MUSIC

& TAB
b a s s p l ay e r. c o m

DURAN DURAN’S

JOHN
TAYLOR
FOUR DECADES OF DANCE
BASS DOMINANCE
HAGAR BEN ARI
LATE NIGHT TV’S HIPPEST GROOVE?

DAVID HUNGATE
RETURNS TO TOTO

GEAR REVIEWS!
ESP BUNNY BRUNEL BASS
OCTOBER 2015
ELIXIR NANOWEB STRINGS
A N E W BAY M E D I A P U B L I CAT I O N
RUPERT NEVE DESIGNS RNDI
 ®

with HyDrive Speaker Technology

Hartke’s New Kickback KB12 and KB15 Bass Combos

Hartke’s revamped Kickback Bass Combos provide an incredible 500 watts of Class D power.
Available in two lightweight models, the new Kickback KB12 and KB15 now feature Hartke’s
patented HyDrive paper/aluminum hybrid cone drivers that deliver the perfect combination
of warmth and attack to complement any playing style. These Kickback combos are the new
premium in portable bass amplification.

© 2015 Hartke | hartke.com

THE MOST BASS-FRIENDLY
DI EVER CREATED

Portable and potent, the Ampeg SCR-DI is not your average DI box.
It’s a true Ampeg preamp, with a huge range of classic
Ampeg tones that includes the tone-shaping power of
Ampeg’s famed Ultra-Hi and Ultra-Lo circuits.
It’s a powerful overdrive stomp box,
with the grit and grind you crave.
It’s the ultimate practice tool,
with phones out and aux in for
solo, silent practice anywhere.
And, yes…it’s a killer DI that
ensures both you and front-of-
house get every drop of your tone.
Good bassists play in the pocket.
The very best have Ampeg in their pocket
wherever they go.

“ The SCR-DI has the punch, growl and low end of an SVT with the versatility
and rugged construction you expect from Ampeg. Looks like some other pedals
are getting retired to make way for the new boss.
JUAN ALDERETE
T h e M ar s Vo l ta / D e l tr o n 3030 / Pe da l G o d
”
w w w. p ed al s an d e ffe c ts.c o m

THE ROUND SOUND

ampeg.com
Copyright © 2015 LOUD Technologies Inc. All Rights Reserved.
 C ontents
LEARN
PLAY

OCTOBER 2015 | Volume 26, Number 10 | b a s s p l ay e r . c o m D B S T W

TECH

10 COMMUNITY

D E PA RT M E N T s
Lowdown, the Real World,
Dig My Rig, Court of
FACE

Opinion
22 NEW GEAR
G&L, Eden, Orange & more
66 BOBBY'S BASSMENT
LINK

The many faces of amps &

cabinets
TABLE OF CONTENTS

12 MIChAEl PIPOqUINhA
From YouTube to the
world stage
14 BRYAN BEllER
Juggling hats with Joe

BAss NoTEs
Satriani and the Aristocrats

JIMMY LESLIE
16 BP RECOMMENDS

42 ESP Bunny Brunel basses

24 JohN Taylor
JT inspired a generation of bassists with his audacious lines and tones for Duran
Duran—and these days, he’s also rocking a Minimoog synth. By Jon D’Auria

30 DaViD huNgaTe
souNDRooM

Hungate is back with his life-long friends and colleagues in the world-class pop
outfit Toto. By Rick Suchow

36 hagar beN ari

Anchoring the quirky, sizzling house quintet for The Late Late Show With James
Corden. By Chris Jisi
44 RUPERT NEvE DESIGNS
52 DoN grolNick’s “pools” RNDI direct box
46 ElIxIR Nanoweb steel
Will lee’s phrasing and expressive vibrato turn this 1985 fusion classic into a
legitimate bass anthem. By Chris Jisi & Jason Long strings
WooDshED

Cover photo by Kristin Burns 48 JAzz CONCEPTS

Inspiration from beyond
Bass Player (ISSN 1050-785X) is published 13 times a year, monthly plus a Holiday issue to follow the December issue, by
the bass
50 BlUES YOU CAN USE
KRISTIN BuRNS

NewBay Media LLC, 1111 Bayhill Drive, Suite 440, San Bruno, CA 94066. Periodicals Postage Paid at San Bruno, CA and at
additional mailing offices. Canadian GST No. R13288078, Customer No. 2116057, Agreement No. 40011901. POSTMASTER: The juicy “boogaloo zone”
Send address changes to Bass Player, Box 469069, Escondido, CA 92046.

6 bassplayer.com / o c t o b e r 2 0 1 5
 www.bassplayer.com
Vol. 26, No. 10, October 2015

Editorial Director Michael Molenda, mmolenda@nbmedia.com

Editor Chris Jisi, bpeditor@nbmedia.com
Consulting Editor Karl Coryat
Senior Contributing Editors E. E. Bradman, Jonathan Herrera
Contributing Editor Ed Friedland
Web and Contributing Editor Jon D'Auria
Staff Writer Jimmy Leslie

Art Director Paul Haggard

Assistant Art Director Laura Nardozza
Production Manager Amy Santana

Advertising Director, Eastern Region, Midwest & Europe

Jeff Donnenwerth, jdonnenwerth@nbmedia.com, (212) 378-0466
Advertising Director, Western Region & Asia Mari Deetz
mdeetz@nbmedia.com, (650) 238-0344
Advertising Sales, Eastern Accounts Anna Blumenthal
ablumenthal@nbmedia.com, (646) 723-5404
Specialty Sales Advertising Jon Brudner
jbrudner@nbmedia.com, (917) 281-4721

THE NEWBAY MUSIC GROUP

VICE PRESIDENT, PUBLISHING DIRECTOR: Bill Amstutz
GROUP PUBLISHER: Bob Ziltz
SENIOR FINANCIAL ANALYST: Bob Jenkins
PRODUCTION DEPARTMENT MANAGER: Beatrice Kim
GROUP MARKETING DIRECTOR: Christopher Campana
SENIOR MARKETING MANAGER: Stacy Thomas
FULFILLMENT COORDINATOR: Ulises Cabrera
OFFICES SERVICES COORDINATOR: Mara Hampson

ADVISORY BOARD
Kenny Aaronson, Jeff Andrews, Steve Bailey, Victor Bailey, Jeff Berlin, Brian Bromberg,
Ron Carter, Phil Chen, Stanley Clarke, Art Davis, Nathan East, Mark Egan, Andy Gonzalez,
Barry Green, Stuart Hamm, David Hungate, Anthony Jackson, Darryl Jones, Dave LaRue,
Will Lee, Michael Manring, Christian McBride, Marcus Miller, Pino Palladino, John Patitucci,
Josh Paul, Dave Pomeroy, Chuck Rainey, Rufus Reid, Steve Rodby, Billy Sheehan, Lee Sklar,
Steve Swallow, Gerald Veasley, Rob Wasserman, Verdine White, Gary Willis, Doug Wimbish,
Victor Wooten

Please direct all advertising and editorial inquiries to:

BASS PLAYER, 1111 Bayhill Drive, Suite 440, San Bruno, CA 94066
(650) 238-0260; FAX (650) 238-0261; bassplayer@nbmedia.com

Subscription orders, inquiries, address changes, and Back Issues:

BASS PLAYER, P.O. Box 469069, Escondido, CA 92046-9069. For quick-
est service, telephone: 800-234-1831 or (760) 291-1537. bassplayer@
pcspublink.com

List rental: (914) 925-2449, danny.grubert@lakegroupmedia.com

For custom reprints & e-prints please contact our reprint coordinator
at Wright’s Media: (877) 652-5295 or newbay@wrightsmedia.com

NEWBAY MEDIA CORPORATE

President & CEO Steve Palm
Chief Financial Officer Paul Mastronardi
Vice President, Digital Strategy & Operations Robert Ames
Vice President, Audience Development Denise Robbins
Vice President, Content & Marketing Anthony Savona
IT Director Anthony Verbanic
Vice President Human Resources Ray Vollmer

BASS PLAYER is a registered trademark of NewBay Media LLC. All material

published in BASS PLAYER is copyrighted © 2015 by NewBay Media LLC.
All rights reserved. Reproduction of material appearing in BASS PLAYER
is prohibited without written permission. Publisher assumes no respon-
sibility for return of unsolicited manuscripts, photos, or artwork. All
product information is subject to change; publisher assumes no respon-
sibility for such changes. All listed model numbers and product names
are manufacturers’ registered trademarks. Published in the U.S.A.

Follow BASS PLAYER online at:

8 bassplayer.com / o c t o b e r 2 0 1 5
 Ampeg
SVT-CL

ine
Shop Onl y!
da
or Call To .com
ter Fender
Sweetwa 4700 Adam Clayton
NEW!
-
(800) 222
Jazz Bass

Ernie Ball
Music Man
StingRay 4 H
Neck Through

BUY MORE,
SAVE MORE!
Quantity Discounts on
Most Strings – PLUS Free Shipping!

Ashdown
RM-MAG-C115-420
Rootmaster

NEW!

MXR
“A superb experience
M85 Bass
Distortion from start to finish.”
Clark from Wilmington, NC
Radial Bassbone V2

Visit our exclusive Guitar Gallery for more detailed hi-res guitar images at Sweetwater.com/guitargallery.

FREE PRO FREE 2-YEAR FAST, FREE

ADVICE WARRANTY** SHIPPING (800) 222-4700
We’re here to help!
Call today!
Total Confidence
Coverage™ Warranty
On most orders, with
no minimum purchase! Sweetwater.com

0% INTEREST On purchases of select manufacturers’ products made with your

for 24 MONTHS*
Sweetwater Musician’s All Access Platinum Card between now
and October 31, 2015 – 24 equal monthly payments required.
*Offer applies only to single-receipt qualifying purchases. No interest will be charged on promo purchase and equal monthly payments are required equal to initial promo purchase amount divided equally by the number of
months in promo period until promo is paid in full. The equal monthly payment will be rounded to the next highest whole dollar and may be higher than the minimum payment that would be required if the purchase was a non-
promotional purchase. Regular account terms apply to non-promotional purchases. For new accounts: Purchase APR is 29.99%; Minimum Interest Charge is $2. Existing cardholders should see their credit card agreement for
their applicable terms. Subject to credit approval. **Please note: Apple products are excluded from this warranty, and other restrictions may apply. Please visit Sweetwater.com/warranty for complete details.
 C ommunity
LEARN
PLAY
TECH

LOWDOWN
FACE

Live From L.A., It’s . . .

LINK

. . . Bass Player LIVE! For those who have been waiting and wondering, we are indeed well along the way
in planning the year’s biggest bass event, to take place on November 7 & 8 at SIR in Los Angeles, with the annual
COMMUNITY

BPL concert’s location to be announced soon. Ticket sales will be underway by the time you read this, and I can
report that many of your favorite gear companies will be back exhibiting, along with some new participants. On the
artist side, Nathan East will be accepting our Lifetime Achievement award, following in the footsteps of his friend
and fellow session savant Abraham Laboriel, last year. Having spent four decades tracking for and touring with
a who’s who of music, including Lionel Richie, Michael Jackson, Stevie Wonder, Whitney Houston, Eric Clapton,
Phil Collins, Fourplay, and Daft Punk, East launched a successful solo career with his 2014 self-titled solo debut
and a follow-up project with Bob James, reviewed on page 16. Nathan will receive his award and perform at the
BPL concert, and then present a clinic at SIR on the 8th. Two other award recipients are forthcoming. Among
the artists scheduled to appear at press time include John Taylor (whose revealing cover story by Jon D’Auria
begins on page 24), Ben Kenney, Rickey Minor, Juan Alderete, Steve Bailey, Alex Al, and Janek Gwizdala. To get
chris jisi the latest on all BPL activity, visit bassplayer.com/live, and drop me a note at bpeditor@nbmedia.com to let me
know that you’re attending. See you there!

DIG MY RIG!

This PhoTo rePresenTs 35-Plus years of

playing and collecting—some of these are collectors, but
most are players. From left to right: 1982 Veillette Citron,
Togar Stratus, 1979 Veillette Citron, Schecter Model T, 1994
Alembic Epic, Fender Precision Bass Special, gold Schecter
Model T, 2013 Jetglo Rickenbacker 4003, Schecter Model
T, 1976 Rickenbacker 4000, Schecter Diamond J, 2015
Rickenbacker 4003s, Schecter Diamond P custom, 2012
Fireglo Rickenbacker 4003, Schecter CV4, 1977 Mapleglo
Rickenbacker 4001, Schecter Model T prototype, fretless
1980 Vantage 330b, Fender Dimension IV HH, 1990 Guild
Pilot, and lying on the floor, a Yamaha BB614. —john Beery

Got a rig you think we’d dig? Send a photo and description to
digmyrig@gmail.com.

10 bassplayer.com / o c t o b e r 2 0 1 5
 The Real WoRld

Doug Mug Swanson

Home base Nashville
Occupation Bass player
Gigs Scott Holt Band
Basses 1994 Fender Jazz Bass Deluxe, 2009 Fender Precision Deluxe
Rig Ampeg B-2RE head, Ampeg Anniversary 6x10 cab
Effects Pedaltrain Mini pedalboard, Voodoo Lab Pedal Power ISO 5, Tech 21
SansAmp Bass Driver DI, DOD FX62 Bass Stereo Chorus
Strings, etc. La Bella Low Tension Flexible Flats (Jazz Bass), D’Addario EXL170
nickelwounds (P-Bass), Steve Clayton Custom .73mm picks
Heroes & inspiration Los Angeles bassists John Bazz, Hank Van Sickle, Bobby
Tsukamoto, Robert Trujillo, Louiche Mayorga, Bob Glaub, Jeff Turmes, and
Denny Croy; Nashville bassists Brian Allen, David Roe, Michael Joyce, and
Michael Rhodes
BRITA BROOkES

Contact facebook.com/duglasmuglas

How did you come to play bass? What’s a lesson you’ve learned along the way? What are your musical goals?

I picked up a bass when I was
19 years old in Sedona, Arizona because the
local bar band needed a bass player. Took
lessons at McCabe’s in Santa Monica, California.
Been keeping the lowdown ever since.
If a pro athlete has a bad game, Working full time. You’re never
he gets another chance the next night. too old to learn.
Musicians don’t have such luxuries.
Every night onstage is the Super Bowl!
Introducing Players Circle - Buy Strings, Get Points, Claim Rewards
Enter to win 2,500 Players Points by visiting bassplayer.com/realworld
And go to Playerscircle.daddario.com to join today!

