
I remember when my third album, Journey
To Love, came out in 1975, I went and played
this gig in Indiana. There were 1200 people
there: the place was sold out and the
promoter came to me and said, I have to
watch this because I dont believe this: I dont
see this working. I had a promoter with a sold-
out show, making a shitload of money, and
even I didnt believe it! I will never forget that.
Thats when I knew there was some ground
being broken. And where its at now is youve
got duelling bass-camps! I love it!
Youve never made the jump to six-string bass,
have you?
I couldnt play a six-string to save my life. I
tried a five-string, but it still feels weird to me.
Alembic made me a five-string with a high
C and Im going to bring that out next year:
Ive been practising and it sounds pretty good.
But you know, I like the four-string bass. Its
funny, you go to the NAMM show and see
what the bass has come to. You see these guys
with nine-string basses, and its too much,
but then Im old-fashioned. It goes against my
thinking to say they shouldnt do it. Its okay I
guess, and it looks cool as hell.
Im always knocked out by your bowing on
acoustic bass.
The bowing is something that, when I practise,
Im just about there. I recently recorded Bachs
028 Bass Guitar Magazine July 2016
022-026+028-030 Stanley clarke_rev4_NR.indd 28
Suite Number 1, pizzicato, in Bachs key,
which was hard as hell. Im going to put some
of that classical work out. Itll be fun, and itll
make my mother happy she never liked any
of the electric stuff. She was an opera singer.
I remember when Journey To Love was 33
in the pop charts. That was unheard of for
a jazz record, and she said Let me hear it. I
played her the opening track, Silly Putty, and
she looked at me like it was called Silly Shit.
She said What the hell is that? You shouldnt
waste your time with that! Bless her heart.
Tell us about your relationship with London.
Youve been playing at Ronnie Scotts since 1971.
I actually had a lot of my albums mixed here, at
Trident Studios, working with [Beatles/Bowie
producer] Ken Scott. Lenny White mixed [Return
To Forevers 1976 album] Romantic Warrior here,
and then we came over and hung out with the
guys from Yes, comparing albums. I always have
a soft spot in my heart for London.
The solo gig you did at the Royal Festival Hall
in the late 80s was a pivotal point in the UK
bass scene.
That was a big thing for me: I was really
trying to move the bass forward, along with a
couple of other bass players. Miroslav Vitous
went out with two acoustic basses, and I used
electric on a few things on that gig. Jaco and
I were going to do that gig: we actually got
together and rehearsed for it. I have cassette
tapes of our rehearsal. We were going to
GEAR BOX
Stanley Clarke has long been associated with Alembic basses,
and still plays his signature four-strings one strung in
standard tuning and one tenor. Hes also added a ve-string.
All three models have stereo outputs. For amps, Stanley
favours Ampeg, using the SVT-4PRO head for electric bass,
the 2PRO for acoustic, and PN-115HLF cabinets. He sometimes
uses a Fender Twin for the high end. Before reaching the
Ampeg gear, the stereo outs from his bass go through a pair
of Alembic F-1X preamps. His strings are Rotosound RS66Ms
for standard tuning, DR Hi-Beams for the tenor bass and
Thomastik Spirocores on his uprights. His pedal rig is mainly
EBS: he uses their Octaver, Bass IQ, MicroBass and Dynaverb,
as well as his signature wah/tone lter.
play, and we had some nice things worked
out together, but then something happened
and it didnt work out I dont know what
happened. But the reason I bring that up is
that there were people out there that were
interested in moving the bass forward, and
getting it out of the closet and I feel thats
probably the thing Im most proud of out
of everything Ive done, just being a part of
spearheading that movement.
Are there any young bassists whose playing
you admire?
My favourite is Thundercat. Ive known him
since he was 14, and we see each other all
the time. I also really like the Dirty Loops
guy, Henrik Linder. I like Hadrien Feraud,
and Christian Galvez from Chile. Theyre not
traditional bassists in the sense that theyll
play grooves that youll remember for the rest
15/06/2016 14:35
 bassists Stanley Clarke

I couldnt play a
six-string to save
my life. I tried a
five-string, but
it still feels weird
to me
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 bassists
Stanley Clarke

of your life; theyre more like guitar players,

and thats really cool. They have a concept,
and thats bigger than just the bass. There are
some players who play better, but they have a
concept, and thats important for a bass player
coming out in the world. Even Jaco, as great as
he was, had something more to him he was
bigger than just the bass. Marcus Miller is the
same way, and definitely so is Victor Wooten.
These are non-conformists. Youre listening
to the guy but youre seeing and perceiving
something else, and I think its the person that
matters, rather than just some guy playing
notes on a bass.

So what lies behind truly great bass playing?

I believe that no matter how technically
proficient you become on the instrument, you
have to be able to create a bass-line, and that
comes purely from the compositional side of
your mind. For example, one of the guys I really
like is Marcus Miller, who is not the fastest gun
in the west, but when he creates a bass-line, he
enhances the tune. If youre a bass player and
your job is to come up with the bass-line, the
tune has to be elevated by that line. If it isnt,
you havent done your job. The bass-line is a
composition within a composition.
If you dont have that one fundamental,
you can study with the greatest guys, but it
aint going to help you. Still, the job of a bass
in a band is to marry rhythm and harmony
together, to pinpoint where the harmony
meets the rhythm, how you want it to meet. I
mean, take James Jamerson that guy, thats
it! The bass-line is the thing. Thats one thing
I like to tell young players, its okay to get
your chops and play fast, but youve got to
get the bass-line together. You really do. One
of the things that I hate to see is a bassist who
I know can solo his ass off, and you see him
on the stage, just waiting for his solo. Hell
just be playing the written line, waiting for
his big moment!

Is the electric bass in a good place in 2016?

Yes it is. Im so happy that the
bass is no longer just a monolithic
universe. When you have a
universe where people are
arguing, and having different
viewpoints, thats a sign that
the universe is expanding. Its
not like looking at Bill Wyman
playing with the Rolling
Stones in 1965, looking
like he cant wait to get
home. Its developed
on from that.

Stanley Clarke will be

appearing at the Love
Supreme festival at
Glynde Place, Sussex
on 1-3 July. For more
info visit: www.
stanleyclarke.com.

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031.indd 31 15/06/2016 15:03
KNOCKOUT PUNCH

Pic by Harry Reese

032 Bass Guitar Magazine July 2016

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With hands that could crush a human skull to dust, Chris Kael was born to pound
out heavy riffs on a bass. Hywel Davies runs for cover
n late 2010, one of the
I
biggest heavy metal
bands on the planet was
left with a pretty sizable
hole to fill when bassist
Matt Snell parted ways
with Las Vegas quintet
Five Finger Death Punch. At the time, FFDP
were in the midst of recording their third
album, American Capitalist, but tensions were
high and relationships within the band were
at an all time low.
Enter the enthusiastic ball of energy that
is Chris Kael. A heavy metal maniac through
and through, Kael brought new life to the
band and officially became a member in
June 2011. Fast forward five years and Kael,
has proven himself to be a vital cog in the
Death Punch machine alongside fellow FFDP
members Ivan Moody (vocals), Jason Hook
and Zoltan Bathory (guitars) and Jeremy
Spencer (drums).
Previously, Kael had been a successful
bartender on the Las Vegas strip. So
successful, in fact, that he almost gave up on
music entirely. I was bartending at a place
called the Cosmopolitan. It
was actually an awesome
I SENT THE BAND A MESSAGE OVER
job and I was making tons of
money, he says. I had been
playing bass for years but
nothing really came of it, so I
started to evaluate things and I
FACEBOOK, SAYING HEY, THIS IS CHRIS. I
thought to myself, Maybe this
whole music thing isnt going HEARD YOU GUYS WERE LOOKING FOR A BASS
to work out. My wife used
to be a restaurant manager
and we were thinking about
PLAYER. LOOK NO FURTHER, IM YOUR GUY.
opening up a small hotel and beach bar down
in Belize. I was done with music.
He continues: In December 2010, I heard
that Death Punch were looking for a new bass
player. A good friend of mine was their drum
tech and I was like, Get me an audition! It
got to about May the following year and I still
hadnt heard anything, but I was determined
to get that gig and I said to myself, You want
this? Go after it!
I sent Jason Hook a message over
Facebook, saying Hey, this is Chris. I heard
you guys were looking for a bass player.
Look no further, Im your guy. Jason
replied the next day saying, That was very
forward, but I like it. And they gave me an
audition the following Saturday. This was
my opportunity, and if I failed it would be all
my fault, so when I got in there I walked up
very aggressively and gave it my all. I think
I nailed it, because they all looked at each
other afterwards and said, Unless this dude
is a complete fuck-up, I think we have the
right guy!
032-033 Kale_rev2_NR.indd 33
With the release of their latest album, Got
Your Six, last September, the Las Vegas quintet
have all but conquered the heavy metal world.
The album claimed the number two spot on
the US album chart, selling 199,000 copies in
its first week. Though mainstream attention
is often frowned upon among some elitist
members of the metal subculture, Kael argues
that you can still be heavy as well as successful.
Its still an aggressive album. I think we
hold the record for most number of fucks
in one song, he chuckles referring to the
infamous track Boots And Blood. Were
playing big shows now and for this album,
we wanted to maintain that same level of
heaviness were known for, albeit giving it the
clarity that is needed for playing an arena.
Im not sure the machine-gun stuff off our
earlier albums like The Way Of The Fist would
really translate for bigger venues, he explains.
We still love playing those songs, but with Got
Your Six we wanted songs with a heavy, four-
on-four stomp that was more uptempo.
Unlike his predecessor, Kael favours a pick
rather than his fingers and utilises an aggressive
downpicking style that would leave most players
forearms limp for a week. How did he come to
adopt this arm-shattering technique?
Jason Newsted [ex-Metallica] was a big
influence for me and helped develop my
picking, he says. Around the time I started
playing bass, I was trying to figure out whether
or not I wanted to play with my fingers or a
pick. I read an interview featuring Jason in
Circus magazine: he was talking about his
pick attack technique and how he rarely ever
went back and forth. I practised that heavy
downpicking that he was talking about and it
made my right hand incredibly fast.
He adds: Anything off The Way Of The
Fist I have to double pick, but for the most
part I only play using downstrokes. I like that
attacking style and the heavy feel of it. Im
a big James Hetfield [Metallica guitarist] fan
too. I loved his rhythm playing and wanted to
emulate his style on the bass.
Kaels weapon of choice is his signature
Spector CK-4. This four-stringed battleaxe is
the instrumental incarnation of the Death
Punch bassist himself, equipped with EMG P-J
BASSISTS
Chris Kael, Five Finger Death Punch
pickups and a decorative knuckleduster on
the bridge.
I was trying to envision a personification
of myself in a bass, says Kael. Im a
motorcycle and hot-rod kind of guy and I like
the matt finish on all that stuff. I wanted to
apply a similar no-nonsense look for my bass,
so I made it available in matt black and matt
white. The brass knuckle bridge gives it a bit
more attitude: its a tribute to the band and to
all the knuckleheads out there.
Ive always been a big fan of unique
shapes: the very first bass I bought was a BC
Rich Warlock, he says. The body style of
my CK-4 is loosely based on James Hetfields
Explorer and Rex Browns [Pantera] Rex 4.
Its a mixture of both those shapes and in my
own little way, Im paying respects to both
Metallica and Pantera.
He adds: The P-J pickups have a nice bite
to them and are great for cutting through all
the guitar madness thats going on. Im able to
get a nice distinctive tone that really separates
myself from the guitars.
Why did Kael choose Spector, BGM asks?
When I joined Death Punch, I had the pick of
the litter and I could have chosen
any company that I wanted. I stuck
with Spector, though, because they
have great customer service and
have been making great basses
for 40 years. I also liked the fact
that Spector only produces basses:
they arent a guitar company that
happened to make basses.
He adds: As far as it being the
best bass Ive ever played Yeah,
absolutely! Its everything I ever
wanted in a bass. I got to design the damn
thing and I get to play it all the time
So who does he look up to for inspiration?
When I was a kid, I worshipped at the
throne of Gene Simmons and Kiss; he lit
that spark in me at a young age, he says. I
remember watching him on a kids TV show
called 3-2-1 Contact when I was four years old.
Seeing Gene on there for the first time, I was
like, I dont know what the hell hes doing, but
whatever it is, thats what I want to do!
He continues: I loved the fire, the blood and
the makeup, but I feel it overshadowed the guys
playing. If you listen closely, Gene writes some
pretty good walking bass-lines and I think hes
very underrated as a player. I think his vibe
and the evil side of things rubbed off on me,
and I have that going on. Yeah, thats me, Mr
Scary, up on stage with the dreads in my beard
and whatnot. I guess its an extension of that
Simmons influence.
Got Your Six is out now via Prospect Park.
Info: www.fivefingerdeathpunch.com.
Bass Guitar Magazine July 2016 033
14/06/2016 10:07
 The great Lee Sklar checks in for an update with Mike Brooks on all things bass
t the age of 69, you might
A
expect the session and stage
veteran Lee Sklar to be
taking things a little easier
as he approaches 50 years
in the business but the
bass legend is having none
of it. This year sees him touring Europe and the
US with Toto, an all-encompassing tour with
Welsh songstress Judith Owen, and benefit
concerts with Phil Collins as well as a full plate
of recording commitments.
BGM caught up with Lee recently to discuss
the state of bass, YouTube videos and what its
like to be Lukather-ised following his dates with
Toto earlier this year. This time Ive felt better
about doing it. Last time, I was there because of
[late bassist] Mike Porcaro: this time it was because
David Hungate decided he didnt want to be out
on the road any more. Toto deserve so much
respect and yet in the US they get so little, despite
the fact that songs people have loved for years
feature those guys but they just dont realise it.
The thing I find saddest of all about this band is
that we can show up in Finland and 15,000 turn
up yet we go to the States, and theyre opening
for Rick Springfield. No offence to Rick, obviously!
034 Bass Guitar Magazine July 2016
034-036 Lee Sklar_rev4_NR.indd 34
Lee has spent a considerable amount of time
on this side of the pond in recent years due to
his ongoing role in Judith Owens band, which
had the good fortune to support Bryan Ferry
on his tour last year apart from the final night
in London, as Lee recounts: Bryans band were
really great, Jimmy [Sims, bassist] and I are
brothers in beards! Hes a really great player and
a real hoot. On the last night of that run, Bryan
lost his voice less than an hour before show time
at the Royal Albert Hall. Judith was so looking
forward to that show, but shes the best at
making lemonade out of a lemon. Had the show
happened, she probably would only have had a
two-line mention at the end of the show review:
instead, she invited 50 press people back to her
place for an impromptu show in her living room.
We set up and went for it, and instead she had a
stellar review of her own. Thats what makes her
a unique artist: other people would fold under that
kind of pressure.
With Owens latest album, Somebodys Child,
ready to go, TV performances lined up and shows
in the UK, Spain, Italy, Germany, France, Australia
and the US already confirmed, Lees excitement at
taking the new songs out on the road is tangible.
The new album is really wonderful. Live, its up
to the house mixer and these gigs arent so big that
were dependent on a massive sound system. Im
using an amp that is so small it would fit under a
chair. Bryan offered Judith his studio to do some
recording, so I asked if they had a bass amp and
they pointed to this little Peavey amp: I plugged
in and it sounded great. They said I could have it
so Im using that on this tour. My EA stuff is all
back in the States and thats what I use with Toto
and Phil Collins, but this Peavey is perfect for
the intimacy of this stuff, because I dont need to
be loud. Judith is very much in the same mould
as James Taylor: she doesnt really need us. She
could sit at a piano and do her show, shes a real
treasure. Ive always recognised my position in
these sorts of things and I never bring an ego.
Im happy knowing I can do the Toto gigs after
spending a year playing in a chair.
Although Lee has equipment offered to him
almost on a daily basis, little has changed in the
Sklar arsenal of late. With Judith, Im playing my
Warwick Starbass, which is perfect for this gig.
Ive used that on every record Ive played on since
I got it. With Toto, I use my Dingwall five-string.
My preference is a four-string bass, Im really old
school, but I always figured you use the best tool
for what youre doing at that time. I ended up
14/06/2016 14:52
 BASSISTS Lee Sklar

I STILL DONT FEEL LIKE

IVE GOT IT RIGHT EVERY
DAY IS A NEW ADVENTURE
AND A QUEST FOR
THE UNKNOWN

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 BASSISTS
Lee Sklar

playing a lot of five-string because in this day and

age, so much of what I do is replacing synth bass.
For those players who think technical flashy
playing is where its at, Lee has a few thoughts
on the subject. I go on YouTube and Facebook
bass sites and watch many performance videos
posted by bass players. Almost all I see is players
flailing away, slapping, popping, tapping and so
on. I see very few actually addressing a song.
It is impressive to see all the abilities that have
been honed, and I do not deny the importance
of building your skills, but this is not going to get
you work in most situations. Im happy to play
whole notes if that is what the song requires so
how are you going to play it? Tone, feel, location
on the neck, where do you go to next, and how do
you address that? Many questions come into play
in a simple situation. To me, if you want a long
career you must address the role of the bass as a
foundation to the band as a liaison between the
rhythmic and melodic aspects of the music. It is a
profound seat to occupy.
He adds: I think thats why Billy Cobham used
me for [his 1973 solo album] Spectrum. Rather
than bringing in another fusion bassist, he knew
I was coming from a rock background, where
the songs need a grounding rather than another
soloist. Tommy Bolin was also coming from a
rock background. So this combination of rock
and jazz made for a unique combination, and
still holds the test of time after 40 years. I went
to Berklee last year to do a masterclass and the
players there were so great and so hungry. The
energy was amazing. The only problem with the
schools is that they dont teach what happens
after you graduate on Friday and the reality of
Monday hits. There is less and less ability to make
a living in the music business. Records are being
downloaded for free, the first thing said when
you get called for a session is, We have a budget
issue! Really? So its hard to go and see all these
amazing young players and know that the road
ahead gets more difficult every year. The arts are
not a priority any more, and that is the heart and
soul of humanity. Very sad. Many of the projects
I do now are with people who have made money
in unrelated businesses and are living out their
dream of making an album. Vanity projects. Many
are wonderful projects but there are no labels and
no distribution. My heart is with all those who
wish to follow their dreams and take this journey,
but the road is tough and full of disappointment.
Lees passion for the instrument is clearly
evident and what drives him on is the idea
that his best is still yet to come. I still dont feel
like Ive got it right, he says. Every day is a new
adventure and a quest for the unknown. I dont
want to be someone who rests on their laurels.
The only thing that matters is the gig today and
what Im doing tomorrow. I hate sitting around
guys who are reminiscing. Im blown away that
Im not out to pasture at this point. Its shocking
to think I was 20 when I started all this, and
thinking how great it would be if I could make
it last 10 years. And that comes from a man
with a discography of over 2000 albums. Start
practising, readers!.

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037.indd 37 15/06/2016 15:03
 BASSISTS
Steve Luna, Lemmys Bass Tech
THEY ALSO SERVE
Steve Luna was the late Motrhead bassist Lemmys bass
tech. Listen up as he pays tribute to the master
emmy was amazing to
L
work for. He was one of
the easiest guys Ive ever
teched for. He was a good
guy, always respectful.
Tim Butcher was Lemmys
bass tech for many years,
so I filled in for Tim when he couldnt make it
out. I did a solid three years with Motrhead
when his old production manager left.
We hung out for three years together, on
the bus, in the air, in Europe, the USA, South
America, all over.... I have so many cool Lemmy
stories. I did South Korea and Japan on their
last tour. He was a good person, man; I knew
him for 13 years. He taught me so much about
music: everybody talks about him in sex, drugs
and rocknroll terms, but to me, it was all about
the rocknroll.
Lemmy wasnt too picky, although he knew
how he wanted his bass to sound. I changed his
strings every show, and when Marshall came
out with Lemmys signature series head, he was
happy with them, but I swapped out the tubes
because he wanted a bit more gain out of them.
He liked it to be loud on stage: he would come
out for soundcheck and strum that Rickenbacker
038 Bass Guitar Magazine July 2016
038 Luna_rev2_NR.indd 38
bass, and he would adjust his stack himself.
During the show, though, he might look over at
me and nod at the head, wanting me to turn it
up. The bass on the amp was always down, and
so was the treble, and he always ran the mid all
the way up. It was so incredibly loud that youd
get a kind of phasing sound. No effects he ran
a wireless and that was that.
I teched for the whole of Motrhead when
they were in the studio: I did six albums with
them, all the ones they recorded with Cameron
Webb. Being able to watch him record an
album from start to finish was such a privilege.
Sometimes hed record vocals while playing an
unplugged bass.
In the early years, when I first met Lem I
was like, The action on these basses is so high!
and he said Dont touch it! Leave it as it is! In
the last couple of years, though, when hed got
a little older, we lowered the action to make it
more comfortable to play.
Rickenbackers are famous for having a
double truss rod, and every couple of shows
that could be an issue, but for the most part
Lemmys basses were ready to go. Theyre
heavy, too: the one he played was made of
walnut. Recently Seymour Duncan made some
Pic by Robert John
custom pickups for him and we had one of
those put in, and they actually had to carve
out a bit of the bass, but he loved it, and said
it sounded great. All his companies took care
of him: guys like Nick Bowcott from Marshall
were like family.
He used to call me up and say Lets go to
Vegas! and wed drive there from Los Angeles,
stay a week and then come back. We did that
four times a year. That was always a good time:
hed tell me stories about being a roadie for Jimi
Hendrix, and being in Hawkwind.
Towards the end of his life, Lemmy started
to look a little frail, but we just thought he was
getting old although we always joked that
hed live forever. Maybe his energy levels went
down a bit, but his spirit never did, and nor did
his passion for making music. People could see
that when they went to see him play.
I was with him an hour before he died. We
thought he still had some time, maybe a few
months. I drove up there and spent some time
with him, although he was frail, obviously. He
gave me a hug and we said our goodbyes, and
I left. I was driving home and thats when I got
the call that hed died. Im glad I went up there.
Lemmy went out there and gave it his all,
even though he wasnt feeling well. What he
did best was put on a show, so thats what he
did. To him, it wasnt about the money or the
booze or the glory: it was about playing music
for the fans.
Motrheads DVD Clean Your Clock live album and DVD is
out now.
14/06/2016 10:22
039.indd 39 15/06/2016 15:06
 YOUTH
GONE
WILD
040 Bass Guitar Magazine July 2016

040-042 Youth_rev3_NR.indd 40 13/06/2016 15:52


Martin Youth Glover, founder member of Killing Joke, opens up to
Dayal Patterson about his dub influences and playing bass for Macca himself
artin Glover, better
M
known as Youth
derived from his original
nickname Pig Youth,
itself a nod to reggae
hero Big Youth is a
man with an impressive
array of irons in the fire.
Probably most famous as the bassist
and co-founder of legendary post-punk/
goth/metal pioneers Killing Joke, he has
contributed to a wide array of other projects
including Brilliant (with Jimmy Cauty
of the KLF), ambient house pioneers the
Orb, Transmission (with Simon Tong, ex-
Verve) and the Fireman, an experimental
collaboration with none other than Paul
McCartney. Alongside this active recording
career, Youth is also a prolific producer, his
CV including album projects with such high
profile artists as the Cult.
Visiting this most versatile character at
his London home, we find a property whose
contents reflect the man himself, housing not
only a recording studio but a cornucopia of
musical and cultural items as well as a wealth
of books on all manner of subjects. Settling
into the comfy furniture in the front room,
we begin by discussing the beginnings
ITS MORE ABOUT SELECTION AND
of this lengthy career, Youth setting
about a page of his newest creation,
The Anarchist Colouring Book (we kid
you not) with an array of coloured
pencils as we chat. His recollections
quickly reveal that although music
was an early love, his career as a bass
player was rather more accidental.
The first time I ever played a bass properly
was at my first audition, for this band the
Rage in 1977, he recalls with a smile. Id
been in a band with Guy Pratt when we were
at school together and he was already way
better than me: Id just picked it up as I was
actually the guitarist in the school band. By
the time I joined Killing Joke Id learned my
chops as a bass player, but those guys were
really good, so getting up to speed with them
musically was quite tough. [Guitarist] Geordie
had a Grade 8 in cello so he was a really good
bass player anyway, but I quickly learned to
get my own style which was sort of half
dub and half punk. Thats when I really fell
in love with it, and started taking it seriously.
Perhaps unsurprisingly, given the wide
variety of projects and genres he ultimately
embraced, the influences that Youth brought
to his bass playing were diverse to say the
least. Above all however, was a love for the
reggae and dub sounds that had resulted in
his nickname, though its interesting to note
that it was a musician from closer to home
who provided the most inspiration.
040-042 Youth_rev3_NR.indd 41
Robbie Shakespeare, Aston Family Man
Barrett and Jah Wobble make up at least 50
per cent of my influences, he states. I was
also listening to a lot of McCartney for the
melodic stuff, David Essex and Herbie Flowers
that was the first single I ever bought and
was probably a formative influence on my
bass John Paul Jones of Led Zeppelin of
course, and I liked JJ Burnel of the Stranglers
for his grittiness and dirtiness.
The Jamaican stuff was a big thing, he
continues. King Tubby, Lee Perry, Augustus
Pablo, Treasure Isle, Channel One, Trojan, and
bit of ska, I really loved it. And it went hand in
hand with punk. Bass-line-wise, I used to play
along to Family Man and King Tubby records.
Jah Wobble in particular, because he was a bit
more my generation, a young white kid from
London, made me think I can do that. He just
learned to play the bass for the first PiL album:
hed only been playing a few months, but
its one of the best albums for bass Ive ever
heard. That was really inspiring and it taught
me the punk ethic that its not how many
notes you play, its what you put into it, and
that you should do what you want to do.
Despite his technical improvement over
the years, Youth explains that it is really this
CRITERIA THAN TECHNIQUE
idea that has formed the bedrock for his bass
playing ethos.
Its more about selection and criteria than
technique, he states simply. Its more, Where take the neck, Im a bass player, I need this. So
do you want to go with this? Playing bass isnt
rocket science, but to play bass really well is
one of the hardest things to do as a musician
on any instrument. Theres a Zen thing to it:
even though its not difficult, its the hardest
to get right.
Still, there are times when technique can
still be an issue, particularly when it comes to
working with other musicians in the studio.
Indeed, being an accomplished bass player
often puts Youth in a unique position with
regard to the bassists he interacts with when
wearing his producers hat, his experience
allowing him to help them or at least help
someone get the best from the instrument.
I give them a chance, see what they
can do, he laughs. More often than not I
encourage them to be more melodic or play
less. When I started with Killing Joke I was
just following the guitar, Ramones-style,
just creating a wall of guitar, but later I
started breaking out and doing my own riffs.
BASSISTS
Martin Youth Glover
Sometimes Ill get people to revert back to that,
to make the guitar sound better. Generally
people think the guitar plays with the drums
which of course you do, it has to be totally
synced but often that means just listening
to the drums and not really thinking about
the guitars or the melodies of the vocals. So
sometimes I get them to follow that before
going back to the root.
In the studio its all about encouragement:
occasionally I say, Look, let me show you
an idea and that ups their game a bit.
Occasionally theyll say, You do it and I
will. I mean, it is the ultimate meritocracy,
playing music and making records. Ive had
that happen to me, where bass players have
replaced what Ive done: if its good for the
record, you have to be positive about that. You
have to leave your dignity and ego at the door
when you go in.
Asked about gear, Youth tells us: Ive been
with Ashdown since the early 80s when
they were a part of Trace Elliot. They gave
me half a PA because I kept blowing mine
up: it was the same rig that John Paul Jones
had and didnt blow up and they kept saying,
Youve had three of these! They had these
big bass bins and 2x12s and I said, Can we
have a bass bin and a 2x12 on top and
then a Trace Elliot amp? I had a lovely
amp with a purple UV light which
made the head glow: really cool. It was
half a PA, the band used to go crazy.
At that time I was taking a lot of LSD
and was playing this fretless bass that
I got from a Damned gig. The band
had smashed it up and Captain Sensible had
thrown it into the audience. This girl grabbed
it and I grabbed the body and said, Look, you
she took the neck and strings, and someone
found me a neck and fixed it up. I did Killing
Jokes second album on that fretless. That
was amazing but the band hated it, especially
live because Jaz Coleman [KJ singer] would
tune his voice to it and it would always be
a quarter tone out or something. On that
album, the bass sounds amazing.
An obvious question is what his biggest
challenge as a player to date has been
and conversely, what have been the most
enjoyable and memorable bass parts hes
worked on. Without hesitation, I can say
that the hardest thing to do was playing bass
on a Paul McCartney record, he laughs. He
suggested it and I immediately regretted
agreeing and thought, What the hell are you
thinking?, but I did pull out a pretty good
bass-line and everyone gave me a round of
applause, so I thought, Okay, I cant be too
bad. But that was a bit silly and terrifying,
utterly terrifying.
Bass Guitar Magazine July 2016 041
13/06/2016 15:52
 BASSISTS
Martin Youth Glover
I suppose one of the more relaxed albums
I did on bass was East Of The River Ganges by
the Kumba Mela Experiment, which is a chill-
out album, but I managed to get Klaus Schultz
on there and all sorts of crazy people, even
Uri Geller, and Im just playing dub bass-lines
throughout. That was a real joy. Playing bass
on the last Echo & The Bunnymen record
was also a great pleasure, as was playing on
the last Peter Murphy album. The Orb has to
be in there as well, particularly Little Fluffy
Clouds, even though getting the bass right
took a while. Id started with synths and
done a very basic one, but Im glad I pursued
it further because it came out as one of my
favourite bass-lines.
Despite his contribution to so many
projects where innovativation and
experimentation are inherent values, Youth
underplays his own musical originality
042 Bass Guitar Magazine July 2016
040-042 Youth_rev3_NR.indd 42
throughout our conversation. In fact, he
maintains that most of his inspiration
is drawn from the musicians he finds
himself playing with, along with the many
interesting recordings and equipment he has
amassed over the years.
Im always bargain hunting on tours,
going to second hand record shops, guitar
shops and thrift shops, because I find that
so inspiring, he says. Having a room full
of instruments and gear is a big buzz and
inspires me as an artist. Generally a starting
point for a composition is me saying, I
want to sound like this track and I will try
and match the tone. Thats kind of how I
work, whether its a symphony or a dance
record, its referencing and referencing
and referencing. I learned early that the
harder you try and sound original, the more
of a clich you become, and the more you
IM ALWAYS BARGAIN
HUNTING ON TOURS, GOING
TO SECOND HAND RECORD
SHOPS, GUITAR SHOPS AND
THRIFT SHOPS, BECAUSE I
FIND THAT SO INSPIRING
do direct, deliberate referencing, the more
unique and original you sound.
Youth puts the finishing touch to his
now-psychedelic page, before looking up and
concluding, As soon as I meet an artist who
says, I dont listen to other peoples music I
know Im going to have a boring session!
GEAR
BASSES Gibson EB-2, Rickenbacker 4003, Rotosound RS66
LE strings
EFFECTS Vintage Electro-Harmonix Small Stone, custom
made Doppelgnger glam racket fuzz, T-Rex Reptile Delay
with modulation
AMPS Ashdown 900s with 2x15 cab and prototype 8x10 with
custom made Doppelgnger Yellow box drive, Ashdown
Speakeasy 1x12 custom mod combo
13/06/2016 15:52
043.indd 43 15/06/2016 15:07
 Wall Of
Fame
Dingwall Guitars founder Sheldon Dingwall
tells Silvia Bluejay about a career spent at
the forefront of bass