Court of opinion

The late Allen Woody owned around 450 instruments. How many basses do you have?

Are there ever too many basses? Eight. Yes, it’s enough.
—Mark Arellano —Doyle J. Russell

Holy crap! I’ve only got 67 basses. Eighteen at the moment. Down from 20.
—Blair Barbero —Kevin Conaway

I only need two basses: my upright and my Fender American Just one, a 2004 Sadowsky Metro RV4.
Standard. Still make just as much music as∑ the next guy. —Alice van den Boogaard
—John F. Hebert

He could have all the basses he wanted. As long as you don’t steal Two. That’s all—for now, anyway.
them, who cares? Some people drink, smoke, do both, gamble —Al Duque
their money away, or throw it away at strip joints, do drugs, or beat
their wives on a regular basis. My wife realizes this and is cool with my
collection because there are worse things. —Ralph Benitez Four: a main 5-string, a backup 5-string, a 4-string, and an upright.
—Michael David Czapla
Not enough!
—Vincent Goff

The ideal collection size is whatever you have +1.

Thirty-five and counting. —Jonathan Bishop
—Marius Goldhammer

bassplayer.com / o c t o b e r 2 0 1 5 11
 B
Pipoquinha (left) with John Goldsby
LEARN
PLAY

BASSNOTES
TECH
FACE
LINK
BASS NOTES

Funk samba Dm7(add11) Dm7(add11)

= 120 Bass line Bass melody

H H
7 14 17 17 19 16
7 19 17 19 12 15
4 5 5 5 3 4 5
3 4 5 5

12 14 17 17 19 16 12 12 14 12 14 17
15 15 12 14 12 19 17 19 15 12 15 15 12 15 14 12
15 15

The slapped bass line and lyrical melody of Pipoquinha’s composition “Cearensinho”

12 bassplayer.com / o c t o b e r 2 0 1 5
Michael Pipoquinha
Making His Mark

by John goldsby | PHO TO G R A PH B Y M AT T I S C E DE R BE RG

Michael PiPoquinha first electrified the interwebs with his hoMeMade

bass videos six years ago, when he was 13. The prowess and precociousness he displayed in his early You-
Tube efforts was duly noted on bass forums, as players two and three times his age tried to parse his musi-
cal magic. Where did he come from? He sounds like Janek mixed with Jaco. Is he even better than those
guys? He’s Brazilian, of course—doesn’t that explain everything?
Pipoquinha, now 19, learned to play bass the organic way, from his father and grandfather. He’s grown
up in the YouTube age, copping licks from bassists and guitarists alike. His style, informed by his Brazil-
ian heritage, combines mad slapping skills in the Wooten vein, along with ferocious grooves, plus serious
melodic and harmonic knowledge.
“I started with the acoustic guitar,” says Pipoquinha. “I always liked harmony and Brazilian grooves both
on acoustic and electric guitars. I developed my techniques by listening to lots of Baden Powell and other
guitar players like Joe Pass and Pat Metheny. That’s helped me on the bass to play both harmony and rhythm
at the same time.” Pipoquinha’s bass technique reflects his understanding of the guitar, using chordal con-
cepts and thumb-plus-three-finger techniques as a part of his arsenal.
Like all modern bassists, Pipoquinha has dealt with the legacy of Jaco Pastorius. “One recording that
really stays with me is Jaco playing ‘Havona’ with Weather Report. That groove inspired generations of bass
players, and he plays a melodic solo worthy of a low-note wizard. I have many heroes, both bass-playing and
otherwise, but if we’re talking bass players they’d be Jaco, Arthur Maia, Sergio Groove, Thiago do Esparto
Santo, Victor Wooten, Nico Assumpção, John Patitucci, and the great Luizão Maia.
“One of my favorite recordings,” Pipoquinha continues, “is Luizão Maia on ‘Eu Hein, Rosa’ with Elis
Regina. Another would be a recording by Domingunhos—one of my heroes—on a song called ‘Contrato de
Separação,’ which features beautiful lyrics and amazing accordion playing.”
Pipoquinha is poised to make his mark on the world music scene.
He has already wowed audiences at live performances in Europe and
South America, in addition to scaring countless show-me-what-you-
i
INFO
can-do internet bass-video junkies. “I want people to know that I’m
ready and willing to play all over the world, and that my greatest joy Watch Pipoquinha
is to play for people and move them with music. My idea of a great in concert with the
show is to touch people with my music so they can leave overflowing WDR Big Band.
with joy and a feeling that music heals the soul. I’m working on a new bassplayer.com/
album featuring eight of my songs, which is being produced by my october2015
CONNECT

great friend and idol Arthur Maia. I’m also getting more invitations to
work abroad, and that’s my biggest dream: playing my music all over
the world. I’d love to play with Chick Corea, Mike Stern, Pat Metheny,
Birele Lagrene, Hamilton de Holanda, and João Bosco.”
Pipoquinha uses Brazilian-made D’Mark basses, Aguilar amplifi-
ers, DR Strings, and Brazilian-made Santo Angelo cables—but as all
Bass Player readers know, his signature sound ultimately lives in his
hands. BP

bassplayer.com / o c t o b e r 2 0 1 5 13
 B
LEARN

i INFO
PLAY

The Aristocrats, Tres

Caballeros [2015,

LISTEN
TECH

Boing!]; Joe Satriani,

Shockwave Supernova
[2015, Sony]
FACE

Basses Mike Lull M5

(active), Mike Lull PJ5
(passive)
LINK

Strings D’Addario
ProSteels (.045–.130)
Rig Gallien-Krueger Fu-
BASS NOTES

sion 550 head, Gallien-

Krueger 2001RB head,
4 Gallien-Krueger
410RBH 4x10 cabinets
JOe SATRIANI, THe ARISTOCRATS, DeTHKLOK Effects Boss OC-2
Octave, Electro-

EQUIP
Bryan Beller On Taking Different Approaches
Harmonix MicroSynth,
Xotic Effects Bass BB
Preamp, DigiTech Bass
By Jimmy LesLie | PHO TO G R A PH BY JI M M Y L e SL Ie Driver, Aphex Bass
Xciter, Providence ABC-
Former BP cover artist and contriB- For something like “A Phase I’m Going Through” or “Cata- 1 Anadime Bass Chorus,
uting columnist Bryan Beller is such an overall bass beast clysmic,” I’ll let my fingers fly through the strings for rock Boss DD-3 Digital
that other musical monsters such as Steve Vai, Mike chime and aggression. For a darker, tighter sound on songs Delay, TC Electronic
Keneally, and Metalocalypse/Dethklok’s Brendon Small such as “Stars Race Across the Sky” or “San Francisco Blue,” Hall of Fame Reverb, TC
have been seeking him out for over 20 years. Since 2013 I’ll shorten my finger stroke so there’s no real top end to Electronic Flashback
Beller has anchored Joe Satriani’s band, which also features interfere with other, more important frequencies. Delay, Demeter Opto
Keneally and drum demon Marco Minnemann. Beller is Can you compare your playing with Satriani to Compulator, Dunlop Cry
also a player/manager in the fusion trio the Aristocrats, the Aristocrats? Baby 105Q Bass Wah
featuring Minnemann on drums along with freak fretmas- Talk about opposite worlds! There’s so much going on
ter Guthrie Govan—whose fretboard chops rival Satri- bass-wise in the Aristocrats—partly because we’re a power Hear Bryan in a special
ani’s, but in a completely different, often whimsical, and trio, partly because Guthrie writes intricate bass parts, and bass-forward mix
even hilarious context. On both bands’ new CDs, Beller partly because we’re generally pushing the envelope. “Jack’s playing along with the
shows that he knows what to do and what not to do for Back” has a ton of high-register double-stops and finger- Aristocrats’ “Living the
a given situation. With the Aristocrats, Beller routinely board-spanning parts. “Pig’s Day Off” is intricate and dif- Dream.”
plays things only a mutant with an extra bass chromosome ficult, even though it’s a ballad of sorts. My composition Watch video of Bryan
could fathom. He keeps it human for Satch’s alien surfing. “Texas Crazypants” has a pretty serious high-octane Dixie Beller talking about life
Dregs-ish riff in the chorus. The Aristocrats’ music is far on the road, and per-
CONNECT

What kind of direction did Satriani provide when
you accepted his gig?
Not much! Joe’s not trying to fool anybody with his
music. It’s melodic instrumental rock, and the songs have
very straightforward forms. After nearly two years on the
road, I was honored that he trusted me to know the dif-
ference between playing live and recording, and also not
to overplay on the very solid songs he wrote.
What’s your overall M.O. playing with Satch?
I generally go for an aggressive rock sound or something
a little smoother, and I change my finger attack accordingly.
denser than Joe’s stuff, and the contrast of density vs. econ- forming excerpts of an
omy is a great musical balance for me. unreleased solo piece.
What’s your tonal palette for the Aristocrats? bassplayer.com/
I’ve got a very aggressive, overdriven sound for “Stupid october2015
7,” “ZZ Top,” and “Texas Crazypants.” I use a darker, fuzz-
ier overdriven tone on the spaghetti western “Smuggler’s
Corridor.” I use clean, bright tones on “Jack’s Back” and
“Pig’s Day Off,” and clean, dark tones on “Pressure Relief,”
“The Kentucky Meat Shower,” and “Through the Flower.”
It’s the full palette, and that’s what’s great about the Aris-
tocrats. You need to bring everything. BP

14 bassplayer.com / o c t o b e r 2 0 1 5
Now everyone can experience Black Line Little Mark 250 one of Black Line shown Black Line
with
the cutting-edge technology and the most advanced and tweak- Little Mark 104HR Cab
advanced components that are able mid-wattage bass rigs you’ll MBH110040 MBL100043
the hallmarks of every Markbass
amp. Pro features such as a variable
ever play. And now is the perfect
opportunity to own one of the
$ 32999 $ 54999
pre-shape filter and vintage most sought-after bass amps for Now is the
h time to make your mark,
©2014 Mark Bass

exclusively at Guitar Center

loudspeaker emulators make the an unheard-of price. and Musician’s Friend
 B
LEARN
PLAY
TECH
FACE
LINK
BASS NOTES
KharEn hill
BP RECOMMENDS
BoB James/NathaN east
The New Cool
[Yamaha Entertainment Group]
The second movement of Nathan East’s long-
awaited career as a solo artist is this potent
package, which looks and reads like a duo
disc in the tradition of Bill Evans/Eddie Gomez or Keith Jarrett/
Charlie Haden, but is quite a bit more. The opening title track and
“Oliver’s Bag” indeed find James on piano and East on his pen-
etrating Yamaha Silent Bass making a swinging connection (as
they did on “Moodswing,” from Nate’s 2014 solo debut). “All Will
Be Revealed” is the first dizzying departure, with the Nashville
Recording Orchestra supporting East’s Metheny-esque wordless
vocal melody and sing-and-play electric bass solo. The orchestra
remains for a Vince Gill-led reimagination of Patsy Cline’s “Crazy,”
the sweeping ballad “Waltz for Judy,” the percussion-propelled
“Canto y la Danza,” and the all-electric bass “Turbulence”—the
last three summoning James’ ’70s CTI landscapes. Gravitating
back to tasteful two-play, “Midnight Magic,” “Seattle Sunrise,”
and “Ghost of a Chance” best showcase the interactive, intuitive
sides of the pair, free to start conversations and finish each oth-
er’s sentences. —Chris Jisi
16 bassplayer.com / o c t o b e r 2 0 1 5
LoreNzo FeLiciati
Koi [RareNoise]
Fluid, complex, and modern yet soulful,
composer/bass man Feliciati’s latest disc,
a concept album based on the life of koi
fish, exists in a space somewhere between
prog-rock and ambient. If the presence of former Japan drum-
mer Steve Jansen and King Crimson drummer Pat Mastelotto
makes you think there might be electronics, odd-time grooves,
tasteful dissonance, ethereal soundscapes, and sumptuously
recorded fretless lines, you’d be right on the money. But when
was the last time you heard a cool unison line between trom-
bones and fuzzed-out fretless like the one on “Fish Bowl”?
— E .E . B radman
Gary WiLLis
larger ThaN life
[AbstractLogix]
Gary Willis’ expressive new album skips the
formalities and gets right down to business
with his opening track, “The Profession-
als,” which displays his powerful fretless tone and his skill to
emote through it. While the casual listener will enjoy his beau-
tifully funky, jazzy, and fusion-flavored compositions, bassists
will marvel at Willis’ effortless virtuosity. In dishing layers of
intricate phrasings, avant-garde arrangements, and playful
harmonics layered over odd time signatures, Willis reminds
us why he is always on the forefront of elevating the range of
the fretless bass. — J on d’au ri a
BraNdiNo
The MaNy faCes of
BraNdiNo [N’House]
The versatile L.A. mainstay bassist/producer,
whose recent credits range from will.i.am
to Nancy Wilson, delivers a sturdy sopho-
more studio disc spotlighting his skills on upright and electric
bass, and as a composer/arranger. Among the step-out tracks
 BTB TERRA FIRMA

BTB686MSCNTF (6-String)

MAKE THE CONNECTION

The Terra Firma concept is all about the power and strength that comes from making a solid connection. Because of its
sizeable neck/body juncture and 5-piece Maple/Bubinga neck-through-body construction, the Terra Firma’s transference
of string vibrations to the body is unparalleled. This root element along with carefully considered features such as
Bartolini® BH1 pickups, EBQ-IIIS 3-Band EQ and Mono-Rail II bridge, make the Terra Firma a bass with amazingly rich
sonic depth and incredible sustain. Now, for those who prefer the brighter “snap,” harder playing surface and visual
appeal of Maple—Terra Firma 5 and 6-strings offer the option of a Maple fretboard.

BTB685MSCNTF (5-String)

Contoured neck scoop & 5pc BTB5 EQB-IIIS 3-band EQ with Mono-Rail II bridge
Maple/Bubinga 35” scale neck-through mid frequency switch

.com
 B
LEARN
PLAY

are the acoustic bass-driven Latin jazzer “Beginning of the End,” the edgy deities with a ’90s twist and 21st-century produc-
funk-rocker “Rock It” (layering 5-, 6-, and 7-string bass), and an energetic tion, Urich keeps the synth bass thick and juicy on
TECH

reading of Herbie Hancock’s “Tell Me a Bedtime Story.” Kamasi Washing- tunes like “Last Time We Made Love” and “Don’t
ton adds supple sax on “Free Jazz.” — C h ri s J i s i Lead Me On,” while Scanella’s nimble approaches
on “All You Have to Do” and “Can’t Keep Rhythm
Galactic From a Dancer” bring to mind New York bass gods
FACE

Into the Deep [Mascot Music] Gene Perez and Bernard Edwards. — E. E. Bra dm an
Galactic’s sound has always been heavily driven by
bass, but on the band’s aptly titled 11th album, Robert Wilco
LINK

Mercurio goes from driving to dominating. The result Star WarS [dBPM]
is one the band’s best albums to date. Mercurio’s blend In surprising fans by releasing
of gospel, Motown, and vintage funk lines are mixed to perfection and are an unannounced, free album,
BASS NOTES

unavoidably danceable. From start to finish, Mercurio’s energy never lets
up, and his lively grooves show all of the focus of a hardworking veteran
who uncompromisingly plays from the heart. — J on d ’au ri a
tortured Soul
hot for Your Love tonIght [Dome]
This luscious soundtrack for a sweet, swanky night on the town
features scrumptious low-end magic by Jordan Scannella
and super-hip synth bass by Tortured Soul drummer John-
Christian Urich. Conjuring the ghosts of ’70s dancefloor
Wilco dropped Star Wars, a
33-minute departure from the
band’s usually laid-back indie sound in search of
straightforward songwriting and subtle distortion.
John Stirratt uses a heavy hand on his gain knob
and relies on fuzz-driving pedals. Even mellow bal-
lads like “Magnetized” and “You Satellite” achieve
crunchy textures and a pleasant hint of string
noise that keeps the album continually interesting.
— J on d ’au ri a BP

No Such Thing as
Too Much Bass
We stock quality basses, amps
and accessories that fit your
style—from beginner to pro.

Call 800 - 356 - 5844

Shop fullcompass.com

Pro Audio • Video • Lighting • Musical Instruments

Top Brands Including:

 &
“They play fantastic, sound amazing,
and they have that same classic PRS
look and feel that I fell in love with.”
– Aaron Pauley / Of Mice & Men
© 2015 PRS Guitars / photos by Hunter Selman & Marc Quigley

PRS SE Basses
3566(VWULQJEDVVHVRσHUTXDOLW\WRQHDQGIHHORILQVWUXPHQWVLQKLJKHUSULFHSRLQWV
7KH.LQJðVKHUKDVDPRGHUQVRXQGDOOLWVRZQZLWKDWRSHQGDQGPLGUDQJHJURZOWRFXW
WKURXJKWKHPL[7KH.HVWUDOLV356âVWDNHRQWKHWUDGLWLRQDOVLQJOHFRLOEDVVSODWIRUPZLWK
WRQHVWRFRYHUDOPRVWDQ\VW\OH%RWKEDVVHVIHDWXUHQHFNWKURXJKFRQVWUXFWLRQIRUVXVWDLQ
DQGEDODQFHGWRQH
 B
LEARN
PLAY

Announcing
TECH

Bass Aficionado
FACE

A R E YO U C O N T E M P L AT I N G A N
upgrade to a bass from a custom builder—be it
LINK

a standard or customized model? The editors of

Bass Player and the builders at Fodera have col-
laborated on a special digital issue addressing the
BASS NOTES

topic in detail. The debut of Bass Aficionado will fea-

ture articles and bonus video footage on such topics
as considering a custom bass, choosing a builder,
tone woods, scale length, passive vs. active pick-
ups, onboard preamps, proper setup—from bridge
to trussrod to nut—plus string installation and
adjustment, care and maintenance, and more. In
addition, the issue will be capped by music lessons
from top Fodera artists. Bass Aficionado will be avail-
able for download in mid September. —CHRIS JISI

The Harrison of Digital Oal`\gr]fkg^<9Oklg[`ggk]^jge$l`]j]kgfdqgf]l`Ylk\]ka_f]\lgogjcdac]Y@Yjjakgf$oal`YfYfYdg_

hYjY\a_el`Yl]eZg\a]k^gje$^mf[lagfYf\kgmf\&O`]j]gl`]j<9Okmk]Y[gehml]jhYjY\a_e$EAP:MK
Audio Workstations. _jgok^jge@Yjjakgfk\aklaf_mak`]\,(%q]Yj`]jalY_]g^hdYlafmej][gj\kYf\Zdg[cZmkl]j^adek$km[`Yk
Thriller, Graceland, and Spider-Man&EAP:MKakl`]^ajkl^mdd%^]Ylmj]\<9Ooal`ljm]YfYdg_klqd]eapaf_&
Version 3 <gflj]dqgfhdm_%afk^gjl`Yld]_]f\Yjqkgmf\o`]fqgm[YfgofYj]Yd@Yjjakgf&

9dkgdgY\kaf\mkljqklYf\Yj\hdm_%afkYf\afkljme]flk
Afljg\m[lgjqhja[af_/1MK< GKP$Oaf\gok$Dafmp!
D]Yjfegj]Yf\\gofdgY\YleapZmk&`Yjjakgf[gfkgd]k&[ge
 N
LEARN

EDEN
GlowPlug stompbox
PLAY

Looking to add organic tube warmth and girth

to your bass rig? The GlowPlug, a 12AX7 tube-
enhanced stompbox designed specifically for
NEWGEAR
TECH

bass, boasts controls for warmth (gain), crossover

(for specific frequencies), and balance between
tube warmth and direct signal. It comes with a
\15-volt power adapter.
FACE

Street $200
Contact edenamps.com

HAL LEONARD
LINK

Best of Bass Tab

Get ready for that cover-band audition with this
Hal Leonard collection of 21 bass-heavy rock and
NEW GEAR

pop hits, transcribed note-for-note. The setlist

includes “All About That Bass,” “Californication,”
“Get Lucky,” “Happy,” “Hysteria,” “Jeremy,” “Let’s
Get It Started,” “Longview,” “Schism,” “Seven Na-
tion Army,” “Uptown Funk,” and “Use Somebody.”
Street $15
Contact halleonard.com

WAMPLER
Low Blow bass overdrive/distortion
pedal
Wampler’s contribution to the plethora of bass
overdrive/distortion pedals comes with cool fea-
tures, including the choice of smooth or jagged
clipping modes, 3-band EQ, notch-filter switch,
and a true bypass switch with soft-click electrical
relay. Works with either batteries or power jack.
Street $200
Contact wamplerpedals.com

TENSOR
4-string basses
Besides its Lace Alumitone pickups, Hipshot tun-
ers, Hipshot A-style bridges, and wide variety of
finishes and pickguards, Tensor’s eye-catching
new 4-strings come equipped with the company’s
Force Balance system, which replaces the conven-
tional trussrod found in most bass guitar necks for
improved stability.
Direct $2,500
Contact tensormusic.com

22 bassplayer.com / o c t o b e r 2 0 1 5
ROCKREADY
Volo bass gig bag
Boasting a durable outer covering, integrated ABS
panels, reinforced padded base, main front pocket,
padded handle, hideaway backpack straps, a se-
cret top pocket for valuables, and a padded, ad-
justable bass neck support, the Volo is certainly
ready to rock. If that isn’t enough, you can strap
on an optional tote bag with Velcro straps.
Street $160; optional tote bag, $40
Contact getrockready.com

G&L
Tribute Series MJ-4 4-string
The active G&L MJ-4 boasts Bi-coil pickups for
classic tone without the hum. Its 18-volt system—
which features volume, pan, and 3-band EQ with
center detents—is powered by twin 9-volt batter-
ies housed in an easy-access compartment. The
MJ-4, which also sports a 1.5"-wide nut, medium-
C neck profile, clear gloss neck finish, and a G&L
Saddle Lock bridge designed by Leo Fender, is
available in two versions: blueburst over swamp
ash with a maple fingerboard, and natural gloss
over swamp ash with a rosewood fingerboard.
Street $750
Contact glguitars.com

ORANGE
OBC210 Mini Bass Amp
Aiming for the perfect intersection of punch,
portability, and construction, Orange’s new
42-pound, 400-watt 2x10 comes with a pair of 10"
Eminence Legend speakers tailored for rich low
end and midrange clarity. The birch-ply OBC210
Mini also sports two Speakon connectors (for daisy-
chaining to another 8ȍ cabinet) and Orange
skid runners to acoustically bond the cabinet to
the stage and improve bass response. The Mini is
available in orange or black Tolex.
Street $930
Contact orangeamps.com

bassplayer.com / o c t o b e r 2 0 1 5 23
 Still HUNGRY
On Duran Duran’s 14th album, John Taylor fights to keep the electric
bass alive in pop music while conjuring dance-music magic with a synth.
THREE-AND-A-HALF DECADES AFTER JOHN TAYLOR’S
energetic bass lines made Duran Duran household names and MTV
stars, the natives of Birmingham, England are still crankin’ out the
goods. Their latest album, Paper Gods—brought to life with help from
the legendary Nile Rodgers, contemporary hitmaker Mark Ronson,
and acclaimed producer Mr. Hudson—is sprinkled with cameos from
stars like Lindsay Lohan, John Frusciante, and Janelle Monáe. And
although the sound of ’80s classics such as “Rio” and “Hungry Like
the Wolf ” seems all the rage in these nostalgic times, the pop outfit
BY JON D'AURIA
PHOTOGRAPHS BY KRISTIN BURNS
24 bassplayer.com / o c t o b e r 2 0 1 5
(whose mainstay members also include drummer Roger Taylor, key-
boardist Nick Rhodes, and frontman Simon Le Bon) has updated its
slick, stylish sound for today’s ears. Paper Gods, which carries a dis-
tinct EDM vibe that’s heavy on programming and production, places
the band firmly in the 21st century.
For his part, Taylor made it his mission to keep his Peavey, Aria, Sei,
and Fender 4- and 5-strings in the fold for that signature “JT sound.”
Fans of the punchy midrange that has been Taylor’s calling card with
Duran Duran, Power Station, and Neurotic Outsiders will find much
Continued on page 28
bassplayer.com / o c t o b e r 2 0 1 5 25
 CS JOHN TAYLOR

PAPER GOODS
JOHN TAYLOR PORES OVER BASS
guitars, keyboards, effects, tones, and registers
in pursuit of the perfect parts on Paper Gods.
Example 1 shows the basic groove figure of
the title track, for which Taylor’s trademark,
barking bass guitar tone is present. Practice
making a smooth leap on the figure in beat one.
Example 2 summons the bridge of “Sunset
Garage,” at 2:53. Following a bass-and-key-
board-bass-doubled verse and chorus, Taylor’s
bass steps forward to add melodicism—dig his
flirtation with the sus4 (C) in the last measure.
In Ex. 3, bass, octaver, and keyboard bass all con-
verge on “Only in Dreams.” Here, in the verse
at 2:08, Taylor plucks the low notes but pops
the accented notes, adding to the funk core.
Finally, Ex. 4—from “The Universe Alone,” at
1:30—is all synth bass, as Taylor adds eighth-
note pushes and 5ths on the downbeat to color
the subhooky part.

Med. dance
= 114
Dm
EX. 1

7 7
3 3 5 5 3 3 5 5 5

Med. dance, half-time feel

Dm C6 Dm G/B
= 64
EX. 2

7 7 9 7 5 5 5 7 7 9 7 5 4 4 4 5 5 4 4
7 7 7
5 3 3 3 3 5 2
5 5

Med. funk Em9 Gmaj7 F#m7 Gmaj7 G#m7b5

Bm7 A6 A#dim7
= 112
EX. 3

P P P P P
S
9 4 0 0
4 6 7 8
0 1 2 2 2
0 0 0 7 3 3 2 2 3 4 5 6

Med. pop
Cm G Dm9 Am
= 106
EX. 4

3 3 3 1 3 5 5 5 5 5 3 5 7 7 7 3
3 3 5 5 5

26 bassplayer.com / o c t o b e r 2 0 1 5
 Mini Size.
MEGA PUNCH!

The all-new Peavey® MiniMEGA™ compact bass amplifier will absolutely rattle your
teeth! Delivering 1,000 chest-thumping Watts of Punch, with a tone not available in any
other bass head, the MiniMEGA is the new go-to amplifier for today’s professional bass
player. Equipped with a proprietary power amp and supply designed specifically for
bass amplifiers, along with Peavey’s exclusive KOSMOS® bass and psychoacoustic low-
end enhancement features, the MiniMEGA brings a thundering low-end to your bass
mix that you can feel as well as hear. With all the other features you would expect in a
high-end bass amplifier, we encourage you to take this bad boy for a test drive. It isn’t a
question of whether you will want this amplifier…the question is, “Can you handle it?”

12”

Only
3.25”
9 lbs.

* Comes with carry bag.