044 Bass Guitar Magazine July 2016

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e caught up with luthier improvement at 36; 37 just sounded
W
Sheldon Dingwall at this awesome. Thats how we came up with the
years London Bass Guitar original 37 scale for the low B. We designed
Show, where he was a bass starting with a 37 scale going down to
exhibiting his 34, finished it, and looked for suitable strings,
Afterburner and but no manufacturer made 37 scale strings.
Combustion ranges, as I had designed a bass nobody could get
well as the stunning D-Bird prototype, at Bass strings for, he recalls, shaking his head. So
Directs stand. Dingwall basses are so I called Kaman Musical Strings. The head
distinctive that my opening question has to be string technician, a bass player, was intrigued
about how Sheldons interest in bass-building by my request and saw an opportunity to
started, and how the fanned frets design solve a problem. Long story short, two weeks
became his trademark. later I had a dozen sets of strings to try! That
It started when I was three, replies the was the start of our relationship. We never
Canadian luthier. We had a piano, and I still intended to get into the string business, but
vividly remember reaching the keys, and we just lucked out with those guys.
noticing how rich the bass strings sounded. Ive Right from the beginning we studied
always gravitated towards this bass richness. how the length of the string affects the
However, I didnt take up the bass until I was tone. Since our strings are designed for
15, when I first got exposed to Stanley Clarke. that skill and that skill only, they are more
When I started building guitars, I would also fine-tuned, like high-end tyres on sports
question bass players: they all wanted the same cars. These sets have been designed to
thing, a five-string bass with a big B string, but have as close to perfect tension from string
werent happy with what was available. So the to string, instead of having all kinds of
first thing I did was talk to piano makers, asking different tensions, and as close to perfect
how pianos worked, and why they worked so timbre on each string. Once the signals from
THE RIGHT SCALE LENGTH REQUIRED A BASS THAT WOULD BE
TOO BIG. I THOUGHT IT WAS A DEAD END. THEN I SAW A GUITAR
BUILT BY STEVE JUAN FOR MICHAEL HEDGES THAT HAD FANNED
FRETS. I SAID TO MYSELF: THATS HOW YOU BUILD A BASS!
well on the bass frequencies. Then I went home all the strings go on through the pickup, you
and studied scale length and all that. cant separate the B string from the G string
But it wasnt easy, he recollects. The right to try and correct them.
scale length required a bass that would be too In practice, were using physics to self-
big. I thought it was a dead end. Then I saw a EQ the strings so that, when they sound
guitar built by Steve Juan for Michael Hedges together, you have a tone that doesnt
that had fanned frets. I said to myself: Thats require correction it only requires a few
how you build a bass! That was 1992. Three enhancements. Many sound engineers and
months later I found myself at a luthiers producers have gone out of their way to say
convention in the US and I met Ralph Novak, to me that recording bass with a Dingwall
the inventor of the fanned frets. I told him that I was the easiest project theyve ever done.
saw the potential of fanned frets for bass. After We had evidence from the very get-go that
about five minutes we hit it off and he says, Tell we were on to something. Its just that we
you what, Ill focus on guitars and you focus on had unfortunate timing we came up with
bass and well take it from there. We shook this futuristic-looking bass at the start of
hands, and that was it. the retro trend, and 20 years later the retro
Originally the bass was designed around trend is just running out of steam, so we
a string I found at a music store. It had no were at odds with the rest of the bass world
wrapper and no name, it was just a long B for 20 years. Demand is increasing now.
string. I used a Fender bass and I put that B As a left-handed bassist Ive never
string in the G string position, so I could slide a been able to try a Dingwall properly.
nut up and down the headstock, and listened. Has Sheldon got any lefty models in the
Interestingly, I only started to hear a significant pipeline? We dont make any at present,
044-045 Dingwall (interview) _rev2_NR.indd 45
BASSISTS Sheldon Dingwall
he says. When I first started, I followed the
advice of my main mentor, Gar Gillies, a sort
of Leo Fender of Canada, who recommended
always making left-handed models. Up until
1996 I had left- and right-handed tooling for
everything we made. Then my shop went
down and we had to retool, and it took a year
and a half just to get tools for three basses,
so I just couldnt afford tools for left-handed
as well. I always meant to, though. Well get
there. Watch this space.
Is there a particular kind of musician who
makes Dingwalls their first choice, we ask?
Weve always sold our basses to all kinds of
musicians, he replies, but the people who
were our core customers were the engineer
types. So we have Rolls Royce engineers,
NASA engineers, Paul Allen [the co-founder
of Microsoft] and so on among our customers.
Then, just recently, seven- and eight-string
guitars have become popular in the djent
genre, and Adam Getgood of Periphery is
the king of that genre. Those guitars have
pushed the bass down in frequency, often
down to F#, and that has put extra stress on
the equipment. Our basses have been very
capable of being tuned to F# all along, but
nobody wanted that until now!
We want to know more about the
relationship between scale length in a
Dingwall and sound definition, particularly
at low frequencies.
Id describe the Dingwall sound as tight
as well as defined, explains Sheldon. The
fundamental is really a small part of the
overall tone. A big boomy bottom sounds good,
but if it lacks definition, its not very useful.
What we found when we analysed the signal
coming out of our basses is that there is a lot
of first harmonic and second harmonic: the
fundamentals there, but the tightness comes
from the harmonics. A long scale allows the
harmonics to be in tune with the fundamental,
so theyre much more useful than the kind of
plus-or-minus tuning.
Definition on bass affects an audience,
more so than guitars and more so than
drums and vocals he continues. A well-
played bass gives power to your fingers. You
can create emotion in multitudes of people.
You may think of the guitars as the focal
point of the band, and sure they are, as far
as television cameras are concerned, but as
far as communicating emotion, thats the
bass player. Theres a revolution coming
on, where the bass player is stepping out in
front, and Adam is at the forefront of that
as well. I havent seen anything like it: its
like back in the 80s when the guitar was
everything. I see the same thing happening
now, but this time on bass. And its really
exciting!
Info: www.dingwallguitars.com
Bass Guitar Magazine July 2016 045
15/06/2016 11:18
 BASSISTS
Mike Antonio, Killswitch Engage
Killswitch Engage bassist Mike DAntonio recalls a career
among the low notes
m completely self taught.
I
I would describe my bass
playingas having a
homegrown,moonshine
type of distilledvibe.
Over time, I have been
crafting my skills into the
bass player I am today aggressive, angry and
to the point. I have small hands, so five-string
basses just do not feel comfortable to me. I do
like having an extra low string, but Im not
sure its always needed in my bands. They can
be fun to play though I just need those
fingerextensions first!
My first bass was a Washburn. I had a
friend who was selling a guitar and another
who was selling a bass. Unfortunately I could
only afford the bass, so I went with that. I
dont remember having the bass that long, or
liking it that much, but the rest is history. I
046 Bass Guitar Magazine July 2016
046 D'Antonio_rev2_NR.indd 46
loved my 80s Gibson Thunderbird to death.
It was my main bass for a long time. I had to
retire the bass after the second on-stage neck
break. It was so sad: I couldnt bear to hurt my
baby again, so she now lives at my house, safe
from tour.
My bass heroes are Jason Black from Hot
Water Music: not only a super nice guy,
he has fills for days! I marvel at his bass
wordiness and how it complements the
guitars.Also Steve Harris from Iron Maiden:
what can be said about Steve that hasnt
already been said? The hairy man is the metal
finger master!Harley Flanagan from Cro-
Mags has the best live stage presence Ive ever
seen. He practically makes the audienceeat
his bass, by pushing it into their faces like
a battleaxe! Last but not least,Frank Bello
from Anthrax: Frank is a pro player and a pro
awesome dude. Hands down one of the nicest
musicians I have ever met, and he has the tone
skills to pay the bills. What a tone! Franks
tone was the main influence in my new bass
tone for the latest Killswitch Engage album
Incarnate, and the tone I now use live. Angry,
cranky, and enough low end to disembowel a
baby panda.
When youre playing bass, its okay to build
a solid foundation that the guitars can build
on. Not every bass player needs to be Les
Claypool. Dont play to impress, play what
sounds right, and know your position in the
band. In my opinion, stepping all over a cool
riff is criminal. Overplaying a riff can hinder
its simplicity, so dont be frustrated by playing
rhythm to the lead guitar: know your role and
hold it down.
My new signature bass from Ibanez, the
MDB4, will be coming out very soon.Im super
stoked about the pickup arrangement of this
new incarnation of my signature bass. The
MDB4, stocked with two Seymour Duncan
P-bass pickups, now includes a Jazz pickup at
the bridge.I feel like you can sink your teeth
into that high end now and really make this
baby scream.This is my favourite of all the
MDBs so far.
www.killswitchengage.com
14/06/2016 10:25
 GEAR Introduction

GEAR
48

REVIEWS DINGWALL Z3

B 52 56
ehold our world-beating bass
gear review section, where
we bring you the crop of each
months new, interesting or
otherwise relevant bass guitars,
bass amplifiers, bass speakers
and bass effects. Occasionally
well review a guitar effect if its
particularly useful for bassists, and
well test recording equipment and
general accessories every now and
then as well, but generally speaking,
this zone is for bass-specific gear.
We take the ratings that we give
each item very seriously. BGM is
the only print magazine devoted to
bass in this country, and we have
readers from all over the world,
so were responsible about our
conclusions. If a product is worth
your investigation, well say so; if SCHACK Unique 5 TORUN 5
its flawed in some way, we wont
hold back from making that clear.
Were not beholden to advertisers
in any way and our conclusions are
60
entirely independent of the views
of manufacturers, musicians and
distributors.
When you read about a bass-
related product here, you know PEAVEY Headliner 1000 Amp and Headliner 410 Cabinet
youre getting a sensible, balanced
review from an experienced bass
tester. Value for money is at the
top of our agenda in these cash-
strapped times, but on the other
64
hand, we still believe in paying
for quality.
Right, thats enough from me.
Remember, this is just about the
only place that its good to have
GAS!*
Joel McIver, editor

*GAS = Gear Acquisition Syndrome

(a malaise often suffered by bass
players)

ASHDOWN AAA-60-10T AAA Combo

Bass Guitar Magazine July 2016 047

047 Reviews intro_rev2_NR.indd 47 15/06/2016 15:10

 DINGWALL
Z3
What happens when you take a Z1 and a Z2 and put them together? You get a
Z3, of course! Mike Brooks runs the rule over a Dingwall tone machine
Bass Direct
www.bassdirect.co.uk

W
eve reviewed several Dingwall basses in the past, and no matter
how often we hear the question does fan-fretting actually work?,
we always come away from a review with a glowing appraisal of
Sheldon Dingwalls work. The man never rests on his laurels, with
new models and reworkings of existing models appearing regularly. So
what does this Z3 bring to the party?

Build Quality
You can always be assured that a Dingwall will be exquisitely crafted and
built, and the Z3 is no exception: the body shape, contouring and all round
craftsmanship are wonderful. The body itself is so comfortable to wear, and
although there is no front chamfer on the upper body, the cutaways are deep,

with great access to the upper frets. The Translucent Black gloss finish looks
classy, with just enough of the ash grain visible, while the satin-finished,
lightly-coloured bleached maple neck and fingerboard provide a familiar but
striking contrast, topped off by the matching headstock veneer and finish.
There is some headstock dive, as you might expect on a bass with a
neck of these dimensions: the scale varies from 34 to 37 inches on the low
B string. This is remedied when the Z3 is placed on a strap. Although the
neck is long, it is extremely comfortable: the way the bass sits on the player
is a testament to Sheldons design skills and ergonomic outlook. The slim,
shallow D-shaped neck profile draws the player in: playability is a serious
priority here, despite the 53mm nut width and the use of banjo fretwire
instead of regular fretwire. The 18mm string spacing also helps to give
the Z3 a slinky feel.