KOSMOS® 1,OOO WATTS (RMS) DDT™ LIMITER BUILT-IN COMPRESSOR

Call or visit your authorized Peavey Dealer today. 1-866-443-2333 www.peavey.com

 CHRIS SQUIRE CS john taylor

1948 - 2015
to enjoy on tracks like “Pressure Off,” “Only in
Dreams,” and the title track. In keeping with the
band’s overall vision, however, Taylor also spent
plenty of time on a Moog Voyager synth, adding
depth and width to his lean, muscular lines.
Taylor, 55, keeps things fresh by exploring
new tones and testing his ability to pull off his old
tricks onstage. His most impressive feat, however,
might be remaining relevant in an industry that
changes idols more frequently than most players
change bass strings.
How do you feel about keyboard bass?
My mentality is to keep my “enemies” close: We
should understand technology and why it’s being
used. If synth bass is required, do it yourself, and
you’ll never be obsolete. The bottom line is that
people always need bass; we all might have to go
from being bass players to being bass experts.
Do you think synth and programmed bass
have taken over pop music?
Absolutely. When you look at the iTunes Top
Ten, there’s no electric bass whatsoever. The kids
are listening to music that is all electronic, and
everything is moved out of the range of a regular
AN OUTSTANDING bass guitar. Many times during the sessions, I just
wanted to play electric bass, but I also wanted the
BASS GUITARIST, new album to be contemporary.
INSPIRATION TO
MANY AND A
i INFO
TRUE GENTLEMAN
Duran Duran,
Paper Gods
LISTEN
What inspired you to double your lines
with a synth?
Quite often, I’d have an old-school bass thing
going, and then we’d go back to thicken it up. On
“Paper Gods,” for instance, I had a bass guitar line,
but I felt that I needed to go down into a lower
register. With “Last Night in the City,” we went with
an EDM-type of thing, and I ended up replacing my
bass guitar parts entirely.
Do your synth lines overlap with Nick
Rhodes’ parts?
We can step on each other’s toes if we’re not
careful, so Nick and I confer on the keyboard side
of things. As a bass player, I don’t always want key-
board coming into my territory; if he moves down
too low, I’ll tell him to stop. It has to be very collab-
orative for it to work. He likes it when I play synth
bass, and I do, too.
Were you tempted to use only synth bass
on this album?
I knew I wanted big sounds, but I wouldn’t give
up my musical identity, which is the bass guitar.
When we started this process, “Get Lucky” by Daft
Punk and “Uptown Funk” by Mark [Ronson] were
the two biggest songs out there, and they both had
real electric bass on them. So I thought, screw this—
if you’re going to score a big song like that, it has to
have electric bass on it. So I knew that on the big-
gest songs on the album, I would have to get my sig-
nature sound the way I always have.
How would you describe the “JT sound”?
Not too bright, with a full low end. I like reggae
tone, but I need a lot of clarity, too. And it can’t take
up too much room because there’s a lot going on in
the Duran Duran sound.
What gear helps you get your sound?

[2015, Warner My Peavey Cirrus through the Peavey Pro 500

Bros.]
Bass Peavey Cirrus BXP 4- and
5-strings, Sei Custom 4- and 5-strings,
Aria Pro II SB-1000 4-string, ’70s
Fender Precision
WORLD FAMOUS MUSIC STRINGS Rig Peavey Pro 500, Peavey VB 810
EQUIP
head has a narrow, tight bandwidth that sits between
the guitars, drums, and keyboards. I’ve tried Gibson
and Gretsch basses with Ampeg heads, and it’s just
too big of a sound for my playing. The Cirrus is like
my comfy pair of shoes—when I’m under a little
pressure, I always go back to that.
Which other basses did you use on this album?
Our engineer loved the sound of my Aria SB1000
from the early ’80s, so I used that for a lot of things.

8x10 I also used a ’70s Fender Precision. I had a London

WWW.ROTOSOUND.COM Pedals TC Electronic G-System Multi-FX
FACEBOOK.COM/ROTOSOUND Processor, TC Electronic NDR-1 Nova
TWITTER.COM/ROTOSOUND_UK Drive Overdrive
Picks Dunlop Tortex .60
PROUDLY MADE IN ENGLAND
Synth Minimoog Voyager
company called Sei Basses make me 4- and 5-strings
that I used here and there; they have a muscular tone
with fantastic dynamic range.
How important is your tone during the
writing process?
I try not to get hung up on the sounds when I’m

28
bp_third_cs.indd 1 bassplayer.com / o c t o b e r01/08/2015
2015 19:59

writing my lines. In the studio, I had my bass run-
ning through lots of plug-ins, and as I worked on
my parts, the producers would be playing with the
sounds in the control room. It’s easy to get stuck
in your own style, but you have to push it forward.
How do you choose the best part and sound
for each song?
I have to find the line that best expresses my feel-
ings. There’s a song called “Face for Today,” for exam-
ple, that had a classic JT sound and a great line that
I felt good about. Then we started asking questions
about the sonic atmosphere, and we cut up the bass
line and changed it altogether.
How did Nile Rodgers help shape your
approach?
When you’re working with Nile Rodgers, every-
body raises their game. It’s like there’s royalty in the
house: Every engineer is on point, we’re playing our
best, and the guy whose job it is to make coffee is
going to make the best pot he’s made in months.
It’s just the effect that Nile has on people. And Nile
doesn’t make judgments about my bass sound; he is
so enthusiastic about me doing what I do.
What are your favorite lines on the record?
I love playing “Paper Gods” because it’s a good mix
of electronic and electric bass, and it’s a fun song to
play. “Pressure Off” is also a standout for me because
it’s all about feel. I spent three days writing it while
sitting just inches away from Nile, and by the end of
my session, my fingers were in shreds. In the end,
it really raised my game, and it made me promise
myself I would keep my chops up.
Do you avoid writing lines you might not be
able to pull off onstage?
There’s always a way to replicate things live. You
might just have to explore some possibilities to find it.
Did you ever formally study bass?
I’ve never been one to study scales or be very
disciplined—I was fortunate when I was young,
because I made a lot out of not a lot. I developed a
style that worked, but I was never much more than
a punk rocker who got into funk.
Who inspired you to begin playing?
Bernard Edwards was the first guy who made me
want to play bass. Right around that time, I was also
listening to George Murray with David Bowie’s band.
James Jamerson and Paul McCartney, of course,
were huge influences on my playing.
Those early Duran Duran bass parts were
pretty busy.
A friend recently told me that he thought I over-
played on the first two albums, and I told him he
wasn’t kidding! Those first couple records were like
“YOU HAVE
TO MAKE THE
MUSIC MOVE—
AND NOTHING
DOES THAT
MORE THAN
BASS.”
five solo albums put together. I wanted to be the
most noticed bass player in the world, and Nick
wanted to be the most noticed keyboard player.
We were young and arrogant, and we all over-
played a good deal.
Have you ever tried to change your style?
I went through a period when I felt like I needed
to calm down and be less obtrusive, and I followed
that idea until the bass became almost invisible. But
I learned that you really have to claim your own per-
sonal style. I need to be able to do what I was doing
in 1981, but I also need to be open to other things.
The tendency is that when you get older, you get a
little lazy and look for shortcuts, so I make sure I
keep exploring.
Do you still enjoy playing “Rio” live?
We play “Rio” every time we walk out onstage,
so it’s on my mind often. It takes a lot of energy, and
it’s a long song with a very busy bass line. Usually,
before we start playing that song, Roger and I look
at each other, like, “Good luck, buddy—I hope we
make it. I’ll see you on the other end.”
Would you ever consider slowing it down?
We talked about relaxing the tempo, but that’s
not what the people want to hear, and that doesn’t
honor the song. You have to force yourself to keep
doing difficult stuff. It keeps it exciting and dangerous.
Your bass parts are so integral to the songs.
I’ve never liked bands where the bass just sits
behind everything. Lots of famous players are
entirely uninteresting to me because their bass
parts lack musical imagination. I know that not
everyone is a James Jamerson, but you have to
make the music move—and nothing does that
more than bass.
Any words of advice?
Keep playing! It seems like the simplest thing,
but just don’t ever stop playing. There’s no reason
you can’t be a better bass player next year than you
were this year, no matter how old you are. BP
bassplayer.com / o c t o b e r 2 0 1 5 29
DAVID HUNGATE

TOTO
TOTORE
By Rick Suchow

RECALL
MARTIN HARRIS/CAPITAL PICTURES/RETNA LTD

30 bassplayer.com / o c t o b e r 2 0 1 5
 “AN INNOVATIVE COMBINATION OF TONE,
FEEL, AND DURABILITY UNLIKE ANY OTHER
STRING I’VE PLAYED.

A GAME CHANGER FOR BASS PLAYERS.”

PINO
PALLADINO
PLAYS SUPER SLINKY FLATWOUND BASS STRINGS

ernieball.com | #iplayslinky
 F DaviD Hungate

LArs sLowAk

“It’s been an IncredIble reunIon,” and Jeff Porcaro (drums). After playing on Toto’s
says David Hungate of his return to Toto, the first four albums, Hungate packed up a career
band he co-founded in 1977 with his longtime as a first-call session ace in L.A. and headed
rhythm-section mates David Paich (keyboards) east to set up shop in Nashville. It turned out
to be a remarkably seamless transition for the
multi-instrumentalist; he spent the next three
decades as much in demand as he had been on
i INFO the West Coast.
Although he’s happy to be back with Toto, the
Souvenir [1994, circumstances that set the stage for his return were
Club House]; with unfortunate: bassist Mike Porcaro, who replaced
Toto Toto XIV [2015, Hungate in ’82, passed away earlier this year
Frontiers], Toto IV after a long battle with ALS. The band’s recent
[1982, Columbia],
tours have seen both Leland Sklar and Nathan
LIST E N

Turn Back [1981,

East filling in for Mike, but Hungate has now
Columbia], Hydra
stepped in full time, playing on Toto’s current
[1979, Columbia],
tour and recording four tracks on the band’s latest
Toto [1978,
Columbia]; with Boz release, Toto XIV, its first album in nine years.
Scaggs Silk Degrees
[1976, Columbia]. After Mike’s passing, what made you decide to
rejoin the band?
Bass Alien Audio Constellation 5-string I was honored and very moved to have been
asked. Losing Jeff, and losing Mike, I think the
guys wanted as many original members as possi-
www.
ww
ww.
w w.
w.CarvinGuitars
C arvinGuitar s.com
.c
com
c om
ble involved. I’m having the time of my life, but it’s
bittersweet knowing that if life were fair, Mike Por-
858
8558 GUITARS
GUITAR S
E QUI P

caro would still be here.

always made
in Rig (studio) V76 Telefunken preamp,
America
Tube-Tech equalizer, Teletronix LA-2A
compressor; (live) TecAmp Black Jag
900 head, two TecAmp 4x10 cabinets,
TecAmp Pleasure Board
Strings D’Addario
How did you and Jeff Porcaro come up with
those incredible grooves?
We listened to each other; I don’t recall there ever
being any verbal exchange about what either of us
would do. Paich was a huge part of the groove. The
original demos were just Jeff and Paich with synth
bass. They decided they needed real bass and called me.

32 bassplayer.com / o c t o b e r 2 0 1 5
 B a s s m a n . I’ve used
s s a m p i n 1965. A ’58 r t h e years.
“ I got my fi r s t b a
t m a k e s & model s
o
o
r i
v
t
e
e
countless di
ffe
m
r
y
e
a
n
l l - t i m e f a v .
Tec A m p i s
s o u n d w i s e ,
i t A L L
They& dpo t u n a bl e s p eaker
t o t a l g r u n ge. Their u r e B oard’
re t t y t o heir ‘Pl e a s
ity & t
from warm f u r t h e r flexibil
e b e l i e v e d .
tried to b
ets ad d
cabin
has to be on to bas s p l a y i n g, live or
c o m pany.
d i m e n s i no v a t ive
It adds a ne o. They are the most in
w
in the studi l ayers,
b a s s p
Run by l ayers.
b a s s p
for
e
Their servic
is unparalleled.
”
te,
David Hunga
our
Toto World T
2015
Photo courtesy of Lars Slowak

Now every deserving musician can own

a world-class rig at a price within reach.
Find out how and why TecAmp revamped
their approach to make this possible.
www.TecAmpUSA.com
 F DaviD Hungate
Why did you leave L.A. for Nashville in 1982, just before Toto’s
world tour to promote Toto IV?
Synth bass was starting to really come on in the late ’70s, and the future
looked questionable for my instrument in pop music. I couldn’t see that hap-
pening in Nashville. After commuting for a couple of years, I left the band
shortly after my younger son was born. I didn’t want to be on the road with
two little kids at home, and I was just getting established in Nashville. That
said, it was still a very hard decision.
On the early Toto albums, you played a ’62 Fender Precision and a
’64 Fender Jazz. What other instruments have you played?
I had two ’62 P-Basses, one with Rotosounds and one with La Bella
flats. I got a Yamaha BB5000 5-string in the mid ’80s and gradually shifted
to 5-strings most of the time. Over the years, I played Lakland, Tyler, Sad-
owsky, and Yamaha TRB basses, a fretless Pedulla 5-string, and did a lot of
work on upright.
In 2008, my friend and bass builder “Chopper” Anderson gave me his
Alien Audio Constellation to try. I immediately fell in love; it’s the bass I’ve
been looking for all these years. It’s a 5-string with two P-style pickups and
an onboard preamp designed by the late Moe West, a legendary Nashville
electronics genius. It has 3-band EQ, is dead quiet, and records like a dream.
I now have three of them, including a fretless, and seldom use anything else.
How has your concept of the perfect bass sound evolved over the
years?
The LifeLine adds life to
your amplified sound, at
any volume.
No changes to your bridge,
no glue,
no preamp,
no contest.
The
Realist:
It’s you,
only louder.
RealistAcoustic.com
34 bassplayer.com / o c t o b e r 2 0 1 5
I’ve always been a jack of all trades, so I never
thought of there being just one “perfect bass
sound.” Different tunes and different styles call for
different sounds. To be a successful studio musi-
cian, it helps to be a chameleon and have a work-
ing knowledge of a variety of styles. I’ve always
tried to have a few good sounds, and to be able
to play with a pick or thumb, as well as fingers.
The Toto repertoire calls for all three.
What determines which approach you use
on a particular recording?
Generally speaking, if it’s a ballad, I go for a
fatter, darker sound, and if it’s a rocker, maybe I’ll
use a pick. Certain feels are more comfortable to
play with a pick—Boz Scaggs’ “Lido Shuffle” was
one, for example. Traditional R&B calls for fin-
gers and maybe some muting with foam rubber
under the strings. Bluegrass or traditional coun-
try? P-Bass or upright.
Do you feel like your career has come full
circle?
Absolutely, and I feel like the luckiest guy in
the world. BP
 VERNON WEBB
HAGAR BEN ARI
PULSE PARTY BOOSTED BY HOSTS WITH A WIDER RANGE OF SKILL SETS THAN THEIR
predecessors, the late-night talk show realm is undergoing a talent-laden transformation

AFTER MIDNIGHT that extends all the way to the bottom. Meet Hagar Ben Ari, bassist for “Karen,” the quirky
quintet fronted by keyboardist/comedian Reggie Watts on The Late Late Show with James

ON THE LATE Corden. Rounded out by drummer Guillermo E. Brown, guitarist Tim Young, and keyboardist
Steve Scalfati, Karen’s spontaneous, seat-of-the-pants sizzle is grounded by Ben Ari’s funk-

LATE SHOW WITH

informed P-Bass lines. Born in Tel Aviv, Israel, the 36-year-old was weaned on jazz, thanks
to her dad, noted guitar teacher Carlos Ben Ari. At his behest, she moved from recorder and

JAMES CORDEN
guitar to her sister’s beginner bass, at age 13. Intially drawn to Meshell Ndegeocello and
Charles Mingus, Hagar added the influences of Chuck Rainey, Paul Jackson, and Pino Palla-
dino, and studied with Israeli-based, former Ndegeocello bassist Yossi Fine. Rapidly ascending
the local ranks, Ben Ari was soon touring Europe with vocalist Noa and anchoring the house
BY CHRIS JISI band of Israel’s most popular TV comedy talk show, hosted by the late Dudu Topaz. Seeking a

36 bassplayer.com / o c t o b e r 2 0 1 5
 PORTRAITS
IN TONE
dUg Pinnick. Unmistakable in every way --that
voice, the songwriting, his style, and, of course, the
dUg tone.

Since the formation of King’s X in the ‘80s, dUg has

been one of the most influential players to garner
attention for the then hardly used, 12-string bass.
dUg also devised his own method of using guitar and
bass amps together to merge high-end distortion with
low-end bass. The combination resulted in a sound
as subtle as a freight train, yet ironically musical and
sensitive. Just like dUg.

We thought it was high time, and shamefully long

overdue, to commemorate dUg Pinnick with his own
Signature bass amp head, the dUg Ultra Bass 1000.

dUg Pinnick
King’s X, KXM, Pinnick-Gales-Pridgen, Grinder Blues

dUg Ultra Bass 1000

2 channels • 1000 Watts • 12 lbs.

DESIGNED AND MANUFACTURED IN THE U.S.A.

WWW.TECH21NYC.COM
 YOUR FAVORITE BANDS’

favorite
printer
Flyers / Posters / T-Shirts / Banners / Merch / Stickers

144 CUSTOM PRINTED, ONE-COLOR

BLACK
T-SHIRTS
ZIPPER HOODIES
As Low As
144

$ 3.52
As Low As

each
Compare @ $4.75 each
$
16.34 each
Independent SS4500Z
Alstyle 1301 / One-Color, Black T-Shirt One-Color / Standard-Location Print
Standard-Location Print As Shown: $16.59 each

ROLL STICKERS
As Low As
1000 GIG FLYERS
As Low As
5000 18×24˝ POSTERS
Starting At
250 VINYL BANNERS
Starting At

$
154
3” Circle / White Vinyl / One-Color Print
$
99
4x6” 100# Gloss Text / Full Color
$
299
100# Gloss Text / Full Color / Full Bleed
$
32
4x2’ Outdoor Gloss Vinyl / Full Color
Full Bleed / Liner Prints Available Full Bleed / Double-Sided Single-Sided Full Bleed / Grommets Included

SAVE 25 $ Off Your Order of $99* Use Promo Code

BASSPLAYER15
One-time use code. Expires 11/30/15. Cannot be combined with any other offer. Valid on retail pricing, only. Discount does not apply to taxes or shipping charges.

Call 877.246.3132 Click jak.ink/bass


new challenge, she moved to New York City in 2003,
eventually making her mark—and valuable connec-
tions—via a four-year stint with Brooklyn’s Pimps
Of Joytime. This led to a world tour with Moby in
2008, and in 2010, the bass chair with Sharon Jones
& the Dap Kings (which included opening for and
jamming with Prince). The call to move west came
in March, after Hagar was recommended to Watts
and got to jam with him.
What led you to take the Late Late Show gig?
I wanted to work with Reggie, who is a phenom-
enal musician and comedian, and James [Corden]
is an incredible talent, so I knew the show had the
potential to be great. It was difficult to leave New
York, but in speaking with Reggie, he stressed that
he wanted us to be a real band. Steve, Tim, Guill-
ermo, and I had never played together before, but
it quickly felt like a band. My favorite kind of musi-
cians are those who know they’re good and there-
fore don’t have to prove it by overplaying or soloing
on every song. These guys are very much like that; it
feels like a team. We write all of the music together,
Karen Kliff Notes
1. Karen, the Late Late Show band, generally arrives at CBS Television City between 1 and 2 PM,
with the show taped from 5–6 PM.
2. Viewers hear Hagar’s bass via a combination of direct signal and a feed out of the back of her
amp head.
3. Hagar has missed only one week of shows, to play with Grace Potter, who was opening for the
Rolling Stones. Her sub was Kaveh Rastegar.
4. Karen has not yet backed any guest musical artists, but did back Tom Hanks and Arnold
Schwarzenegger on a medley of their movie-related songs, and singers Adam Lambert and
Katharine McPhee in skits. They’ve also had Justin Beiber and Dave Grohl sit in on drums
(Grohl on the closing theme, titled “Love Boat”).
and we play a weekly Tuesday-night residency at El Cid on Sunset Blvd. Coming
from gigs where I was solely a sideman, it’s enjoyable and rewarding to be a writ-
ing, creating member of a band.
How does the music come together?
Reggie is an improviser, and his vision for the band was to be improvisational
as well. The original concept was for him to sing us a melody or a groove or a bass
line on the spot, and have us make it up from there. That proved to be a little
too noisy during the show, so now we mostly write the music during rehearsal.
And it’s not one style of music; we kind of play whatever makes us happy and
makes us laugh. Sometimes Reggie will sing short ideas into his phone and text

PRESENTS THE

 RD ANNUAL

of the
Please join LA BELLA STRINGS and friends at this bass
exclusive event to help raise funds & awareness to benefit
g
a great p
non-profit g
music organization LITTLE KIDS ROCK.

Saturday, October 24tthh

The Cutting Room | 44 East 32nd St, NYC | 1PM-10PM
$20 entry fee/ticket enters you into the raffle! $10 each addl. ticket
All proceeds go to LITTLE KIDS ROCK music charity
foundation! Help restore and revitalize music
education in disadvantaged public schools.
UP TO $
P TO $10,000
10,
0,00000 WORT
WORTH
WO
W ORT
RTH
TH O OF
FP PR
PRIZES
RIIZES
ZES
ZE
ZES d
donated
don
oonat
nat
naaated
ted
ed by
by ssponsors
pons
onso
on
nsso
ssors
ors
willll be ra
wil raffled
afffled ooff
ff during
during ev
eve
event!
veent!
TODAY’S MOST POPULAR BASS, AMP AND ACCESSORY
BRANDS EXHIBITING THEIR PRODUCTS
Live Concert Appearances by ANDREW GOUCHE,
BRYANT SIONO and ROBERT “BUBBY” LEWIS
EVENING PERFORMANCES FROM 7:30PM TO 10:00PM

bassplayer.com / o c t o b e r 2 0 1 5 39
F Hagar Ben ari
i INFO

Elysian Fields, For House Cats and Sea

it to the band, beforehand. We don’t have any charts; I make little sketches for
Fans [2014, elysianfields.bandcamp.com];
myself here and there, and we’ve memorized the opening and closing themes.

LISTEN
Salif Keita, Talé [2012, Emarcy]; the Pimps
We also try to record the music for the commercial bumpers so we can remind
Of Joytime, Janxta Funk! [2012, Wonder-
ourselves how they go. What makes Reggie a dream bandleader is he gives us
wheel], Funk Fixes and Remixes [2009,
a lot of freedom, and he wants us to be in our element and find our own way.
Wonderwheel]; Cyril Neville, Brand New
What’s your approach from the bass perspective?
Blues [2009, M.C. Records]
I tend to keep it simple and foundational, because so much of what we do is
spontaneous and is often a mash-up of styles. I try to anchor and ground every-
thing so the music can be built on top. That’s fine; I’m not a showy player, I love Basses ’77 Fender Precision with DiMarzio
just playing good bass lines. Also, Guillermo is an amazing and unique drum- pickups and Badass bridge; ’69 Harmony;
mer. He’s very flexible and he explores different sounds and feels. It’s quite a ’67 Fender Coronado Bass I; Elrick N.Y.
contrast from the drummers I was used to in New York. It takes me out of my Bass Boutique 5-string; Rust Guitars
comfort zone, which is great. J-Series Bass; ’65 Epiphone Newport Bass

EQUIP
What are the main challenges of the gig? Strings D’Addario XL Half Rounds ENR71
Concentration and focus, first and foremost; it’s the hurry-up-and-wait ele- regular light gauge
ment. We’ll be on set without much to do, and then suddenly we have to get Rig Ampeg SVT-CL head with SVT-
the music together and play it right away. To be able to write quickly, have it 410HLF cabinet
memorized, and play it well is the key. And, like most TV gigs, we have both Effects Boss OC-2 Octave, Electro-
the live and studio element. There’s a live audience that wants to hear you go Harmonix Micro Q-Tron Envelope Filter,
crazy and play all your licks, and create energy. At the same time, the show is MXR La Machine CSP203 Fuzz
being recorded at a high quality, with no edits; every note you play is going to Other Countryman Type 85 D.I., Ultimate
be heard everywhere the show is viewed, so you want to have the economy and Ears in-ear monitors
discipline of playing on a record date. BP
 HAL LEONARD BASS
TAB METHOD
by Eric W. Wills
The method’s unique,
well-paced, and logical teaching
sequence will get students playing
more easily than ever before, and
music from popular artists like the
Beatles, Nirvana, and Stevie Wonder
will keep them playing and having fun.
00113068 Book 1 – Book/CD Pack .........................................$12.99
00124754 Book 2 – Book/Online Audio ..................................$12.99
ROCKABILLY BASS
Slap Technique, Creating
Bass Lines & the Rudiments
of Rockin’ String Bass
by Johnny Hatton
Learn the tricks and technique of
playing rockabilly bass from one of
the world’s foremost masters, Johnny
Hatton.
00122245 Book/Online Video ........................................................$19.99
STUFF! GOOD BASS PLAYERS
SHOULD KNOW
by Glenn Letsch
Take your playing from
ordinary to extraordinary with this
all-encompassing book/CD pack for
bassists. Topics include: arpeggios,
chucking, fretless bass, ghost
notes, isometrics, raking, slapping &
popping, walking bass lines, zydeco bass and more!
00696014 Book/CD Pack ...........................................................$19.95
ROCK BASS – 2ND EDITION
by Jon Liebman
Learn the essential
rock grooves and bass lines in the
styles of Paul McCartney, John
Entwistle, John Paul Jones, Geddy Lee,
Sting, Billy Sheehan, Flea, and many
more! This completely revised edition
will teach you the bassics of shuffle,
straight eighth, the “bounce” feel, funk, hard rock, techno-pop,
power ballad, odd time signatures, dance rhythms, and more.
00122142 Book/CD Pack ...........................................................$19.99
1-800-637-2852
www.musicdispatch.com
See our website for hundreds more titles!
BASS AEROBICS EXTREME METAL BASS
by Jon Liebman by Alex Webster
A 52-week, one- of Cannibal Corpse
exercise-per-week workout program As the original bassist for the seminal
for developing, improv-ing, and death metal band Cannibal Corpse,
maintaining bass guitar technique. author Alex Webster offers invaluable
This book/CD will benefit all levels of insight into the realm of metal bass
players, from beginners to advanced, guitar. This exclusive book/CD pack
in all musical styles. The CD includes provides detailed, hands-on training,
demos as well as play-along grooves. featuring vital bass guitar techniques and concepts.
00696437 Book/CD Pack ...........................................................$19.99 00696448 Book/CD Pack ...........................................................$17.99
ESSENTIAL BASS GUITAR JACO PASTORIUS
TECHNIQUES BASS METHOD
by Chris Kringel by Ray Peterson
Essential Bass Guitar Now for the first
Techniques teaches skills with carefully time, one of Jaco’s private students
crafted exercises and inspiring musical imparts the wisdom gained from one-
examples, which are featured on the on-one lessons with the bass genius
accompanying audio. Stop skipping himself. Complete with songs, solos,
over the intricate details and start techniques, theory, and personal
sounding like a seasoned professional! experiences with Jaco, this one-of-a-kind book/CD gives the
00119283 Book/Online Audio ........................................................$19.99 world what it craves – bass guitar lessons with Jaco Pastorius.
00695570 Book/CD Pack ...........................................................$22.99
HAL LEONARD BLUES BASS
by Ed Friedland 101 BASS TIPS
The Hal Leonard Blues by Gary Willis
Bass Method is your complete guide The text, photos,
to learning blues bass. This book and music, diagrams and accompany-ing
CD package uses classic blues songs 64-track CD provide a terrific, easy-to-
and standards to teach you how to lay use resource for a variety of topics,
down your own solid blues bass lines. including: techniques, improvising
Learn actual riffs from blues classics and soloing, equipment, practicing, ear
including: Born Under a Bad Sign • Hideaway • Hoochie Coochie training, performance, theory, and much
Man • Sweet Home Chicago • The Thrill Is Gone • and more. more.
00695870 Book/CD Pack ...........................................................$14.95 00695542 Book/CD Pack ...........................................................$16.95
BASS LESSON GOLDMINE SERIES Featuring 100 individual modules covering a giant
array of topics, each lesson in these volumes
includes detailed instruction with playing
examples presented in standard notation and tablature. You’ll also get
extremely useful tips, scale diagrams, chord grids, photos, and more
to reinforce your learning experience plus audio access to performance
demos of all the examples in the books! Includes audio samples, too!
00131463 100 Funk/R&B Lessons ...................................................$24.99
00131002 100 Blues Lessons ............................................................$24.99
00131462 100 Jazz Lessons..............................................................$24.99
00131461 100 Rock Lessons.............................................................$24.99
FREE SHIPPING
on orders of $25 or more!
Please mention ad code BSINT.
Least expensive shipping method applies.
 S
LEARN
PLAY
Soundroom
TECH
FACE
LINK
SOUNDROOM
ESP Bunny Brunel signature Models
By ed Friedland |
Bunny Brunel is well known as an early
progenitor of fretless electric bass in fusion, but he has also been
involved in instrument design for many years. His previous sig-
nature model was one of Carvin’s most popular instruments, and
his electric-upright design is a unique and effective contribution
to the EUB genre. But even before that, Brunel helped to design
prototypes with Gibson that never hit the open market. Now
teamed up with ESP Guitars, Brunel brings out version 2.0 of his
signature instrument, in fretless 5-string and fretted 4-string
models. The new BB1005FL and 1004 basses bear a close resem-
blance to their predecessors, but a detailed look reveals changes
to the platform that could make this the best Bunny bass yet.
All-Access BAsses
Brunel’s design goal has always been an instrument that gives
unfettered access to all the notes, is well balanced physically and
musically, and provides a wide variety of tones. The ESP models
certainly live up to those ideals, and they stand out in the crowded
import field as a real alternative to higher-priced exotic models.
While you don’t have to be a fusion player to appreciate the
Brunels’ playability, those who use the entire range of the fin-
gerboard will find the necks very player-friendly. The fretless 5
felt roomy, but not too spread out. The asymmetrical neck pro-
file gave me better access to the lower strings in high positions
and fit my hand’s shape naturally. The fretted 4-string model has
42 bassplayer.com / o c t o b e r 2 0 1 5
a nicely rounded C profile that reminded me of a mid-’70s Jazz
Bass. The ebony fingerboard looks great and provides plenty of
snap for the slap lover, and the fretless 5 is unique for its polyes-
ter-coated fingerboard. Ever since Jaco slathered marine epoxy
on his Jazz Bass fingerboard, fretless players have been fasci-
nated by this idea. Brunel himself has always preferred this on
his personal instruments, but his previous signature model did
not offer this option. To be fair, applying the coating is a messy,
toxic, and painstaking job that most luthiers try to avoid. It is
unusual for a production line instrument to come with this fea-
ture, so kudos are in order. The main purpose behind the coat-
ing is to protect the wooden fingerboard from damage inflicted
by roundwound strings, but it has a sonic influence as well. The
high-frequency response from the string against the super-slick
surface is definitely present in the final tone—it’s the icing on a
very substantial cake. The fretless board was dressed to perfec-
tion, allowing each register to sustain naturally. As for mwah?
We’ve got your mwah right here. The spreading, vocal-like articu-
lation is easily produced in any spot on the 1005FL lined finger-
board. One feature held over from previous models is orienting
the 5-string’s position dots as if it were a 4; if you’re new to
5-string, it’s comforting, as the dots are easier to see.
The new ESP BB basses are powered by Aguilar electronics,
with a MM-style humbucker in bridge position, and a hum-
canceling J-pickup in the neck slot. The Aggie OBP-3 preamp
provides plenty of gain, a 3-band EQ implemented
with a concentric pot for bass and treble, and a
separate control for the mids with a push/pull pot
to switch the frequency from 400Hz to 800Hz.
While I’m not opposed to concentric controls,
they can be tricky to set up properly, and I found
that on both review instruments the stacked
knobs tended to stick together, making it hard
the classic MM-fueled spank tone of Louis “Thun-
der Thumbs” Johnson with ease. But the pickup
blend produces a thicker texture with depth and
clarity. The hum-canceling neck pickup let me fully
explore the hollow chunk of a ’51-style P-Bass with-
out 60-cycle dreck spoiling the fun. The preamp
made it easy to conjure up virtually any tone I
desired, but the nature of the beast is clear artic-