048 Bass Guitar Magazine July 2016

048-050 Dingwall z3_rev3KP.indd 48 14/06/2016 11:15

 GEAR
Dingwall Z3 3750

TECHNICAL SPECIFICATION
Price | 3750
Made in | Canada
Body | Dual density swamp ash in Translucent
Black finish
Neck | Maple, 34 to 37 scale
Neck joint | Bolt-on (four bolt attachment)
Nut width | 53mm
Fingerboard | Maple
Frets | 24
Pickups | Dingwall FD3 Super Fatty pickups x3
Electronics | Glockenklang active three-band EQ
Controls | Volume (active/passive push/pull),
rotary pickup selector, bass (+/- 14 dB @ 40 Hz),
middle (+/- 9 dB), treble (+/- 18 dB @ 18 kHz)
(passive treble cut), neck pickup series/parallel
selector, mid frequency selector (250 Hz/550
Hz), bridge pickup series/parallel selector
Hardware | Gotoh ruthenium lightweight
tuners, Dingwall black bridge units
Weight | 3.9kg
Case/gigbag included? | Gigbag included
Left-hand option available? | No

WHAT WE THINK
Plus | Vast tonal palette, supreme playability,
balance and comfort, killer B string
Minus | The price tag may be off-putting, but
this is a hand-built bass. Listen to the tones!
Overall | A top-notch instrument, built with
care and attention to detail

BGM RATING
BUILD QUALITY
SOUND QUALITY
VALUE

Bass Guitar Magazine July 2016 049

048-050 Dingwall z3_rev3KP.indd 49 14/06/2016 11:16

 GEAR
Dingwall Z3 3750
A SOLIDLY BUILT, TONALLY FLEXIBLE,
HIGHLY PLAYABLE AND COMFORTABLE
INSTRUMENT. ANYONE PURCHASING
ONE SHOULD FEEL VERY PLEASED
WITH THEMSELVES
Luminlay side dots assist the player in low light, and a Neutrik
locking jack socket has also been incorporated. The lightweight
Hipshot tuners reduce the weight burden and operate smoothly and
solidly, as indeed do all the controls and hardware on this bass. The
three FD3 pickups are well-matched with the Glockenklang three-
band active preamp, with controls for volume (passive tone control in
passive mode, activated by push/pull), a rotary pickup selector, and a
three-band EQ. Extra switches control mid-frequency selection and
series/parallel switching for the neck and bridge pickups.
Sounds and Playability
The tonal concept for the Z3 was to offer three of the most popular
pickup tones, namely the split-coil tone of a Precision, the twin single-
coil performance of a Jazz and the humbucker punch of a Stingray,
050 Bass Guitar Magazine July 2016
048-050 Dingwall z3_rev3KP.indd 50
and with that aim in mind, Id say Dingwall have done a pretty good
job. All three pickup configurations have been approximated, along
with the bridge pickup soloed for some tight midrange honk. Switching
between each of the four settings, the similarities to the original tones
are clearly evident.
Throw the EQ and pickup switching options into the mix and you
have an extremely versatile instrument, with one of the best-sounding
low B strings anywhere: its performance is made even better by the
37 scale length. The fan-fretting needs to be mentioned, of course
and for anyone who doesnt get on with this system, a good tip is
to simply look at the fret ends along the top edge of the fingerboard.
If you dont look at the angled slant of the frets, your fingers should
naturally land where they need to, or at least mine did. Maybe the
mind plays tricks on ones eyes!
The many switching options may seem a bit daunting at first, so
try leaving the EQ alone to begin with so that you can get accustomed
to the nuances of the pickups. Once I was familiar with the tonal
characteristics of each pickup and setting, then I was able to bring the
EQ into play and achieve some classic tones. Is there anything this bass
cant do?
Conclusions
The Z3 is a solidly built, tonally flexible, highly playable and
comfortable instrument, and anyone purchasing one should feel
very pleased with themselves. Ive thoroughly enjoyed playing and
reviewing it. At this price, youll need deep pockets but considering
how many players have ventured along the Dingwall route in recent
times, there will surely be many bassists interested in putting this
instrument through its paces. Enjoy!
14/06/2016 11:16
051.indd 51 15/06/2016 15:39
 SCHACK
Unique 5Shack Guitars
www.schack-guitars.de

Schack embodies the German design ethos when it comes to its

instruments and this eyecatcher is no exception. Mike Brooks gets
up close and personal with this five-string tone monster

A
lthough they dont produce a vast number of
instruments, Schack basses are highly regarded
and, for the most part, this is down to the
extremely flexible active circuitry for which the
company have become renowned over the years.
Does the Unique have what it takes to knock us off
our feet?

Build Quality
The Unique gets full marks in the design and visual
departments: even with all of its modern touches and
features, it still comes across as a woody, organic
instrument. Resplendent in a Midnight finish, the flamed
maple body and neck, walnut top and ebony fingerboard
straddle the traditional and modern aspects perfectly. The
slightly odd satin lacquer is like no standard satin finish
Ive ever come across: it certainly isnt gloss but it works
very well and gives this Unique model an appropriately
unique feel.
Ergonomics have been a major consideration, with
careful contouring to the body, front and back, and the
rounded body curves are accentuated by rounded body
edges. The elongated top horn makes the bass comfortable
to wear although without a strap, there is some
neck dive to contend with. Once on a strap,
the bass is well balanced. Playability is
further enhanced by the shallow D-shaped
neck profile and with the 45mm nut width,
this five-string is incredibly playable
and comfortable. I have no doubt you
will find your fingers skipping across the
fingerboard, as mine did.
The combination of the timbers, the neck
attachment more of which below the zero
fret, high attention to detail and superb set-
up all contribute to make this a bass with a
very distinctive acoustic tone from the off, the ETS two-piece bridge facilitates adjustments to the action,
with great definition and voicing of the intonation and string spacing. The controls for volume,
low B string. The minimalist, clean-cut pickup pan, bass, middle and treble operate smoothly and
look is maintained with no front facing are made by ETS to Schacks specification.
position markers, although mother of The Basstec humbucking pickups are Schacks own
pearl side dots have been included. A brand, matched here with an 18-volt active three-band
two-over-three Schaller machine head circuit. This comes with switchable centre frequencies
arrangement has been used, and the for each band, courtesy of a series of mini dip switches
tuners are finished in a satin chrome, while inside the electronics compartment.

052 Bass Guitar Magazine July 2016

052-054 Schack_rev3KP.indd 52 13/06/2016 17:08

 GEAR
Schack Unique 3450

TECHNICAL SPECIFICATION
Price | 3450
Made in | Germany
Body | Flamed maple with walnut top
Neck | Flamed maple, 34 scale
Neck joint | Locking neck joint (no bolts)
Nut width | 45mm
Fingerboard | Ebony
Frets | 24
Pickups | Schack-designed Harry Heusen
Basstec humbuckers x2
Electronics | Schack active three-band EQ with
mini dip switch EQ settings (bass (100 Hz, 150 Hz,
220 Hz, 300 Hz), middle (500 Hz, 800 Hz, 1.2 kHz,
1.5 kHz), treble (2.5 kHz, 4 kHz, 6.5 kHz, 8 kHz))
Controls | Volume, pickup pan, bass, middle
and treble
Hardware | Schaller lightweight tuners in satin
chrome, ETS two-piece bridge Schack-designed
ETS controls
Weight | 4.2kg
Case/gig bag included? | Mono Vertigo
gigbag included
Left-hand option available? | Yes, at no
extra charge

WHAT WE THINK
Plus | A high-class offering that ticks all the boxes
Minus | The pricetag is hefty
Overall | A seriously impressive five-string that
delivers on all counts, with a tonal palette to
keep even the most ardent tone technician busy

BGM RATING
BUILD QUALITY
SOUND QUALITY
VALUE

Bass Guitar Magazine July 2016 053

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 GEAR
Schack Unique 3450
Sounds And Playability
This bass feels so sleek, much of which is due to the neck attachment.
Flipping it over shows no bolts, and it isnt a through-neck
construction so what gives? Schack have used a similar connection
to tongue and groove woodwork and to solidify the connection, brass
locking plates have been used. At first glance, you wonder how theyve
done it, but having seen a cutaway at first hand, it is actually a very
clever solution. Tonally, every note rings out acoustically: even the
054 Bass Guitar Magazine July 2016
052-054 Schack_rev3KP.indd 54
AT 3450, THIS IS NOT A CHEAP BASS
BY ANY MEANS BUT SO MUCH ABOUT
THE WAY IT SOUNDS, FEELS AND PLAYS
IS TOP NOTCH
notes on the low B string sound guttural, with a smooth overtone. Lets
see how it sounds when the famous Schack circuitry kicks in.
For those who like to tinker with the tonality of their instruments,
youre going to have some fun with this bass. From a flat EQ
perspective, the resonance and tonal delivery is strong, with every
note sounding solid and well rounded: the string and note volume
across the whole neck is very impressive. Soloing each pickup produces
the sort of tones you would expect from both a neck and a bridge
pickup, and mixing the two allows you a considerable choice of tones.
But the EQ section is where the fun is and experimenting with the
bass, middle and treble controls brings to the fore what this bass is all
about. Removing the back plate reveals a series of mini dip switches
and by following the enclosed documentation, the player can select the
fundamental frequency for each band. The bass EQ ranges from 100
Hz to 300 Hz, the mid EQ offers a range from 500 Hz to 1.5 kHz and
the treble EQ starts at 2 kHz up to an ear-splintering 8 kHz.
Any player of any musical persuasion is going to find sounds and
tones to their liking with this bass, as it does everything very well
from fingerstyle to slapping, tapping, pick playing and every style in
between. What it does is give the player the facility to cleanly execute
the sounds, tones and style they hear in his or her head. Its very easy
to dial in the sounds you want to hear.
Conclusions
Okay, heres the rub. At 3450, this is not a cheap bass by any means
but so much about the way it sounds, feels and plays is top notch.
Although a lot of players may balk at the price tag, for those able to
justify such an outlay, I recommend taking a closer look at the current
offerings from the Schack stable.
13/06/2016 17:09
055.indd 55 15/06/2016 15:15
 TECHNICAL SPECIFICATION
Price | 8500
Made in | North Cyprus
Neck | Three-piece maple, lacquered
Neck joint | Bolt-on, seven bolts
Nut width | 50mm
Fingerboard | Blackwood
Frets | 24
Pickups | Torun Nova humbuckers x2
Electronics | Three-band parametric EQ, both
active and passive
Controls | Stacked volume and active/passive
selector; balance; bass; treble; stacked mid-
range boost/cut; two switches for serial/single
coil/parallel pickups
Hardware | Black Torun GT tuners (custom
made by Gotoh); two-piece bridge
Weight | 4.5kg
Case/gigbag included? | Yes
Left-hand option available? | Yes

WHAT WE THINK
Plus | Distinctive looks (if thats your thing);
high-quality materials and workmanship; highly
versatile sounds
Minus | Distinctive looks (if thats not your
thing); high price; potentially confusing choice of
sound combinations
Overall | You will either love or hate this bass,
while still admiring it as a work of art

BGM RATING
BuILD QuaLITY
SounD QuaLITY
VaLue

056 Bass Guitar Magazine July 2016

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 gear
Torun 5 8500

Torun
5
Eight grands worth of golden Cypriot artistry, road-tested by Silvia Bluejay
Torun
www.torun-instruments.com

T
he London Bass Guitar Show 2016 featured a number of brand launches
in the UK: among the debutant luthiers was Kamil Torun from North
Cyprus, who introduced his high-end basses. Their shape was inspired by
Kamils beloved pet dog, he told us: he decided to create something in her
honour at a time when she was ill.
The five-string gold leaf bass we review here is one of a group of four
prototypes that Kamil brought to London with the aim of showcasing
different sound characteristics. Theyre all his own basses, created to his own
playing preferences and specifications, so this particular instrument was not
for sale. Kamil stresses that he is happy to modify and customise any aspect
of the bass to suit individual customers requirements and if the price of
this model is intimidating also their pockets.

Build Quality
This is bass-building as a work of art. The Toruns singlecut body has
a distinctive, aesthetically pleasing shape, and this particular model is

eminently striking, being almost entirely covered in genuine 24-carat gold

leaf and paired with black hardware and ebony-covered pickups. Every part
of this bass screams sheer luxury. The body is made of hornbeam, with a
layer of high-quality lacquer over the gold leaf. The high level of attention
to detail on the whole instrument, from the positioning of the knobs and
switches to the angle of the machine heads, is plain to see. While its probably
unsuitable for use at your average pub gig, this bass will certainly be a show-
stopper in a stylish function band or, of course, on a big stage.
As soon as I place my fretting hand on the neck, I notice that its chunkier
than any other Im used to: for the sake of comparison, at 50mm, the nut
is wider by 5mm than all of my Warwick five-strings. The neck itself is a
rather deep D-shape, terminating in an angled headstock. That thickness,
the density of the maple wood from which it is made, plus the five machine
heads, will cause a certain amount of neck-dive, so make sure you use a
grippy strap.
Spacing varies across the strings, with the bone nut deliberately cut at
irregular intervals. On this particular model, the spacing is wider between
the D and G strings: in Kamils view, this arrangement facilitates bending
while soloing on the high notes. As I mentioned before, this is his own bass