to adjust just one band. A push/pull pot for the
volume control accesses passive mode, and the
Aguilar pickups have all the output you need for
a more old-school tone. Both instruments come
with Hipshot hardware, and the traditional clo-
ver-style paddle tuners look extra cool in the flat-
S SPECIFICATIONS
ulation. The tone of a bass line will pop while still
being supportive in nature, but if you are a solo-
ist, the BB basses are definitely your friend. With
the bridge pickup favored, the BBs provided the BB1005FL & BB1004
punch and directness that brings a bass solo to the street BB1005FL, $1,400; BB1004, $1,300
front. Approached passively, I could get a whole pros Well balanced, versatile tone, better-
than-average build quality
ESP

black finish. Both instruments also come standard
with the Hipshot Bass Xtender. While the previ-
ous incarnation of the Brunel signature model
offered a wide range of wood choices, cosmetic
options, and pickups, ESP has decided to limit
the finishes for now to Burnt Orange or Black
Aqua for the 5-string and a Black Burst for the
4, both over nicely figured quilted maple veneer.
Thumping Bunnies
As a Carvin endorser back in the ’90s, I owned sev-
eral Bunny Brunel models, in 4, 5, and 6-string
palette of more traditional Fender-like tones from
the Bunny, making it applicable for pretty much
any type of gig.
As Brunel is highly regarded as a fretless player,
his fretless model is predictably dialed in to per-
fection. I was impressed with the consistency of
the fingerboard dressing—I’ve paid hundreds of
dollars to get my fretless boards feeling this good,
and on an out-of-the-box import? Very nice. The
BB11005FL responds to touch like a much more
expensive bass; it can burp, hit, spread, and whine
if you’ve got the hands to make it happen. Play-
SPECS
Cons Concentric tone controls “stick”
Bottom Line Basses that play well and
sound great for any style of playing.
esp BB1005FL, BB1004
Construction Neck-through
Body Alder
neck Three-piece maple
Fingerboard 1004, ebony; 1005FL, acrylic-
coated
Fingerboard radius 1005FL, 16"; 1004, 12"
Frets 1005FL, 24 fret lines; 1004, 24 XJ

versions, fretted and fretless, and while the ESP
bears a strong resemblance, it feels very different.
The ESP neck profile is a bit fuller, and the area
around the body/neck joint is beefier, creating
rigidity where it most benefits the sound. While I
don’t typically describe neck-through-body instru-
ments as “punchy,” these Bunnies can definitely
thump. The fretted 4-string invites the thumb to
slap it around, and the pickup configuration covers
ing moving runs on the BB, it seemed all I had to nut Molded
neck width at nut 1005FL, 1.75"; 1004, 1.5"
do was stop on a note to get a lot of sustain. The
Bridge Hipshot A-style; e" string spacing
glassiness of the coated board provides a little edge
scale length 34"
that gets you heard, and adds some finger mojo
pickups Aguilar MM & humbucking J
to the overall tone. Tuners Hipshot w/Bass Xtender
The new Bunny Brunel signature models are Weight 1005FL, 9.2 lbs; 1004, 9 lbs
well suited to the demands of hardcore jazz fusion,
but their playability and versatility make them a made in Korea
great choice for any gig. Bp Contact espguitars.com

bassplayer.com / o c t o b e r 2 0 1 5 43
 S
LEARN
PLAY
TECH
FACE
LINK
SOUNDROOM
Rupert Neve Designs RNDI
B y J o n aT h a n h e r r e r a |
There is no single name ThaT
invokes a tingly feeling of lust in the recording biz as
much as “Neve.” It all began in 1961, when English
engineer Rupert Neve founded a company to pro-
duce his innovative recording-console designs. By
the early ’70s, the Neve console was the end-all-be-
all of recording technology, contributing its unique
sonic signature to countless hit records. Neve prod-
ucts have only increased their mythic status over the
years, with whole businesses emulating (or straight-
up copying) Neve designs. Central to Neve’s brilliance
is the legendary 1073 preamp, a Class A design with
simple EQ and a reputation for adding warmth and
thickness to any source it sees. After selling Neve to
AMS over 30 years ago, Rupert Neve struck out on
his own in 2005 with Rupert Neve Designs (RND),
releasing innovative new products featuring his
singular circuits. RND’s latest offering, the RNDI,
is sure to excite bass players, especially those who
think subtle is sexy.
When it comes to DIs, most of us put them into
two categories: those that work, and those that don’t
(usually at some point deep into a late soundcheck,
just before doors). But DI quality can vary greatly.
The basic task is simple: to convert an unbalanced
instrument- or line-level signal to a balanced mic-
level signal appropriate for a mixing console. But
the means of achieving this conversion create the
differences that can give DIs a signature sound. DIs
44 bassplayer.com / o c t o b e r 2 0 1 5
can be further divided between passive and active
designs, the latter of which require power to work.
Passive DIs are favored for their durability and con-
sistency, while a high-end active DI can offer better
headroom and signal integrity than a passive design.
The RNDI is an active DI housed in a beauti-
fully designed and rugged chassis. It can take the
signal directly from a bass or, in speaker mode, the
S
output of a power amp up to 1,000 watts. While that
about covers the feature set, it’s what happens in SPECIFICATIONS
between the input and the xlr output that makes
the RNDI so magical. Using custom-wound trans-
R u P E Rt N E v E D E S i g N S
formers and Class A-biased discrete FET amplifiers, RNDI
the Neve is perhaps the gutsiest and most musical Street $270
DI I’ve ever heard. It isn’t totally transparent, as Pros Rugged chassis; gorgeously thick
I discovered when I A/B’d it against the straight- and rich tone
wire inputs on an Apogee Duet A/D/A converter, a Cons None
unit renowned for its hi-fi tone. But what the Neve Bottom line Not the most transparent
lacks in transparency, it more than makes up for DI out there, but easily one of the best
in its rich tone. It brims with luscious harmonics, sounding.
propulsive depth, and shiny glisten. Transformers
tend to add some pleasing distortion to audio sig-
Input q"
nals, and the carefully designed transformers in the
Outputs q" thru, xlr
RNDI do all sorts of good things for bass. The RNDI Input impedance instrument mode,
SPECS
is for players who know that what sounds good on 2mΩ; speaker mode, 200kΩ
record is usually the furthest thing from “hi-fi” as Power 48V phantom power
possible. If you want a DI that will make your good-
sounding bass just sound somehow magically better, Made in USA
look no further. BP Contact rupertneve.com
 S
LEARN
PLAY
TECH
FACE
LINK
SOUNDROOM
Elixir
Nanoweb Strings
b y J o n at h a n h e r r e r a |
When elixir debuted its coated
strings over a decade ago, it represented a para-
digm shift, immediately adding an entirely new
category for the bass-string buyer to consider.
Now, in addition to the primal difference between
roundwounds, flatwounds, groundwounds, tape-
wounds, and other arcane “wounds,” a player
could choose between coated and uncoated
strings. The coating in question was a thin
polymer layer over the string to prevent the
deadening impact of finger oil, dirt, and grime.
Since bass strings aren’t cheap, the promise of a
longer-lasting string—even one that came at
an initial price premium—seemed like a win.
As a string ages, it loses its capacity to vibrate
at higher overtones (harmonics) relative to the
fundamental frequencies. We perceive this as
a string being “dead.” The original Elixirs did a
good job of extending string life, but there was a
catch: the coating had a tendency to rub off over
extended use, giving the string a sort of furry
look and feel. Elixir’s latest design uses an ultra-
thin “Nanoweb” coating, designed to look and
feel more like a traditional string than the older
“Polyweb” coating, which is still available for
those who dug the original models’ warmer vibe.
The Nanoweb coating isn’t visible. In my hand,
directly next to a another brand’s standard set,
I couldn’t differentiate between the two. Under
the hand, however, it’s a different story, and it’s
46 bassplayer.com / o c t o b e r 2 0 1 5
entirely subjective whether the strings’ feel is
a bug or a benefit. Even the stainless steel set
felt slick and smooth compared to an uncoated
stainless set. Personally, I don’t see the down-
side of this. I found that the coating helped to
prevent string noise when shifting, and it also
added a minute but perceptible boost in the effi-
ciency of my playing. Out of the box, the Elixirs
sounded great, with the stainless set deliver-
ing edgier highs and a boomier bottom than
the more midrange-focused 5-string nickel set.
They didn’t distinguish themselves strongly
from other top-notch uncoated sets, which is
high praise considering the promise that these
S SPECIFICATIONS
strings will last appreciably longer in the bright Nanoweb Strings
period of their life cycle. Indeed, I’ve had them Street Start at approx. $35 for 4-string
on a bass for about six weeks of solid playing, a set
part of which included frequent use from a friend Pros Long life (so far!); don’t get
whose acidic sweat is notorious. As of writing “furry” like past sets; smooth feel
Elixir
this piece, they’re still going strong, with per- Cons Slick and smooth feel not neces-
haps only a ten percent brightness reduction sarily for everyone
Bottom Line An excellent, if slightly ex-
compared to the day they made it to my bass.
pensive, option for players who spend
I’m also happy to report that they haven’t begun
too much money on the quest to keep
to shed like the old designs.
their bass sounding bright.
The big question with coated strings is whether
brightness is in fact an objectively superior Construction Stainless-steel or nickel-
quality for bass strings. I’d certainly argue that plated roundwound
SPECS
it isn’t, but it’s nice knowing there’s a smooth-
playing, long-lasting, shed-free option out there Made in USA
for players who think that it is. BP Contact elixirstrings.com
 W
LEARN
JAZZ CONCEPTS

Hot Licks From

PLAY

Everywhere
WOODSHED
TECH

Trumpet, Piano & Guitar Études For Bass

BY JOHN GOLDSBY
FACE

YOUR BIG BAND IS WARMING UP. THE LEAD TRUMPET PLAYER PICKS UP
her horn, puts the mouthpiece to her lips, and blows through a serpentine, diatonic major-scale
LINK

pattern. The trumpet player next to her chuckles for a moment, then answers with the same line.
It’s obviously an insider trumpet joke. You’ve heard the melody often—every time a trumpet
player warms up, or so it seems. The line comes from Clarke’s Technical Studies, a trumpet-étude
WOODSHED

book written in 1912 by Herbert L. Clarke.

Clarke’s études have challenged trumpet players as finger-busting, lip-torturing rites of pas-
sage for over 100 years. Although rather demanding on the trumpet, Clarke’s études are relatively
easy on the bass. This month, let’s look at several études and technical studies composed for other
instruments, and see how we can glean bass-worthy licks and patterns from the material.
Example 1 shows Clarke’s Étude No. 2 in the key of G. The challenge for trumpet players is to
play the phrase legato (evenly) and in one breath. The challenge for you, the bass player, is to play
the whole phrase legato, so you don’t hear the string crossings. Be sure to accurately cross between
the notes on the G string and the notes on the A string. Accent the first note of each of the four-
note groupings, but don’t accent a note only because you are changing strings.
i INFO
Clarke suggests that once the trumpet minions have mastered the legato phrasing of the line,
Visit John on the

J O H N G O L D S BY
they can try other articulations. We can add our own articulations and rhythmic challenges by
web at johngoldsby.
changing our bass version of the étude (Ex. 2). Experiment using different articulations: plucking
com for sound
with only one plucking-hand finger, using a two-finger plucking-hand technique, playing the étude samples, videos and
in different keys, playing the étude only on one string, and playing the étude using various tempos answers to all of
and dynamics. Write your own variations for Clarke’s Étude No. 2, and see if you can stump your your bass-related
trumpet-playing friends at your next big band rehearsal with a bass version of name that tune. questions.
Bebop pianist Walter Bishop often uses intervals of 4ths in his compositions and improvised
solos (check out Bishop’s video in the weblinks). Example 3 outlines a typical Bishop line: all 12 • Watch Berklee
notes found within an octave range, moving in the cycle of 4ths and 5ths. Remember that an bassist Brian

interval of a perfect 4th, when inverted, becomes an interval of a perfect 5th. For example, in order Lottermann play
Matteo Carcassi’s
to keep this line within an octave, the Bb moves down to Eb (descending the interval of a perfect
étude Op. 60, No. 5
5th), rather than jumping out of the octave range from Bb up to high Eb (which would be ascend-
on his 5-string.
ing an interval of a perfect 4th). Note the indications of perfect 4ths (P4) and perfect 5ths (P5).
• Bebop piano
Example 4 shows a 12/8 version of Bishop’s 12-tone line. Intervals of 4ths and 5ths sit nicely legend Walter
on the bass fingerboard, but playing through all 12 notes of the cycle demands concentration and Bishop Jr. explains
precise shifting. Example 5 shows a possible use of the entire cycle when playing over a C7 altered his theory of 4ths.
CONNE CT

chord. Not all of the notes in the 12-tone line will sound harmonious over the C7, but the strength • Review arpeggios
of the relentless march through the cycle of 4ths and 5ths will trump any dissonance. from the bottom up,
Example 6 delves into the deep world of guitar literature. No, we’re not talking about Page, and from the top
Clapton, Hendrix, or Wes Montgomery, rather someone much, much older. Matteo Carcassi was down.

a reigning guitar god in 19th century Europe who cranked out brilliant, romantic classical guitar bassplayer.com/
october2015
pieces, in addition to The Carcassi Method for Guitar (Opus 59). Carcassi’s method book became a
standard work, and it’s still widely used by aspiring classical guitar players. Why are guitar parts
sometimes hard to play on the bass? The standard 4-string bass doesn’t have as wide a range as a
6-string guitar. Guitar exercises are possible on the 4-string bass with a bit of shifting and a dose
of courage.
Example 6 is in Carcassi’s original key of C. The line is harmonically simple but requires a
large leap in bar 2 when moving from the low G up to the notes B and F. Although it’s possible

48 bassplayer.com / o c t o b e r 2 0 1 5
to play the B on the G string, and then jump up (see tablature). Example 7 shows Carcassi’s exer- and see if you can use some of your discoveries in
to the high F on the G string, my recommenda- cise transposed to the bass-friendly key of D. You your practice routines on the bass. You’ll be sur-
tion is to play the low G, and then shift to the B gotta love them open strings! prised at the musical gems you’ll find in the wealth of
on the D string, followed by the F on the G string Search for material written for all instruments music literature written for other instruments. BP

= 80
Ex. 1

2 2 3 2 3 5 2 2 2 3 2 3 2
3 5 3 5 5 3 5 3 5 5 2 3 5 2 3 5 3 5 5 3

= 80
Ex. 2

22 2 33 223355 2 22 23 2 3 2
335 3 55 5 3355 3 5 52 35 2 3 5 3 5 5 3

P4 P4 P5 P4 P5 P4 P5 P4 P4 P5 P4
Ex. 3

3 1 2
3 1 4 2 4
3 4 2 4

= 80
Ex. 4

3 1 2
3 1 4 2 4
3 4 2 4

Medium C7alt
straight eighths
Ex. 5

3 1 2
3 1 4 2 4 4
3 4 2 4

C G7 C G7
Flowing 12/8
Ex. 6

9 9 9 9 10 0 10 10 0 10 9 9 9 9 10 0 10 10 0 10
10 10 10 10 9 9 9 9 10 10 10 10 9 9 9 9
10 10 10 10
8 8 3 3 8 8 3 3

D A7 D A7
Flowing 12/8
Ex. 7

11 11 11 11 12 12 12 12 11 11 11 11 12 12 12 12
0 12 12 0 12 12 11 11 11 11 0 12 12 0 12 12 11 11 11 11
12 12 0 12 0 12 12 12 0 12 0 12

bassplayer.com / o c t o b e r 2 0 1 5 49
 W
LEARN
PLAY

B L U E S YO U CA N U S E
TECH

Chitlins Con Carne

FACE

BY ED FRIEDLAND |
LINK

THE AREA WHERE JAZZ, BLUES, R&B, AND LATIN MUSIC INTERSECT IS A FERTILE
quarter I call the “Boogaloo Zone.” In the early 1960s, jazz artists started latching onto funkier, quasi-Latin feels, presumably
WOODSHED

to take advantage of the rising popularity of the Latin craze that brought bossa nova, mambo, and salsa to American radio. The
boogaloo feel is interpreted several ways, sometimes with a swing undercurrent like the Lee Morgan classic “The Sidewinder,”
straight funk like Lou Donaldson’s “Alligator Boogaloo,” or with a more direct link to Latin music, such as Horace Silver’s “The
Jody Grind.” One tune that has made its way into the blues repertoire is “Chitlins Con Carne” by the great jazz guitarist Kenny
Burrell. Recorded in 1963, the track finds the master bop player working with straightforward blues-scale runs over a funky
Latin-swing groove. Boogaloo was not only employed by straightahead jazzers looking for a greater market share, it also per-
meated the blues genre, and it really took a hold on the work of harmonica player Junior Wells. His song “Messing With the
Kid” is a certified blues standard, and it’s a great early example of the blues boogaloo. With Junior’s flair for the funkier side
of things already well established, his 1965 album Hoodoo Man Blues (with Buddy Guy on guitar) featured a collection of tunes
that leaned heavily toward the boogaloo feel—including this month’s subject.
Appearing on the recording is bassist Jack Meyers, a player I have written about more than once for his inventive approach
to the blues, and his line on “Chitlins” is no exception. Essentially a minor blues, “Chitlins” gets a little harmonic reworking at
the hands on Mr. Wells. The original Kenny Burrell version employs a typical 12-bar form with the I, IV, and V chords placed
where you would expect, but Wells replaces the final V–IV–I cadence with a bIII–II–I movement somewhat reminiscent of the
1961 hit “Comin’ Home Baby.” Other notable blues versions of this tune were performed by Otis Rush, Stevie Ray Vaughan &
Double Trouble, Ronnie Earl & the Broadcasters, and Paul Oscher. On the jazz side of things, start with the sultry and funky
i INFO
version laid down by guitarist Ed Cherry, and then check out the organ grind of Big John Patton’s rendition.

E D F RIE D L A N D
Example 1 is similar to the line Meyers plays under the first chorus of melody. The rhythmic activity is fairly standard for Ed Friedland plays,
this type of groove, but his note choices are quirky while cool, particularly the repeated use of a Bn to resolve back to the root writes, and teaches
(A). The Eb on beat three of bar 6 is an unusual route home, but it gets you there. He walks up to the middle C in bar 9, plays a out of his bass base
in Austin, Texas.
quick 8–5–R, and throws a textbook dominant approach to the root on beat one of bar 10. However, as the progression goes
edfriedland.com
from C to Bm, the dominant approach on beat four is a big fat F#, which creates a momentary disturbance in the force over the
C chord. Jack Meyers had a way of picking notes that stuck out, yet remained functional—even if the function was to disrupt.

Am7 Dm7
= 138

7 7 7 7
5 7 7 5 7 5 7 7 5 7 7 6 5 5 5 6
5 7 5 7 5 7 5 5 5 7
EX. 1

Am7 C Bm Am
7

7 7 9 10 9 7
5 7 7 5 7 10 9 9 9 5 7 7
5 7 5 8 7 5 7 5

50 bassplayer.com / o c t o b e r 2 0 1 5
 Example 2 is a close approximation of what
Meyers plays under Junior Wells’ first solo chorus.
Interesting to note that he reverses the order of
the basic two-bar pattern, putting the busier half
at the end. He hits the octave on the IV chord
in bar 5, and uses a scale fragment in bar 6 that
precedes an atypical scale fragment on the down-
beat of bar 7’s I chord. By Jack Meyers standards,
this is a fairly tame line, and yet his forceful pres-
ence makes it seem more outrageous than it is.
He stands out in the blues genre as a player with
enough imagination to get into some real trouble,
but possessing the chops and groove to pull it off.
The boogaloo groove crosses many stylistic
boundaries, and it has been a sure-fire way to
get people moving since the 1960s. In the words
of the immortal James Brown, “’Scuse me while
I do the boogaloo!” BP

Am7 Dm7

7
7 7 7 7
5 7 5 7 7 5 7 7 5 7 7 6 5 7 6 5 7 8
5 7 5 7 5 5
Ex. 2

Am7 C Bm Am7
7

7 10 9 7
7 7 5 7 10 9 9 9 5 7 7
5 7 8 5 5 8 7 5 7 5

RODNEY ‘SKEET’ CURTIS

PARLIAMENT | FUNKADELIC | MACEO PARKER

JXB SERIES
The next wave
of a classic line.

BRUBAKERGUITARS.COM

bassplayer.com / o c t o b e r 2 0 1 5 51
 LEARN


PLAY

TRANSCRIPTION Don Grolnick’s

TECH

“Pools”
Will Lee’s Complete Bass Line
FACE

BY CHRIS JISI |
LINK

THE LATE KEYBOARDIST/COMPOSER DON

TRANSCRIPTION

Grolnick left a mighty imprint on the music world in his short

48 years (dying in 1996 from non-Hodgkins lymphoma).
Brooklyn-born Grolnick played a major role in the works of
Dreams, the Brecker Brothers, James Taylor, Linda Ronstadt,
Steely Dan, Paul Simon, Carly Simon, and Steps Ahead. Chief
among his contributions to the lower frequencies is the modern
jazz standard and bonafide bass anthem “Pools.” For the song’s
first recording, on Steps Ahead’s self-titled U.S. premiere platter
in 1983, Eddie Gomez tackled the striking, spanning melody
on upright. Two years later, Grolnick cut an expanded ver-
sion of the piece on his acclaimed solo debut disc, Hearts and
Numbers. The call for the date went to Will Lee, who first met
SANDRINE LEE

Grolnick in Dreams and considered him a musical mentor and

close friend. Lee hadn’t heard the Steps version when he turned
in his stellar fretless bass performance, which remains one of
his career-highlight cuts.
The session for the song took place at the Power Station in i INFO
Manhattan (now Avatar Studios), with Grolnick on keyboards,
Michael Brecker on tenor sax, Peter Erskine on drums, and Jeff
Mironov on guitar. At Grolnick’s request, Will played his fret-
less red ’64 Fender Precision Bass, which had an added EMG J
pickup, new Rotosound roundwounds, and had been converted the four notes. “That’s classic Don,
L ISTE N

to fretless by filing down the frets (leaving fret lines) and epoxy- who had a very coherent approach to
ing the neck. He recorded direct, favoring the J pickup slightly. triplets and polyrhythms.”
The quintet played live and had the final version in three or four Don Grolnick, Hearts Letter B is a return to the sax
and Numbers [1985, intro melody a 4th higher, setting
takes; there were no bass punches or fixes.
Hip Pocket] up the changes for Grolnick’s piano
The track begins with a sax-melody intro and written bass
line that Lee embellishes rhythmically with pickups and varied solo, at C. Here, both Erskine and
• Watch Will Lee’s Lee stretch a bit to boost the energy,
phrasing (bar 10). “Peter’s cymbal pattern helps set up the
Family play the in reaction to the solo. Listen for a
groove,” says Will. At letter A, the bass melody enters over the Don Grolnick magical moment in bar 64, as Will
distinctive V–I sound of a dominant 13b9 to a minor 9—the Medley in Japan. answers Grolnick’s beat-two triplet
tune’s signature tonality, for which it has become best known. bassplayer.com/ with his own triplet on beat three.
CONNEC T

Lee colors his reading with vibrato, muted notes (bar 17), slide- october2015 The sax melody returns at D—with
offs, and octaves for emphasis on the V chords. At the repeat, piano answering in the spaces—to
Brecker doubles the melody. Will laughs, “We were both trying set up a new blowing section (via
to emulate Don’s unique feel—it’s our interpretation of it, a cool turnaround in bar 73), at E.
anyway!” For the second ending’s written bass line, listen for Here, Grolnick ups the groove quo-
how Will phrases the 16th-note pickup and triplets in bars 35, tient, leading Lee and Erskine through
37, and 39, giving almost equal eighth-note value to each of an eighth-note, backbeat feel. Lee

52 bassplayer.com / o c t o b e r 2 0 1 5
adds melodic motion in the cracks and intui-
tively follows as Grolnick pares down to an even
harder-grooving quarter-note pulse when the I–V
progression drops down a whole-step in bar 82.
More melodic reaction (bars 83, 85, 86) leads to
a tasteful use of space (bar 89), as the section dis-
solves. This sets up the return of the main melody,
at F. Doubled by Brecker, Lee moves up the octave
for the first eight measures, not recalling if it was
written that way or decided at the date. “We had
done the melody an octave lower and then dou-
bled with tenor, so this was a new place to take
it.” Given a tune-capping V–I in the final three
measures, Will improvises some upper-register
afterthoughts on the Ebm chord.
Lee, who’s busier than ever following the
conclusion of David Letterman’s show, advises,
“Get your fingerings together, which is what I did,
to find where the notes sounded and sat best with
regard to tone and intonation. Try to lay back on
all of the melodies, and ‘sing’ them. Don’s songs
were always so logical and singable; I definitely
took a vocal approach here.” He adds, “I learned
so much from Don, and I miss him every day.” BP

“Pools” Transcription by Jason Long

Relaxed
samba feel A13(b9#11) A13(b9#11)
Am9 D9(sus4) C13(#11) Bm11(b5) E7(b5) Am9
= 85 Intro