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 gear
Torun 5 8500
hes not necessarily planning to impose that option on his customers
unless they ask for it. The string height at the nut is comfortable, and
there is no fret buzz.
The bridge design is two-piece, with individual string attachments
positioned tastefully along the curve of the body, rather than in a straight
line. The individual saddles are adjustable sideways as well as lengthwise
and in height, easily allowing for the difference in string spacing on
this model. On the back of the body there is a large, black electronics
cover plate in anodised aluminium, attached through four fixing screws:
interestingly, the plate also houses the jack socket. That makes repair or
replacement much easier than the usual position at the side of the body,
near the strap button, and avoids the risk of damage when the bass is
placed on an A-frame while still plugged into an amp.
Although the position of the socket, the size and shape of the body and
the way the bass hangs from the strap are such that a straight lead doesnt
necessarily interfere with the players body, using a right-angle jack may
still be advisable. On the back of the body there is also a housing with two
cavities with clip locking for two 9V batteries side by side, used in series.
Sounds and Playability
Given the size of the body and the neck, I was expecting this bass
to be heavier than 4.5kg, although that cant exactly be described as
lightweight. Pick it up and examine the electronics, which comprise two
soapbar pickups, five knobs and two three-way switches. The first knob
from the neck is stacked, controlling the volume and doubling as an
active/passive selector. The second knob controls the balance and allows
selection of the neck or bridge pickup or a blending of both, as desired.
The third knob controls the bass, and the fourth the treble: the fifth is a
stacked knob for mid-range, providing boost and cut.
A pair of three-way switches also control the pickup combinations. With
the first switch in the up position, the neck humbucker is in serial mode;
with the switch in the middle position its in single coil mode; and with the
switch in the down position, its in parallel mode. The second switch works
in the same way on the bridge humbucker. Try setting the two switches in
two different positions, each placing one pickup in one of the three modes.
Each pickup contains four coils which can be switched on independently:
058 Bass Guitar Magazine July 2016
056-058 Torun_rev3KP.indd 58
all coils on, or just those on the right, just those on the left, or the top half
on one side of the pickup and the bottom half on the other side.
Predictably, given its electronics, the sound of this bass is powerful.
Despite its 34 scale, the low B sounds majestic and, with both humbuckers
in parallel mode, the neck pickup produces rich, enveloping bass
frequencies, while the bridge pickup is more middy and punchy. All that,
however, becomes almost irrelevant when we look at the tweaking options
available: the range of sounds that can be obtained through knob and
switch combinations is vast. Large humbucker pickups arent the only
choice, though: there is also the option to install piezo pickups under the
bridge, if the customer prefers. The purpose of all this is to create a bass that
can provide the desired sound for playing any kind of music, without the
need to change instruments between songs. In other words, the ultimate
Gear Acquisition Syndrome-killer: buy one bass to replace all others! The
idea stems from Kamils own experience in his native Cyprus, where bands
play a variety of styles at the same gig, to multicultural audiences. But isnt
having so many pickup combinations at best confusing, and at worst a
recipe for on-stage disaster? How easy is it to remember which setting to
use for which track? I for one would certainly be in trouble.
Kamil is getting ready to unveil an additional solution: some models
will be fitted with an on-board software memory option, with three or
four slots, that can save groups of settings and retrieve them at the press
of a button, while still allowing for any manual tweaking necessary. That
sounds quite intriguing.
Conclusions
This is one of the most peculiar basses around, and a classic case of
either love it or loathe it. If youre only comfortable with understated or
traditional basses, look away now. If, however, youre after a bass that
can get you noticed with its looks as well as its sound, and you have deep
pockets, this may be for you. Similarly, if you are a one-pickup-is-enough
Precision lover, youll find the electronics on this bass, and the options
they provide, not just baffling but also pointless. Conversely, if you thrive
on modern styles and love using the widest variety of sounds, youll be
thoroughly fascinated, and quite possibly tempted, especially if you opt for
a slightly less expensive custom build.
14/06/2016 10:20
059.indd 59 15/06/2016 15:20
 Peavey
Headliner 1000 Amp &
Headliner 410 Cabinet
Peaveys new amp and cab may be unlikely to break the bank, but do they stand out from the
similarly priced crowd? Mike Brooks checks out their performance
Barnes & Mullins
www.bandm.co.uk

I
ve played through many Peavey rigs over the years and Ive always
been impressed by how well they get the job done in any live
situation. This amp and cab are part of the Peavey Tour range and
slot very nicely into the head and 4x10 cab for less than 1000
bracket but do they offer enough sonic clout to cut the mustard?
Build Quality
Much of Peaveys reputation has been based around excellent build
quality and this amp and cabinet both appear to follow in that
tradition. The cabinet looks rugged, covered in a black carpet material
with protective metal corners, a black metal grille and recessed side
carry handles. Theres no tweeter, which is understandable at this
price point and as so many bass players now turn their tweeters off,
the omission may be welcome.
The amp is a solidly-built beast, with a combination of metal and
plastic controls, all of which operate smoothly without feeling cheap
or lightweight. As its rated at 1000 watts, youll need two cabinets
to get the full power: with one cabinet, a full delivery of 700 watts is
possible. In terms of weight, the amp clocks in at a very reasonable 5.4
kilos, while the cabinet is 32.7 kilos.
Although its not fitted with neodymium speakers, I found it
relatively easy to move around, even though the cabinet shape is an
old-school near-perfect cube.
The amp isnt lacking any features and has a very plug and play
feel: everything you need is laid out in front of you on a simple,
uncluttered front panel. Once youve set your Gain level, aided by
selecting an active or passive instrument, you can either bypass
the Tone selector or select a mix of tone settings from Bright (more
presence and high end), Contour (mid-scooped) or Crunch (hi-gain
with a slight distortion). Bass and Treble EQ can be added using the
Low and High controls, after which the seven-band Graphic EQ can be
used to fine-tune your tone, or to remove any frequencies that might
be causing you a problem in a room or on a stage. Should you require
compression, turn the Compressor on; a Mute switch is also available.
Sounds and Playability
Tested with a number of passive and active basses, this rig nails its
colours to the mast from the start, with a solid and full display. My
passive basses benefited from the additional push from the Active/
Passive selector: even without adding any EQ from the amp, both
basses sounded big and warm with a tight, punchy response from the
4x10 cabinet.
The tone selector proved useful, while adding some extra EQ
smoothed things out a little, particularly with my naturally clanky
Precision, and the Graphic worked very well in adding upper-mid and
treble frequencies for extra finesse from both the Precision and my Jazz.

I was very impressed with both units, and having used them both
in rehearsal and gig settings, I can certainly recommend both to
anyone looking for a stack

060 Bass Guitar Magazine July 2016

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 gear
Peavey headliner 1000 amp, Peavey headliner 410 cabinet 549, 365

technIcal sPecIfIcatIon
Peavey Headliner 1000 Amp
Price | 549
Made in | China
Power | 700 watts RMS @ 8 Ohms, 1000 watts
RMS @ 4 Ohms
Features | input jack socket, Pickup Type
(Active/Passive) selector, Pre-Gain, Tone (Bright/
Contour/Crunch) on/off selector, Low, Graphic
EQ on/off selector, seven-band Graphic EQ
(+/- 15 dB, 40 Hz, 100 Hz, 200 Hz, 400 Hz, 800 Hz,
1.6 kHz, 3.2 kHz), High, Compressor, Compressor
on/off selector, Volume, Mute on/off selector,
jack headphones output socket, SpeakON
output socket, jack output socket, jack
footswitch input, FX Send/Return jack
sockets, DI XLR output, DI Pre/Post switch, DI
Ground Lift switch
Weight | 5.4kg

Peavey Headliner 410 Cabinet

Price | 365
Made in | China
Power | 800 watts RMS, 1600 watts peak
Impedance | 8 Ohms
Frequency Response | 48Hz-6kHz
Speakers | 4x10 custom designed ceramic
magnet woofer speakers
Connections | One SpeakON socket, two
jack sockets
Dimensions | 610mm (H) x 595mm (W) x
465mm (D)
Weight | 32.7kg

what we thInk
Plus | A great rig at a great price, with plenty
of features
Minus | Lack of a tweeter is disappointing
Overall | No real frills but this rig does what it
needs to do at a simple, player-friendly price

BgM ratIng
BUILD QUaLITy
SOUND QUaLITy
vaLUe

Bass Guitar Magazine July 2016 061

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 gear
Peavey Headliner 1000 Amp, Peavey Headliner 410 Cabinet 549, 365
Throwing a few active basses into the mix highlighted a few
shortcomings, mainly at the top end. The lack of a tweeter meant
that the glassy highs I would expect from a couple of basses were a
little lacklustre, but working the High control and the EQ gave me an
acceptable compromise. Using an active five-string, both the amp and
the cabinet performed admirably, conveying the characteristics of
the low B string without any trouble. The throatiness of that bass in
particular came across remarkably well. Pushing the amp to deliver a
ballsy rock tone with a StingRay was also impressive: at no point did
the signal start to break up. I got the impression that there was plenty
of headroom to play with, should I need it.
062 Bass Guitar Magazine July 2016
060-062 Peavey_rev4.indd 62
Conclusion
I was very impressed with both units, and having used them both in
rehearsal and gig settings, I can certainly recommend both to anyone
looking for a stack. The simplicity of the amp, its easy-to-use front
end and power rating are all big plus points while the cab, with its
internal bracing, simple design and easy manoeuvrability, gives an
equally favourable impression. At under a thousand pounds, this
is worth serious consideration and by adding an extra cab and
benefiting from the full power that this amp has to offer, youll get
even more bang for your buck.
15/06/2016 12:02
063.indd 63 15/06/2016 15:24
 ASHDOWN
AAA-60-10T AAA Combo
An Ashdown combo for less than 200? Joel McIver plugs in...
Ashdown
www.ashdownmusic.com

T
he venerable Brit amp makers Ashdown have sent us
this fun-sized 60W AAA bass combo, and fans
of the companys bigger gear as we are, it would
be churlish not to put it through its paces and
see how it matches up to its more powerful siblings.
Now, a fun game that we have at BGMs secret
command bunker is to plug gear in and play with
it before we know what the price is. That way, you
get a feel for its performance without thinking That
should be better or indeed, That could be worse
because a price tag is influencing your judgement.
We did this with the AAA combo and, without
wanting to spoil the verdict so early in this review,
were pleasantly surprised when we later found out
that it only costs the same as a curry and beers for
your band and crew.
Pick the thing out of its box and stand there smugly
for a minute, holding it in one hand (assuming youre
of average human stature). It only weighs 12 kilos, or
less than two stone, and is therefore unlikely to give
you sciatica unless you attempt to throw it across the
stage at your guitarist. The heyday of the pointlessly
heavy amp is long gone, as youll know unless youve
been living in a Tibetan yurt for a decade, and a good
thing too.
Plug in via a high or low input, switch on and a friendly
green LED beams at you. Next to that is a socket for a cable to
your smartphone, in case you fancy using Ashdowns AppTek
software, more of which in a minute. Refreshingly, Ashdown
include the cable: if we had 10p for every time a manufacturer fails to
TECHNICAL SPECIFICATION
include a power supply/battery/useful gizmo as part of the RRP, dinner
would be on us. RRP | 199
Materials | Lightweight plywood, Tolex covering
Flatten the EQ without using AppTek, a simple but functional bass/mid/treble three-potter and play. The
Features | 1 x 10 speaker, 8 ohm min. load jack
default tone is round and punchy with plenty of bottom end and definition. Familiar but useable, this sound has a socket, tube emulating overdrive, four-band
reasonable amount of clarity and stays clean all the way up to the top end of the volume, with merely the slightest EQ (Bass, Hi-Mid, Lo-Mid, Treble and Variable
signs of breakup as you begin to run out of headroom. Roll on the treble and a glassy slap tone develops, but Mid Sweep), Hi and Lo inputs, AppTek socket
crucially not a weak or weedy one: theres solidity there too. (cable supplied, app free to download), line in,
The AAAs secret weapon is its Drive control. This is where youll have most fun. Give it a little twist and your headphones out, DI out, speaker mute
Power | 60W
tone gains a subtle warmth. Add more and youre in crunch territory. Max it out and youll discover a wonderfully
Weight | 12kg
aggressive John Entwistle-indebted bellow that will scare sheep at 100 paces, especially if you add serious volume. Dimensions | H 418mm x W 406mm x D 325mm
For a 60-watt amp, this combo punches above its weight. excluding feet
The AAA has obviously been designed to work in various scenarios, hence the 8 ohm extension speaker out
(evolving the amp into a stage rig), DI out and line in. The red grille looks effortlessly cool, but Im not sure how well WHAT WE THINK
it would take an accidental boot in the face by a brain-dead roadie or stage invader, so keep it well clear of crowds. Plus | Lumbar-friendly weight, impressive
The rest of the unit is solid, despite the lightweight ply construction, helped along by a tough Tolex covering. overdrive, AppTek is useful
Minus | Grille could be stronger
For 199, the spec weve just described is great value for money but add in the AppTek functionality and youre
Overall | At this price, its a steal
into even broader tonal territory. Download the app to your phone (its free, hurrah!), plug into the combo and youll
be rewarded with features from Ashdowns ABM series, sub-harmonics, tube drive, compression and a wider EQ BGM RATING
among them. Its the future, readers: be in it. BUILD QUALITY
So, three cheers for the AAA combo, then. Light, useful, affordable and easy to use. If only all amplifiers, etc SOUND QUALITY
etc etc... VALUE

064 Bass Guitar Magazine July 2016

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 GEAR
Ashdown AAA-60-10T AAA Combo 199

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066.indd 66 15/06/2016 15:26
067.indd 67 15/06/2016 15:27
 BASS
TUITION
Making you a better bass player
W
elcome to our redesigned tuition section, in which Bass Guitar
Magazine collates the wit and wisdom of the crme de la crme of
the electric and upright bass world. Were fortunate enough to have
some serious talent on the team, from world-class music educators
to experienced touring musicians, who between them have laid down
the low notes in every studio, club and arena in the civilised world. Note
that weve divided the columns according to Beginner, Intermediate and
Advanced level for easy reference. Whether youre looking to improve
your playing technique, expand your awareness of theory, set up your rig
to sound like your particular bass hero or simply get on a bus and tour, we
provide the answers you need here. What are you waiting for? Dive in...
Joel McIver, editor
068 Bass Guitar Magazine February 2015
068-069 Techniques Intro_Rev1.indd 68
Ellen OReilly is a freelance bassist and vocalist
currently studying at ICMP. Ellen has extensive
experience in gigging, studio and television work.
www.lowendlady.com
ELLEn oREiLLY BEGINNERS THEORY 72
Paul Geary attended the Berklee College of Music in
Boston and the Musicians Institute of Technology. He
also heads up the Academy Of Contemporary Musics
bass school.
www.paulgeary.com
PAuL gEARY BEGINNERS TECHNIQUES 74
Stuart Clayton is a professional bassist and writer with
over 20 years of experience in the industry. He runs the
bass department at BIMM Bristol and Bassline Publishing,
which has published a range of tuition and tab books.
www.stuartclayton.com www.basslinepublishing.com
StuARt CLAYton INTERMEDIATE THEORY 76
Rob Statham has amassed over 25 years as a
professional freelance bass player. He has played in a
wide range of musical settings, including jazz, blues,
prog and classical, and he has taught for the past three
years at BIMM London.
Rob StAtHAm INTERMEDIATE TECHNIQUES 78
Head of the Bass Department at BIMM Brighton,
Franc has worked with artists such as Steve Howe
(Yes), Lisa Moorish, and Mike Lindup (Level 42). Franc
uses Jeff Chapman basses and Elites strings.
www.francoshea.com
FRAnC oSHEA ADVANCED THEORY 80
Say hello to advanced techniques columnist Philip
Mann, star of studio and stage. Ready to get those
fingers ying? Mann up...
PHiLiP mAnn ADVANCED TECHNIQUES 84
David Etheridge studied double bass at the Royal College
of Music. Since then hes worked with musicians such as
Nigel Kennedy and Martin Taylor. David teaches double
and electric bass and is the MD of two big bands and a
55-piece jazz orchestra.
DAViD EtHERiDgE UPRIGHT BASS 86
Steve Lawson is the UKs most celebrated solo bass
guitarist, with 15 years of touring and 36 solo and
collaborative albums to his name. He also lectures at
colleges around the world.
www.stevelawson.net
StEVE LAWSon EFFECTS MAESTRO 88
Mike has written for BGM since 2004 and has beena
bassistsince 1987, clocking up over 3000 gigs around
the worldin the process. He has played for and worked
withthe likes of Bonnie Tyler and Toyah Willcox, and has
a bass collection to rival a small shop.
miKE bRooKS CLASSIC BASS ALBUMS 90
15/06/2016 14:46
 tuition Introduction

bgm Notation Legend

The following is a guide to the notation symbols and terminology used in Bass Guitar Magazine
The Stave: most music written for the bass guitar uses the bass clef. The
example to the right shows the placement of the notes on the stave.

Tablature: this is a graphical representation of the music. Each horizontal

line corresponds with a string on the bass guitar, with the lowest line
representing the lowest pitched string (E). The numbers represent the frets
to be played. Numbers stacked vertically indicate notes that are played
together. Where basses with five or six strings are required, the tablature
stave will have five or six lines as necessary.

Notes shown in brackets indicate that a note has been tied over from a previous bar.

Playing Techniques

Slap and Pop Technique
Notes slapped with the thumb are
marked with a t, notes popped
with the fingers marked with a p
Advanced slap Technique
Fretting hand slaps are marked
lh and double thumbing
upstrokes are shown with an
upward pointing arrow
Plectrum Technique
Where necessary, down and
upstrokes with the pick will
be shown using these symbols
(down-up-down-up)
Tapping Techniques
Fretting hand taps are shown with
a + in a circle. Picking hand taps are
shown with +. Specific fingers will
be shown with numbers if necessary

Fretting Techniques

Hammer-On and Pull-Off Slide (Glissando) Trills Vibrato

Hammer-ons and pull-offs are Slides are performed by playing the Trills are performed by rapidly The pitch of the note is altered by
shown with a slur over the notes. first note then sliding the fretting alternating between the two repeatedly bending the string up
Only the first note is plucked by finger up to the second note notes shown using hammer-ons and back with the fretting finger
the picking hand and pull-offs

Playing Harmonics Bending Notes

Natural Harmonics Artificial Harmonics Bend Bend and Release

The note is played as a harmonic Pluck the string while fretting the The note is bent upwards to the The note is bent up to the interval
by lightly touching the string lower note and placing the edge of interval specified: = semitone, indicated then released back to its
above the fret indicated the picking hand thumb an octave full = tone original pitch
higher (the note shown in brackets)

Bass Guitar Magazine July 2016 069

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 The

front line
The Metalhead
Pa o l o G r e g o l e t t o

Trivium bassist Paolo salutes a classic influence

I was surfing the web recently and noticed that a very important
milestone is upon us: the 30th anniversary of the release of Metallicas
third album, Master Of Puppets. I had a copy lying in my truck, so I popped
Want to make it as a professional bassist? Listen up the disc in and gave it a spin. Its amazing when an album from your

as BGMs world-class bass team reports back from childhood holds up so well. I feel lucky that most of my favourite bands
are still relevant and have done a great job of preserving their legacy, but

the tourbus sometimes the music does more than any publicist, manager or band
could ever do on
their own.
Puppets has
The Jazz Bassist truly earned its
place as one of
Ruth Goller
those mythical

Jazz ninja Ruth enters the rhythmic zone albums that

stands up to
I was recently asked to teach a class of 15 drummers about the each decades
relationship between drums and bass. As daunting as it seemed at first, challenge,
I was really looking forward to it, because this is one of my favourite growing deeper
subjects as a bass player. I know that most bass players feel the relationship and deeper into
between drums and bass the fabric of
very strongly, and so do I. its genre. We
The interesting thing for still talk about
me personally was that the effects of
I had to play the same the album and
groove with all of them the what if?
and talk about what it questions about
felt like. The tune was Metallicas bassist
Seven Days by Sting, Cliff Burton,
which has a reasonably who lost his life
straightforward bass- in a bus crash
line, the only odd thing the same year.
being that it is in 5/4. Would the band Scott Uchida

For the drummers, on be the same if

the other hand, the task hed survived? Its a conversation I believe most Metallica fanatics have
was a lot more difficult. had with like-minded people. I discovered the band and the album as it
Vinnie Colaiutas drum was celebrating its 10th anniversary in 1996. By then Cliff Burton had
pattern is superbly ascended to legendary status, and it felt like he was helping to guide me
intricate, and hard to in my bass studies through his own playing. Would I have become as
play with the right feel, dedicated to the instrument without a bass player as ferocious as Cliff?
and yet it sounds so Puppets is the standard we hold great albums up against: its a unit of
simple and fluent. The measurement in metal.
hi-hat pattern was one of
the hardest things for the
students to get right. This Recording the title track for Kerrang!s 20th
meant that it was very
easy for me to pay full
anniversary Puppets covers compilation back in 06 was
attention to what it really felt like to play with each person. an honour, and seeing Metallica play the album in full
Of course, one of the goals was to get the pattern right: some of them at that years Download was life-affirming
had obviously practised it to sound like the record, but others were
struggling to stay in 5/4, which meant that awareness of feel or groove Recording the title track for Kerrang!s 20th anniversary Puppets covers
as well as listening to each other went out of the window. That situation compilation back in 06 was an honour, and seeing Metallica play the
was interesting for me as I felt as if I could see these drummers inner album in full at that years Download was life-affirming. The connection
selves. The time feel was wobbly and the tempo unstable, but the touch I have to that album is hard to describe to people. Maybe its because it
was purely their own, and so was their drum sound, no matter whether it and I are almost the same age: I can pull out specific memories with each
was good or bad. milestone and anniversary. I believe now more than ever, with the horrors
It was also great to discover that when their attention was diverted to of the world, the pervasive vanity and narcissism in our culture, and the
something else, their feel improved immediately. They all tried to get the dour outlook on life the news seems to deliver daily, Master Of Puppets
hi-hat pattern right, but I told them to concentrate on the kick drum on exists and continues to thrive because of its honesty. The lyrics and
beat one and think about it as the most important thing in the groove emotion conveyed on that album speak directly to the state of the world as
which it is, in this example. Everyone could play the kick drum on beat it is and sadly, as it will most likely be in the future. The upside is that the
one, and suddenly their whole groove sounded so much better. I hope the music isnt going anywhere, and that it will continue to shine a light on the
students learned as much as I did from this hour. dark parts of our society for next generations of metalheads that follow.
www.ruthgoller.com www.trivium.org

070 Bass Guitar Magazine July 2016

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The Alternative Rocker
Michael McKeegan
Therapy?s bass warrior Mike on show prep
Were coming round to festival season again and its time to get
thinking how best to deal with the flyer shows well be doing this run. As
its a logistical and financial no-no to get our backline out to the festivals,
its going to be us flying with basics and renting the rest. At the minute I
have quite a stripped-down pedalboard comprising a tuner, a pedal-style
wireless receiver, a Drop pedal and a SansAmp Bass Driver. So from that
lot I have a basic DI and preamp sound for whatever amp Im using, the
Drop pedal to deal with any lower tunings and the wireless which keeps
tangled stage leads to a minimum.
www.ashleybird.com
With regard to rental gear, you can get most standard rigs worldwide:
pretty much every venue will have a decent SVT and an 8x10 cab
available. Sometimes its good to specify rental backline to be used
exclusively for your show, which should be fair enough if youre paying a
full days rental. Ive heard of some companies wholl charge three or four
bands on the same bill a full days rate for the same backline, which is no
fun if you have to use it last after its been thrashed all day, or you need to
drag it across from another stage 10 minutes before youre due on. Dont
skimp on spares: bring enough strings and batteries for the shows, and if
you cant fly with a spare bass, ask the rental chaps to supply a basic P or
J bass with the right gauge of strings. Normally this can be figured in at a
nominal cost.
Prep your gear before you fly: sometimes there just isnt time backstage
to start restringing guitars or changing batteries. Shop around for flights,
too: sometimes the budget option isnt the most fiscally sound. It can work
out cheaper to pay more for flights with airlines that have bigger baggage
allowances. Another good tip if you fancy flying light and avoiding silly
excess baggage costs is to use an airline which has an allowance in items
as opposed to weight. Buy an industrial-sized roll of clingfilm, put two
matching guitar cases together and bind them into one item. Youll get
funny looks at the airport, but youll get to bring twice as many guitars for
the same price. Have fun and above all, remember to say a prayer that the
baggage handlers and airline dont break or lose your gear!
www.therapyquestionmark.co.uk
070-071 Front line_Rev3KP.indd 71
the front line
The Extended-Range Specialist
S t e wa r t M c K i n s e y
ERB-twiddling legend McKinsey gets dynamic
Ive mentioned dynamics a great deal in previous columns, but have
never addressed the subject directly: it is absolutely essential to your role
as a soloist, as well as an ensemble player, to understand them. While this
is a challenging topic for someone with the range of a typical four-string
instrument, for us it is in perpetual refinement. This ties in dramatically
with several pieces in this recent series about activating and manipulating
the strings to achieve the effects you want. In terms of understanding
dynamics in your playing, you need to grasp what goes on between your
hands and the strings, the signal chain and how both of these things are
then amplified.
You can find all kinds of material about limiters and compressors online:
you should also investigate how EQ affects notes between you and the
world, as well as how cable length and method of bass construction affect
the transmission of a note. Initially, when exploring dynamics, use the
cleanest technique with both fretting and plucking hands. Focus on the
force youre exerting on the string, and how the note opens and decays.
The extremes of our range are where you will really need to focus to
understand how to play with uniformity and consistency, but start your
work in the traditional range of the bass to hear what you want to be able
to do lower and higher. Then you can start working on the unique aspects
of both the top and bottom ends of the spectrum.
The higher strings dont have the same excursion as the low strings, but
at the same time, these notes are more present than the extreme depths.
For once, you will find that the big strings will give you more in terms of
trial, but potentially more reward when you begin to hear how playing
softly or really attacking can create some very cool effects. The more you
work on this, the more you will enhance all aspects of your expression,
which in turn opens up your solo work and how you interact with a band.
This is important because in the next piece I want to start getting into the
nuts and bolts as well as the philosophy of your soloing. This will also
get into songwriting and a bit of theory, as well as referencing several of
this years articles. See you then!
www.facebook.com + search Stewart McKinsey
Bass Guitar Magazine July 2016 071
14/06/2016 09:47

TUITION
Beginners Theory
ELLEN OREILLY
Beginners bass guru
Ellen dives further into
the triad zone
H
ello again, bass buddies! Last
month we had a look at the
first of the four triads, which
was the major triad. Now just
to recap on what we learned so
far: a triad is a three-note chord
which incorporates a root, 3rd and
a 5th. This is the simplest form
of a chord, and as it highlights
the core chord tones, this makes
it incredibly melodic and a great
way to add more interest when
playing under a chord. Here are
the four triads and their formulas
to help you remember what we
are looking at:
EXAMPLE 1
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072 Ellen_Rev3_NR.indd 72
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Major triad Root, major 3rd and perfect 5th
Minor triad
Augmented triad
Root, minor 3rd and perfect 5th
Root, major 3rd and #5th
Diminished triad Root, minor 3rd and b5th
In the last column we saw that the major triad is made up of root, major 3rd and a perfect 5th. We also saw
how the minor triad is made up of root, minor 3rd and a perfect 5th. In this issue, we will take a look at the
augmented triad and all its inversions.
In an augmented triad, there is only one difference distinguishing it from the major triad, and that is the
5th. In a major triad we have a perfect 5th, whereas in an augmented triad we have an augmented 5th (or as
you can see, a sharpened 5th). There is a very distinctive and strong sound when you play the interval of the
perfect 5th, whereas when you play the augmented 5th you can hear how it is lifted in tonality. If you play
both intervals side by side, then you will clearly hear the difference.
Now that you know what makes up a minor triad, its time to look at it in all its inversions. First up is the
root position, followed by the first inversion and second inversion, which are played as follows:
Root position Root, major 3rd, #5th
First inversion Major 3rd, #5th, root
Second inversion #5th, root, major 3rd
In the example Ive given, root position consists of C, E and G#. The first inversion would be E, G# and C,
and the second inversion would be G#, C and E. You can see how these appear on the stave in the example.
These inversions are useful for highlighting the overall tone and feel of a chord without sticking to the
root notes. As bassists we tend to get stuck on the root a lot, but by using inversions and chord tones we can
see and more importantly hear how there are many ways to complement the music to which were playing.
Give it a go yourself: get someone to play an augmented chord on a piano or guitar, and play the root position
first. Then try out the different inversions of this triad and get used to how they sound against that chord.
Youll be amazed at what you can come up with!
15/06/2016 10:25
073.indd 73 15/06/2016 15:38
 Reggae grooves made simple with Commander Geary

T
his month I would like to take a look at a reggae chart, break it down and analyse the style and genre.
Reggae originates from Jamaica and is based around traditional calypso music. It can incorporate a range
of different bass techniques, using thumb and palm muting as well as fingerstyle. It is also important
to realise the varied EQ and string considerations that are needed to achieve the correct tone. Reggae
should be felt, not heard.

IT IS ALSO IMPORTANT TO REALISE THE VARIED EQ AND STRING

CONSIDERATIONS THAT ARE NEEDED TO ACHIEVE THE CORRECT
PAuL GEARY TONE. REGGAE SHOULD BE FELT, NOT HEARD
Line 1
The first four bars here are
played over an E minor chord.
The notes of an E minor triad
are E root, a minor 3rd G and a
perfect 5th B. The root and 5th
are played by the bass in the
first bar. Remember to be
accurate with your rests. These
are as much a part of the music
as the pitches.
We start the bar off with a
quarter note rest followed by an
eighth note rest. In bar two we
have the same combination of
rests followed by an E eighth note
played on the second fret of the
D string.
The last figure in bar two is a
quarter note triplet. A triplet is
where we fit three notes into the
space of two. We write this on
the stave with a bracket over the
three quarter notes and a three
joining them, which notates a
triplet. Bar three is the same as
bar one. In bar four we change
rhythm and start the bar with a
quarter note triplet. The first and
second note is E, played at the
second fret of the D string: we Line 2
then finish the figure on a B note Here we change to an A minor chord, made up of the root of A, followed by a minor 3rd on C and a perfect
played at the second fret of the A 5th on E. The first bar starts off with the same rhythm as bar one, and then we change the notes to low A
string. It is really important that (open A string) and low E (open E string). Although the notes are open strings, the challenge will be damping
we catch the downbeat on beat of the notes to avoid stray overtones. This can be achieved by damping with the fretting hand and palm
three. This is played on an open muting with the plucking hand.
E string. The note sets up the Using the fretting hand to damp and mute the notes involves releasing the fingers from the fretboard just
last phrase, which is two eighth enough to stop the string from ringing. Palm muting involves plucking the strings and lowering your palm to
notes played on low E and open stop the string from ringing. Both techniques involve a bit of practice to get the string sounding just right, it
A strings. takes quite a lot of control to do this.

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 APP extra tuition
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In bar two we stick with the A

minor chord using the root of A
as a pickup note, switching to a
quarter note triplet. The triplet
this time starts with a low B
played at the second fret of the
A string, finishing with a low E
played on the open string. Bar
three is where we switch back to
E minor keeping the phrase and
hook the same as bar one.
In bar four we still have a
quarter note rest and an eighth
note rest, but then switch to a
single E eighth note followed by a
dotted D, played either open or on
the fifth fret of the A string. This
note is crucial and needs to ring
for the correct duration.
The dot extends its value by
half. The D note sets up the
next chord change using a low C
eighth note played at the third
fret of the A string.

Line 3
The final line starts off with a C
dominant 7th chord. This chord
is made up of a root C, a major
3rd E, a perfect 5th G and a minor
7th Bb. The bar starts off with
the same rests as before followed
by a C root and then the perfect
5th played down the octave on
the G note at the third fret of the
E string. We then finish the bar
with another root C, played as a
quarter note. Bar two starts the
same but then we have another
quarter note triplet starting on C
at the third fret of the A string,
finishing up on B at the second
fret of the A string. The B sets up
the chord change for bar three.
This final chord is a B dominant
7th. The chord is made up of a B
root, a major 3rd (Db), a perfect
5th (Fb) and a minor 7th, A. We
play a low B at the second fret of
the A string, followed by a perfect
5th played down the octave on a
low Fb at the second fret of the
E string. In the last bar we have
an eighth note B and a dotted
quarter note. This is the same Try playing this whole chart with the thumb as well as with the fingers of the fretting hand. Notice how
rhythm as before, and the final this dramatically changes the feel and the overall tone of the piece. Lastly and most importantly, dont forget
note is a low E eighth note that that this style incorporates a great deal of swing, more than you think, so dont play it too straight. Finally,
sets up the repeat. have fun!

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 fifth and seventh) and cover ways in which we can practise them on the bass guitar. If you have any piano skills,
or an understanding of basic music theory and notation, those will be very helpful to you here too.

The maJor SevenTh Chord

The first chord we will cover is the major seventh chord. This is a major chord with major seventh added to it. For
example, if we take a basic C major chord (C, E, G) and add the major seventh interval (B), we will have a Cmaj7
chord. Note that the name of this chord has two parts, a prefix and a suffix: the prefix describes the basic triad, in
this case, C. As this is a major chord, we only need to say C, we dont need to say C major. The maj7 element of
the chord name is the suffix and relates to anything added beyond the major triad, in this case the major seventh.
This might seem confusing for the moment, but will become clearer as we progress through the rest of the chords
in this column. Lets look at some ways to play the Cmaj7 chord as an arpeggio on the bass.

example 1
The notes in a Cmaj7 chord are C, E, G, B. In this exercise I have demonstrated some ways in which this could
be played on the bass. Fretting hand fingerings have been included between the staves I recommend that you
follow them. Note that this column will rarely include any tab. I am using it in here only as a way to illustrate that
STUART CLAYTON there are many ways of playing the same arpeggio!

Commander Clayton
kicks off an amazing new
column series. Listen up!

W
elcome to the first in a new
series of columns where I example 2
look at approaches to soloing If you know the notes in the chord (and you know your fingerboard), you shouldnt need any shapes or patterns
on the bass guitar. Over the in order to play the arpeggio. This is a fingering for a two-octave Cmaj7 arpeggio. Note that I have used a different
next 12 issues (and possibly beyond) fingering when descending you should seek to find different ways to play this arpeggio all over the fingerboard.
we will follow a structured approach When playing all these arpeggios you should try to say the notes to yourself as you play them. This will
designed to get you playing effective continuously reinforce the associations between the theory and what you are playing.
bass solos over common chord
progressions. Well approach this
from a jazz/blues perspective,
meaning well predominantly cover
common blues and jazz chord
progressions. If blues or jazz arent
your thing, dont panic: the lessons
youll learn here will be applicable
to any other style of music and you
can instantly apply them to your Lets move on to the next chord type.
preferred genre.
The dominanT SevenTh Chord
Chord ToneS The chord that well look at is the dominant seventh and is one of the most important. This chord is a major chord
As you probably know, the key to with a minor seventh interval added to it. When we add a minor seventh to a chord we just call it 7, not minor
any good bass-line is the use of seven. Therefore, a dominant seventh chord is written as C7. Lets play this chord as an arpeggio on the bass.
chord tones, and the same is true
when playing a solo. If your solo example 3
lines are rich in chord tones, not Here we see a selection of ways in which the C7 arpeggio can be played over one octave.
only will you be clearly outlining
the harmony, but youll be playing
ideas that sound good too. With
that in mind, our first port of call
needs to be to begin learning about
chords and the notes contained in
them. In this first column, we are
going to look at seventh chords
(chords which contain a root, third,

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 example 6

tuition
Intermediate Theory

Example 4
This demonstrates a fingering for a
two-octave C7 arpeggio.

The Minor Seventh Chord

The next chord well cover is the
minor seventh chord. This is a basic
minor triad (for example C, Eb and
G = C minor) with a minor seventh
added. This is written as Cm7 Cm
is the prefix (the basic triad) and 7
is the suffix.

Example 5
This shows some ways to play a
Cm7 arpeggio on the bass.

Example 6
followed by a two-octave
fingering for a Cm7 arpeggio.

The Half Diminished Chord

The final seventh chord is either
referred to as the half diminished
chord or the m7b5 chord. As
the latter name suggests, this is
essentially a minor seventh chord,
with a flattened fifth. In the case of Cm7b5, the notes in this chord would be C, Eb, Gb and Bb.

Example 7
This shows some fingerings for the
Cm7b5 chord.

Example 8
followed by the Cm7b5 chord
over two octaves.

Ive thrown a lot of chords at you

in this column, but Im hoping that
youre familiar with at least a few of Example 8
them. My recommendation is that
you begin working on these four
chords as shown, beginning from
C. For maximum benefit, play them
on the piano as well, and write them
out on manuscript paper. As and
when you are comfortable playing
them from C, move on to another
key. I recommend following the
circle of fifths, so the next logical key Now, the important thing to remember is that this will take a long time! This is not something that you should feel
would be G. The goal is eventually you need to be able to do before the next issue, rather something that should form part of your practice routine for the
to be able to play all of these chords next year or so. If you spend 20 minutes a day working on these chords, then 20 minutes working on the soloing ideas
comfortably in all 12 keys. that will be presented here, you will make steady progress. See you next month.

Bass Guitar Magazine October 2015 077

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 app exTRa
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example 1

example 2

ROB StAtHAM

Metric modulations
made easy with the
mighty statham noticed was on the introduction of By Fire by Hiatus Kaiyote, which implies a slowing down by moving to a
dotted quarter-note pulse for a few bars before resuming the original tempo.

i
n my last column I ran through Another way in which this concept is used is as a polyrhythmic concept, implying a new tempo while still
some useful exercises which observing the original tempo, thus creating the effect of two different tempos being played at the same time.
we can do with a metronome This can be confusing, and you may have had the uncomfortable experience of the drummer youre playing
to strengthen our time feel. with executing a metric modulation idea, creating the illusion of speeding up or slowing down, and it might have
These included some sub-division thrown you off, causing you to lose your place in the existing tempo. Because a secondary pulse is implied, we
exercises, so Id like to take this need to be careful that we dont get drawn in to feeling this as the primary tempo and thus losing track of where
idea of working on our rhythmic we are in the bar.
sub-divisions a step further and put One of the reasons why it is easy to lose your place is because the shape of the drum pattern or bass-line
them in the context of a concept strongly implies the modulated tempo. However, if the same rhythm is played as a single note, it is a fairly simple
known as metric modulation.
Metric modulation is a way we
can slow down or speed up the
tempo using an approach that is
based on moving to a different
sub-division of the beat as our
pulse. For instance, if were playing
at a tempo of 120BPM, we can
take a dotted quarter note as our
new pulse. This will result in a
tempo two thirds of the original, so
80BPM. Using this method, even
a large ensemble like an orchestra
can make sudden tempo changes
it just requires the musicians to
be able to feel the new pulse before
the bar-line where it changes, and
then move to the new tempo. This
is a useful way to make sudden
tempo changes without guesswork,
although were limited to tempos
that have sub-divisions in common.
Nonetheless, it is a very useful
concept a recent example I

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 tuition
Intermediate Techniques

case of moving from one sub-

division to another. This implies
example 3
the modulated tempo less strongly
and is therefore easier to manage.
I illustrate this with the first two
examples, which are rhythmically
identical, but the first example
is played on one note and so the
illusory effect of slowing down is
not so apparent.
If you look at example 1 youll see
that it begins as a two beat rhythm example 4
using a sixteenth note sub-division,
the first beat consisting of an eighth
note followed by two sixteenths,
the second beat four sixteenths.
Obviously this can be played twice
in one bar of four as written. But
after repeating this bar I then write
the same rhythm in triplet form,
each phrase unit now consisting
of a quarter note triplet followed
by six eighth note triplets. You can
see that this takes longer than the
original two beats to complete, and
so the idea falls across the original
pulse. It involves some syncopated
triplets but, with a little practice, is
not too hard to play. Practise this
idea at the suggested tempo, or a
little slower at first if that helps, and
youll see its simply an exercise in
moving from a sixteenth note sub-
Metric modulation is a way we can slow down or speed
division to an eighth note triplet
sub-division.
up the tempo using an approach that is based on moving
However, when we give the
idea more of a shape, as in the to a different sub-division of the beat as our pulse
second example where it is,
in the original form a fairly
generic two-beat rock bass-line in the two bars. One little tip that might help initially is to accent the beginning of each bar in the modulated
idea, it becomes more difficult. triplet form to help keep your place in the original tempo.
Now, when we move to the triplet The third example is a one bar shuffle bass-line idea, moving, after playing it twice, to a dotted eighth note
form, we really get a sense of the form, again creating a slowing down illusion. Youll notice that in the original version each beat unit consists of a
tempo modulation: we create the sub-division of three, a quarter note triplet and an eighth note triplet swung eighth notes, in other words. In the
illusion of slowing down and need modulated form this group of three is now played as a quarter note and an eighth note, so the ratio remains the
to be careful to keep our place same but played over one and a half beats rather than just one.
in the original tempo. Repeat Ive moved back to the swung eighth note form in the second half of the fourth bar as this makes it all fit
the example round and round together nicely into a four-bar cycle that again you should practise round and round with the click until you
with the metronome until you can make the implied tempo changes smoothly. Its a good idea for these examples, by the way, to have the click
can comfortably move from the accenting beat one, so you can be sure youre staying true to the bar length.
original idea to the modulated Finally, in example 4, Ive used an idea known as phrase reduction, a concept often used in Indian music. The idea
idea, keeping in with the click. here is that we have a melodic motif with which we create the illusion of speeding up by use of successive metric
Youll notice also, by the way, modulations. Ive taken a simple four-note idea G, F, D, C and written it in different forms, starting with half notes,
that the bass-line in the original then dotted quarter notes, then quarter notes, then dotted eighth notes, followed by eighth notes, and finally sixteenth
form occurs four times in two notes. This works out to playing the motif six times, once in each form, over six bars, ending on the downbeat of
bars, while in the triplet form, the the seventh bar. As with all the other examples, this is an excellent exercise to practise moving smoothly from one
complete idea occurs three times rhythmic sub-division to another, and also an interesting musical effect to explore and make use of.

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 app exTRa
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example 1

FRaNC O'SHea

dive in to francs epic

solo series and become a
better person!
example 2

I
n this months column well
continue to look at ideas to use
for building a chord/melody
solo bass piece by combining
chord voice leading using
arpeggios with melodic phrases
and runs.
The passages used in my
last column and the ones
demonstrated in this issue are
either influenced by, or taken
directly from, an unaccompanied
piece that featured on my first
album Esprit, called Pearl. This
piece is in a similar style to Jeff
Berlins Dixie or Dominique Di
Piazzas Marie and is not groove-
based like many of todays solo
bass pieces, but is compositional,
with flowing changes that could,
for example, be arranged for a
string quartet.
Example 1 demonstrates a
chord sequence that is based
around a Imaj7/VI7/IImin7/
V7 in the key of F major. It
doesnt exclusively follow that
set of changes, though, and uses
substitutions to create voice
leading and smooth transitions
between chords.
Example 2 expands on these
ideas by interjecting melodic
material between successive

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 tuition
Advanced Theory

the first example, however, rather

example 2 than just leading straight into the
next chord, the EbDim7, another
bar which includes a melodic
phrase is added. This phrase uses
a fast trill between the notes E
and F, before finishing just on the
major 7th interval, the E.
In the third bar, the original
EbDim7 is arpeggiated and is
followed by fast run down notes,
taken from an Eb symmetrical
diminished scale, before
landing on a GbDim7 chord.
example 3 The symmetrical diminished is
the same scale as the regular
diminished scale, but its formula
proceeds as semitone/tone/
semitone/tone and so on, rather
than tone/semitone/tone/
semitone. It is also worth noting
that EbDim7 and GbDim7 are
effectively the same chord as they
share the same notes.
In bars five and six, the
arpeggios follow each other
successively as they do in bars
three and four in the first example.
However, bar seven in example
2 takes the original arpeggio and
embellishes it by adding a tapped
major sixth note in the higher
octave. This tapping technique is
used to add melodic material to the
chord in the next bar too, and an
upper extension, this time a 13th,
is added to the GminAdd9 chord in
the bar following that.
A C7b5 appears in the
eleventh bar which uses notes
taken from the C whole tone scale
to progress to the Gb7b5 that
appears in bar 12. Both chords
are derived from the same whole
tone scale and create tension that
is realised with the arrival of the
Fmaj7 in the last bar.
Example 3 also uses voice
leading and substitutions for the

THIS PIECE is not groove-based but compositional, with same I/VI/II/V sequence and
incorporates an independent

flowing changes that could, for example, be arranged

bass-line movement in bar seven,
and some modern-sounding sus
and add chords in the final bars.

for a string quartet Note that the Gbmaj7Add#11 is

played using false harmonics.
Next month, I will continue to
look at developing chord/melody
arpeggios or by expanding the existing arpeggio. The example is to be played rubato, which means that it for unaccompanied bass.
should flow freely, without strict tempo, to allow for expression. The Fmaj7 in the first bar is the same as in Until then

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 app ExTRa
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ExamplE 1

pHIl maNN

dark lord mann

ExamplE 2
has quintuplets.
now theres an
image to savour...

i
f you stop to think about it for
a moment, its quite incredible
just how much the study of
Western contemporary music
is motivated by even subdivisions
of note and time. Drummers
are good people to verify this,
as they happen to spend almost
the entirety of their careers
counting eight-bar intros, 12-bar
verses or 24-bar solos. Away
from the duration of time, the
mathematical subdivision of notes
is also predominantly fuelled by ExamplE 3
this common familiarity. Basically,
ever since the first day you were
introduced to music through
nursery rhymes and TV jingles,
youve been listening to, and
more importantly feeling, even
subdivisions of time.
It should therefore come as
no surprise that as soon as we
are confronted with odd time
meters or odd subdivisions,
musical studies instantly become
substantially harder to feel and
understand. Those of you with
roots in progressive rock or world
music may relish the rhythmical
challenge, whereas other bassists
among your ranks may simply
find the entire study a little

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 tuition
Advanced Techniques

disruptive to their processing

skills. Thankfully, this month
Example 4
well be remaining in a common
time meter (4/4): however, we will
be familiarising ourselves with
irregular rhythmic subdivisions.
To be more specific, were
introducing quintuplets to our
arsenal of vocabulary.
Have a look at example 1. The
presentation of quintuplets in
music notation is reminiscent
of semiquavers, but with an
additional small number five
placed beneath the double beam
to help differentiate the five-note
grouping from their four-note
cousins. Feeling this five-note
subdivision can at first be a little
tricky, so I would recommend that
you initially attempt to verbalise
it: try saying either university
(u-ni-ver-si-ty), or perhaps
Example 5
paracetamol (pa-ra-ce-ta-mol)
on each beat of the bar to develop
your preliminary understanding.
Example 2 continues with
the rhythmical endeavours
established in our first example,
but places them more into the
context of a groove. Youll notice
that the presentation of the
quintuplet continues to remain
the same. Strike the open A
string with your thumb, before
hammering on an E (seventh
fret, third string) with your index
finger; the thumb then once
again strikes the A string now
with the E fretted. The last two
subdivisions of the five-note
grouping are then executed using
double popping: the first note
being performed with the index
finger of your right hand, the as soon as we are confronted with odd time meters
second with the middle.
During the final bar of
example 2 we encounter a sliding
or odd subdivisions, musical studies instantly become
double stop for the first time.
This methodology continues to substantially harder to feel and understand
be developed throughout the
entirety of example 3.
However, in this example, quintuplet: instead of performing the double pops on a single string as in all of the previous examples, youll
the double stops have now notice that the double plucks have been consigned to adjacent fundamentals. This placement of dead notes
been surrounded by a host of will produce a lovely percussive element in your playing. Note that the succeeding eighth note hammer-ons
quintuplet subdivisions as well as are played with the thumb, not plucked! This means that you will need to develop a sweeping movement in
a number of left/right-hand dead the right hand to execute all of the detail efficiently.
note semiquaver combinations. You will be able to decipher the information presented in example 5 by reviewing all of the elements that
Example 4 introduces another we have encountered in this months studies. Its a bit of a handful, but great fun, and will keep you busy
methodology for presenting the until next month. Until then, practise hard!

Bass Guitar Magazine October 2015 85

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 APP EXTRA
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EXAMPLE 1

EXAMPLE 2

DAVID ETHERIDGE

David Etheridge looks

at soloing on the double
bass over the standard
Girl From Ipanema

T
his month, lets look at using
the extended chord approaches
on a standard: Girl From
Ipanema. Its a great tune to
play, with its bossa nova groove,
but more importantly the chord
sequence is very sophisticated,
with eighths, elevenths and more
dotted throughout lots of mileage
for soloing.
Now all the previous examples
Ive given have been swung, but
here we go into straight quavers
and semiquavers (eighths and
sixteenths). In addition, we can mix
and match cross-rhythms and even
use triplet crotchets to help the
groove and stretch the pocket. This
gives the laid-back feel that bossas
and slower Latin grooves need.
Before we go into the song itself,
lets set the groove. Example 1 gives
a typical bossa bass figure, with
plenty of room for syncopation and the chord sequence and the form. The typical chord sequence given is fairly basic, but there are plenty of options
fills. Notice that Ive added some for substitutions, and youll find in practice that most musos add their own take on the chords. Also, the notes you
alteration to the chords compared play in your solo can imply extra tones to the chords, as we shall see.
with the next example. Youll see The form here is unusual. At first sight its an AABA (verse/verse/middle/verse) format, but there are 40 bars
why this can be important in the rather than 32. Whats going on is that the middle section is double the usual length. In effect we have a form that
solo later on. goes like this: A1/A2/B1/B2/A3. Each of the As is slightly different, as are the Bs, and the turnaround back to the
With the song itself, things start final A is wide open for extensions on the chords. Being a Latin feel, youve got plenty of scope for syncopations
to get very interesting as regards and cross rhythms throughout.

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 TUITIONUpright Citizen

Example 2 shows some solo

ideas, with lots of principles
illustrated. Now while you can
plan out solos, its preferable to
take a musical idea as a starting
point, and see where spontaneity
takes you. This keeps things fresh
every time you play a solo. So
whats going on here? The first
few bars are straightforward
stuff, using arpeggios and scalic
phrases to get things going. Ive
added a suggested fingering, only
indicating the positions above
half and first position. In practice,
youll be grouping as many notes as
possible in one position or adjacent
positions, so at times youll be using
the D and even A strings for part
of the solo.
Notice that I start on the fifth of
the first chord instead of the root.
In fact, any note of the chord can
be a starting point. Note the use of
a chromatic run at the end of bar
three to get us to a chord tone in G.
In bar five were not using a root
at all, while in bar six we have the
first appearance of triplet crotchets
to break up the quaver feel, and
another chromatic run at the end of
the bar, as well as in bar eight and
the beginning of bar nine. In bar 10
were using both jumps and scales
with the non chord tones resolving
to the chord tones themselves.
Up to bar 16 we have a variety of
rhythms, including triplet crotchets
and a run of semiquavers, to keep
the contrasts going, using arpeggios
and scales for the line. Once we
get to the first B section and the 24 and 28 show how adding upper tones to the chord and then resolving them add movement to a single chord. Here
Gbmaj7 chord (we play the Gb we have D11 to D7 and Eb11 to Eb7 in each case. The turnaround in bars 29-32 is interesting: Im covering the notes of
on the A string here to group the an Am chord in the first bar, but in the next bar I extend the D7b9 to a D11, and then go to a Gm9.
arpeggio across three strings rather The important progression is G-G#-A in the solo line. In fact you could just play semibreves in each of those
than using big position moves) the bars to bring the semitone movement out even more for the listener. The last eight bars are a development of
first two phrases are identical but ideas in the first 16 bars once again: arpeggios, scalic phrases, syncopations, some rhythmic changes including
only three beats long. This beat triplet quavers in bar 36, and a whole bar of triplet crotchets in the penultimate bar to show that were coming to
displacement can be useful for the end. Note the C in the last bar: this is not a wrong note as such, as very often the Gb chord in this tune can be
developing a phrase, while in bar 19 a b5 chord. You can substitute a C7b5 for the Gb7b5: they both have the same notes in the chord.
and 20 Im using the same riff but Ive thrown a lot of ideas at you in this one solo. You dont have to use them all at once, and if you do, Sods Law
altering the octave each time. dictates that the bandleader will be so delighted by that that he or she will urge you on to do another chorus, by
In bars 21 and 22 Im outlining which time inspiration may flag, so pace yourself. You can leave spaces in the phrases, and contrast fast and flash
the notes of the chord (F#m7) and playing with more economic and sparse soloing. Remember that it should be different each time and it will be.
syncopating the beats, while over the Sometimes, when inspiration flows, you wonder where these ideas are coming from and it all seems effortless,
D9 chord in bar 23, triplets add force and other times itll feel like hauling rocks. Thats the magic of being a creative musician you can learn from
to the unexpected modulation. Bars mistakes as well as triumphs.

BASS GUITAR
Bass Guitar Magazine OctoberMAGAZINE
2015 087
087

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 TUITION
Laying Down The Lawson

group, as a solo artist, or for studio production and idea development then the requirements from a pedal set-up
are a little different. Instead of focusing on diligently pursuing a fixed set of desirable sounds, were aiming to
enhance our sense of possibility. The first question I ask of any pedal (yes, I talk to my pedals, what of it?) is What
do you make possible? Im less interested in buying an overdrive that just gives me an authentic Geddy Lee, Alex
Webster or Dug Pinnick tone than I am in acquiring one that lets me access a whole range of interesting and
usable overdriven sounds that I can get to without too much fuss.
I love pedals that have mix controls, or dry signal level controls, so I can have the pedal on and gradually fade
in the effect: I like the way that influences the kind of playing decisions I make on the gig too! Sometimes I get
to do it to a line thats already playing, either while re-processing a recorded bass part for someones record,
or live, by using effects after a looper or delay. But often its a matter of thinking about what I do to the tail of
a particular note, or how I change the sound from one phrase to the next. Its a whole other way of thinking
about pedal interaction.
In an ideal world, Id just have four of every pedal, a ginormous pedal board and patching system, and a team
of minions to carry it around for me. In the absence of such luxuries, I have to get picky. So, what questions do
you need to ask of your pedals? From How do I sound like P-Funk era Bootsy? to Whats going to give me the
broadest range of possible metal bass sounds for this session? the question will often help guide the choices. So, go
STEVE LAWSON talk to your pedals, and see what they tell you!

Context is key, says

bass effects boy
wizard, Lawson

W
hen were choosing pedals
either building a board
from scratch, or adding new
sounds to our collection
theres more to consider than just
whether the pedal is good. As
with everything musical, context
is everything, and where and how
youre going to use that particular
pedal is key to deciding whats
suitable. I dont just mean Dont
buy a fuzz pedal for an orchestra
gig theres a more subtle set of
requirements around whether
you know what youre going to be
playing or not.
If you play in a band that has
a set list (yknow, like nearly all
bands ever), then you probably
have some idea of which sounds
you need to play those songs.
If your band operates within a
recognisable genre, and has a fairly
stable set of influences, choosing
pedals can be as simple as finding
out how to match the sounds
on other peoples records. Note:
technique, strings, set-up and how
the part was recorded can have
as much influence as pedals, so do
your homework!
But if youre someone whose
musical life requires you to come
up with new ideas in the moment
Eckie

whether as part of an improvising

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SIT Strings ....................................................................67
Stonefield Musical Instrument Company, Ltd. ...ISBC, 13
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089.indd 89 15/06/2016 16:26

 a straight disco groove when required. Some
of Verdines lines are tightly syncopated with
the horns to give the melody a real punch.
Cant Let Go is a killer groove no bass flash
required and I defy you to keep your feet still
when listening to it. Fred Whites drumming
locks in so well with Verdine (no surprise
really, as theyre brothers), and its obvious
that Maurice was also a drummer. Rhythm
runs throughout the White family.
After The Love Is Gone and Boogie
Wonderland were both worldwide smash
hits and won Grammy awards, propelling the
band forward on the world stage, their live
show also cementing their stature as a must
see band when they came to town. Their use
of pyrotechnics, staging and showmanship
Let Your Feelings Show highlights
Verdines use of plucked and pulled notes but
he also plays staccato notes fingerstyle against
the frets, sometimes so hard they sound like
plucks. This song also shows how a stunted
line with space and dynamics can work just as
well as a continuous flurry of low end notes.
A song like this highlights Verdine and Larry
Dunns effect on Mark King and Level 42
when they produced Standing In the Light for
the band in 1983. Compare the dynamics with
the bass part in The Sun Goes Down, a song
in which Mark King admits he finds it hard
not to fill in the gaps. Its also a prime example
of the classic Jazz tone, smooth yet gritty
when it needs to be.
Star, Wait and You And I offer a

Brooksy salutes Earth, Wind & led the way at that time. The staccato bass
part at 310 in After The Love is typical
good mix of disco groove and mid-tempo
smoochiness, but its Rock That which

Fires classic I Am album of Verdine, who keeps the bass-line moving

ey bass lovers! The
rather than just sticking to the well-worn
groove. Boogie Wonderland is a solid gold
disco classic that almost transcends the genre.
catches the ear, a rockier excursion but funky
nonetheless, the horns unleashing some great
lines. Verdines tone control is wide open on
this track as he embellishes his bass part with

H
recent death of Maurice The horns are the icing on the cake but its the occasional plucks.
White reminded me how bass part that makes it swing and groove like I Ams radio-friendly sound guaranteed
great a band Earth, Wind a monster. The middle-eight section from 138 constant airplay, ensuring the bands
& Fire were at their peak is a prime example of a simple octave pattern popularity for years to come. If you still dont
and although they being immensely effective, on this occasion in own this album, check it out and find out what
continued producing tandem with a bass synth or sequencer. youre missing!
albums (and still do) after
the death of disco, their classic ninth release, I
Am, remains their most popular and iconic
album for good reason. Even without Boogie
Wonderland, the whole album is a lesson in THEIR USE OF PYROTECHNICS, STAGING AND
groove, funkiness and great writing but
throw that disco monster into the mix and the
album takes on a legendary quality,
SHOWMANSHIP LED THE WAY AT THAT TIME
hitting the top three in the US charts
and the top five in the UK. When it
was released in 1979, the
musicianship on the album caused
many a young bassist to sit up and
take notice, including a young Guy
Pratt who has said, I was in a mod
band, then I heard Earth, Wind &
Fire and things changed. It was and
wasnt disco, but had the most
amazing musicianship Id ever heard
up to that point.
The core band was ably supported
by the Phenix Horns, who would
later go on to work with Phil
Collins in the studio and live: their
playing on this album is a perfect
demonstration of how a horn section
can take a band to another level
sonically. Bassist Verdine White
has always cut the mustard as a
groovemeister extraordinaire, but
on this album, his signature Jazz
bass tone is tight and slinky, a classic
thick tone with just the right amount
of top end bite to accentuate his
bullseye-hitting grooves.
Album opener In The Stone is
ushered in with the signature horn
section and by 036, the groove
is off and running. This is a good
example of the bass being treated as
the melodic instrument and playing

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