4
7 7 7 3 1 2 2 7 7 7
7 7 5 5 5 3 3 2 7 7
5 5

A13(b9#11)
D9(sus4) C13(#11) Bm11(b5) E7(#9#11) Am9 D9(sus4) C13(#11)
6

S
4
3 1 2 2 7 7 7 7
5 7 5 5 3 3 2 7 7 5 5 5 3
5

A13(b9#11) C13(b9#11) C13(b9#11)

Bm11(b5) E7(#9#11) Am9 D9(sus4) Fm11
11 A

4 4 5
3 2 2 7 7 7 3 3
2 7 7 5 3 3
5

C13(b9#11)
Fm11 Fm11 F13(b9) Faug7 Ab7(sus4)
17

5 1
3 3 1 1 3 1 3 6 1 1
3 3 3 3
4 4 1 1

“Pools” by Don Grolnick

Copyright (C) Carmine Street Publishing (BMI)
International Copyright Secured. All Rights Reserved. Used by Permission.

bassplayer.com / o c t o b e r 2 0 1 5 53
 LEARN


PLAY

Gbmaj7/Ab
1.
C13(b9#11)
2. Bb/F#
A13(#11) D13(sus4)
22
TECH
FACE

S
2 2 4 2 3 1 5
2 2 1 4 4
0 2 0 1 1 3 1 5 5
4 4 3
LINK

Bb/F# A/F
35 3 G9(sus4) D13(sus4) A9(b13) Db13(sus4) Gb(sus4)
TRANSCRIPTION

3 3
2
4 4 5 3 3 2 4 4 2
5 5 5 5 4 4 4
1 3 3 1 3 3 3 3 1 3 3 2

C13(b9#11)
Eb7(#9) Abm11 Db9(sus4) Dm9 G9(sus4) F13(#11) Em11(b5)
40 B

S
7
1 1 2
4 3 5 5 5 1
4 5 5 3 2 3 3 1 1 0 4

D13(b9#11) D13(b9#11)
A7(b5) Dm9 G9(sus4) G/F Em11(b5) A9(#11)
46

S S S
7 7
2
5 5 5 1
5 4 5 5 5 3 5 3 3 1 1 0 4 5 4 5

D13(b9#11)
Dm9 G9(sus4) F13(#11) Em11(b5) A7(b5) Dm9 3
51 C 3

7
2 2
5 5 5 5 1 5 5 5
5 5 3 3 3 1 1 0 4 5 5 5 5

D13(b9#11)
G9(sus4) F13(#11) Em11(b5) A7(b5) Dm9 G9(sus4) F13(#11)/B
56 3

7
3
1 5 5 5 2 0
3 3 3 1 3 0 0 3 4 5 5 5 5 4 3 3 3

54 bassplayer.com / o c t o b e r 2 0 1 5
 Featuring 100 individual modules covering a giant array of topics, each lesson in each volume
includes detailed instruction with playing examples presented in standard notation and tablature.
You’ll also get extremely useful tips, scale diagrams, chord grids, photos, and more, along with
online access to audio tracks featuring performance demos of all the examples!

100 BLUES LESSONS
Covers: blues scale;
12-bar blues; turn-
arounds; swing blues; the box
shape; the Rhumba; 12/8 slow
blues; palm muting; string
bending; arpeggios; under-
standing chord symbols;
Chicago blues; Texas blues;
New Orleans blues; double
stops; Willie Dixon style; Jack
Bruce style; and much more!
00131002 Book/Online Audio
$24.99
100 JAZZ LESSONS
Covers: lessons for
upright and electric
bass; warm-ups; string cross-
ing; fretting hand indepen-
dence; hand synchronicity;
sound and projection; tenths;
jazz waltz; pedal points; inter-
val cycles; beat manipulation;
various scales; tritone substitu-
tion; using a bow; and much
more!
00131462 Book/Online Audio
$24.99
100 FUNK/R&B LESSONS
Covers: the pocket;
fingerstyle funk;
slap & pop techniques; ham-
mer-ons and pull-offs; staccato
& tenuto; funk fills and phras-
ing; dynamics; funk jazz; acid
jazz; James Brown Fun; Bootsy
Collins style; Larry Graham
style; Louis Johnson style; Flea
style; and more!
00131463 Book/Online Audio
$24.99
100 ROCK LESSONS
Covers: first posi-
tion notes; basic
fingerstyle; basic slapping; fin-
gerstyle rakes; drop D tuning;
memorizing the fretboard;
arpeggios; harmonics; Paul
McCartney style; John
Entwistle style; Geddy Lee
style; Billy Sheehan style; tap-
ping; walking; where to pluck;
and much more!
00131461 Book/Online Audio
$24.99

FREE SHIPPING ON ORDERS OF $25 OR MORE!

PLEASE MENTION AD CODE BGLD. LEAST EXPENSIVE SHIPPING METHOD APPLIES.
VISIT OUR WEBSITE FOR HUNDREDS OF INSTRUCTIONAL MATERIALS & SONGBOOKS!

1-800-637-2852
 LEARN


PLAY

D13(b9#11)
Em11(b5) A7(b5) Dm9 G9(sus4) F13(#11)
61
TECH

3
FACE

7
2 3
1 5 5 5 2 0
0 0 4 5 5 5 5 3 3 3 1 3
LINK

D13(b9#11)
Em11(b5) A7(b5) Dm9 G9(sus4) F13(#11)
65 D
TRANSCRIPTION

S S
7
2
1 5 5 5
0 0 4 5 5 5 5 3 5 3 1 3 1

D13(b9#11) F13(b9#11)
Em11(b5) A7(b5) Dm9 G9(sus4) Bbm11 E13(b9#11)
69

7
2
1 5 5 5 1
0 0 4 5 5 5 5 3 1 2 1 0 3 4 5

Am9 E13(b9#11) Am9 E13(b9#11)

74 E

5
5 5 7 5 7 5 7
3 3 8 7 7 7
5 5 5 5 5 3 3 5 5 5 5 0 0 0 0 3 5 5 5 5 5 5 5 5 5

Am9 E13(b9#11) Am9 D13(b9#11)

78

S
3
3 5
3 5 7 7 2 3 4 5 5 7 (0) 5
5 5 5 5 3 3 4 5 5 5 0 5 5 5 5 5 5 3 3 4 5 0

Gm9 D13(b9#11) Gm9 D13(b9#11)

82

S S
5 5 3 4
5 4 3 1 3 4 5 4 3 1 3 1
3 3 3 1 3 3 3 1 3 (3) 3 3 3 1 2 3 3 3 3

56 bassplayer.com / o c t o b e r 2 0 1 5
 LEARN


PLAY

Gm9 D13(b9#11) Gm9 D13(b9#11)

86
TECH

S
3
FACE

5 5 4 5
3 5 5 1
3 3 3 (0) 3 3 3 3 1 3 1 3 1 3 3
LINK

Fm11 C13(b9#11) Fm11 C13(b9#11)

90 F
TRANSCRIPTION

10 10 5 10 10 5
10 10 10 10
3 11 11 8 8 3

Fm11 F13(b9) Faug7 Ab7(sus4) A13(#11)

94

S
13 13 14 14 16 14
13 13 15 13 15 13 13 14 14
12 14 12

Gbmaj7/Ab Bb/F# G9(sus4) Bb/F#

D13(sus4) 3
D13(sus4)
98

3 1
1 4 4 4 4
1 1 5 5 5 5 5
4 3 1 3 3 1 3 3 3

Db13(sus4)
A9(b13) A/F Gb(sus4) Eb7(#9) Abm11
102

3 3

2
5 3 3 2 4 4 2 1 1
5 4 4 4
3 1 3 3 2 4

C13(b9#11)
Db9(sus4) Bb13(#9#11) Ebm11
106

S S
10 11
6 8 6 8
4 3 6
6

58 bassplayer.com / o c t o b e r 2 0 1 5
 Specialists in fine,
hand-built, British
bass guitars.
We offer an extensive selection of
new and pre-owned instruments,
amplification and accessories.
We ship worldwide.
Online prices include 20% UK tax
(not applicable for sales to USA).

Anaconda Basses.
SLITHER SLE 5.
London, England.

greatbritishbasslounge.com
Bass sHOWCasE

60 bassplayer.com / o c t o b e r 2 0 1 5
 Bass sHOWCasE

bassplayer.com / o c t o b e r 2 0 1 5 61
 LeFay

Aquilina Marleaux Le Fay Kenneth Lawrence

Paul Lairat Glockenklang Maruszczyk
Combe Fibenare Bee Basses Zakrzewski Moscato
Kinal Performance
BASS SHOWCASE

62 bassplayer.com / o c t o b e r 2 0 1 5
 Bass sHOWCasE
WORLD’S LARGEST INVENTORY!!! BUY/SELL/TRADE
7/2,$7)$% 3()00).' s 15!,)49 "!33 '%!2

500 BASS GUITARS IN STOCK! STILL IN THE BOX! 100’S OF

s !LEMBIC s (OFNER s 0EDULLA AMPS, CABS IN STOCK!
s $INGWALL s +3$ s 2ENAISSANCE
s !CCU'ROOVE s %"3 s -ESA "OOGIE
s %LRICK s +EN 3MITH s 2OSCOE
s !COUSTIC )MAGE s %DEN s /RANGE
s & "ASS s ,AKLAND s 3ADOWSKY
s !GUILAR s %PIFANI s 0HIL *ONES
s &ENDER s ,AKLAND 3KYLINE s 3PECTOR
s !LEMBIC 0REAMPS s %UPHONIC !UDIO s 13#
s &ODERA s -4$ s 3TATUS
s !MPEG s &ENDER s 3CHROEDER
s', s -4$ +: 3ERIES s 7ARWICK
s "AG %ND s '+ s 4ECH 
s 'ODIN s -IKE ,ULL s 9AMAHA
s "ERGANTINO s (ARTKE s 4# %LECTRONICS
s 'ROOVE 4OOLS s -USIC-AN s :ON
s $EMETER s -ACKIE s 6ALVE 4RAIN
EUB’S
s !ZOLA s %MINENCE s .3 $ESIGN #1 DEALER / LARGEST STOCK OF:
s "38 s +YDD s -USIC-AN s !LEMBIC s %DEN
s 7ARWICK s &ODERA s $INGWALL
GUITARS s ,AKLAND s -4$ !.$ -/2%

s -USICMAN s &ENDER #USTOM 3HOP s !LEMBIC s 3PECTOR s .3 $ESIGN

EFFECTS PEDALS
s %VENTIDE s %"3 s 2ADIAL GREAT PRICES! LESSONS!
s $ARK 'LASS
s 3ANS !MP
s -82
s 0IGTRONIX
s 3UNCOAST
0REAMPS EXPERIENCED STAFF!
WWWBASSCENTRALCOM s    s SALES BASSCENTRALCOM
BASSCENTRALBLOGBLOGSPOTCOM s ,OOK FOR US ON &ACEBOOK

bassplayer.com / o c t o b e r 2 0 1 5 63
       

 
     

      
        
          !    
   "#" $  ! 
$   $%&'()**+++),,*-      

Great rooms begin

with great acoustics...
...and Primacoustic has everything you need!

“Not only does my room sound amazing,

it’s also really beautiful!!” ~ John Rzeznik

visit www.primacoustic.com
i ti t
today
d
Bass sHOWCasE

64 bassplayer.com / o c t o b e r 2 0 1 5
 Bass sHOWCasE
GUITAR BUILDING AND REPAIR SCHOOL.
Comprehensive courses in acoustic, electric, and bass guitar
construction, repair, finishing, and guitar electronics.
For occupational training, since 1974.
Accredited member ACCSCT.
Financial aid available for those who qualify.

Contact: Roberto-Venn School of Luthiery

1012 NW Grand Ave, Phoenix, AZ 85007.
(602) 243-1179
www.roberto-venn.com

bassplayer.com / o c t o b e r 2 0 1 5 65
 LEARN

Mi
ch
ael Weintr
BoBBy’s BAssment
PLAY

oB
Bobby Vega is a The Amp Game
world-class
TECH

collector and vin- If you’re lookIng for an amp, there are so speakers, which work together and evenly distribute the load.
tage bass freak many to choose from in today’s market. What I’ve found is that There’s strength in numbers, and when you stack ’em up—4x5,
of the first order. most amplifiers sound like what manufacturers think a bass 8x5, 12x5, 16x5, 24x5, 32x5—it’s like a whole gang. Whether
The gear is real. should sound like. I like an amp that lets me hear the instru- you play upright, 4-, 5-, or 6-string, a cab with 5’s has it all!
FACE

The stories are

ment, the string, and myself, but it’s hard to find an amp that If you primarily play 5- or 6-strings, I would suggest a cab
true. The dates
does all those things at once. So I listen for amps that sound with 10s. They seem to handle the B string better. In fact, the
are foggy. And
good even with no EQ. If it sounds good with all the tone knobs 4x10 (and Michael Tobias) are what started the 5-string bass
LINK

the names of the

innocent have
set at 12 o’clock, I know I’ve got something to work with. movement. These days, many players gig with a single 1x12,
been changed but that’s never been enough for me. A 2x12 is like a 1x15
to protect their Flat Is Where It’s at with more mids and high end; it’ll have a throaty growl when
BoBBy’s Bassment

identities… and I believe less is more, so for me, flat is where it’s at. But sometimes
save Bobby’s ass! you need a little bass and treble, or low mids or upper mids, or that
sparkly high end, or some booty/bass—you need that extra piece
of chicken! If I want a bigger sound, I turn up the bass knob to one
or two o’clock; if I want my sound to be clear, I turn up treble (or
highs) to one, two, or three o’clock. But if both knobs are at three
o’clock and I need more treble, I turn the bass down instead of
turning up the treble; otherwise they get cloudy and cancel each
other out. Mids come into play when I need to be heard: High mids
help me cut through the band’s fog and give me a voice, and I use
low mids to make my bass sound like Nat King Cole.
A little EQ goes a long way, though. An amp with extra options
like a tube channel, FET channel, and parametric EQ could be trou-
ble. And I like amps that have EQ in/out switches, too.
you lean into it. I like the sound of 15" speakers; you can’t go
wrong with a 1x15. I played gigs for many years with one—it
has that meat-and-potatoes sound. I can do any club gig with a
1x15 Boogie cabinet with an E-V 400-watt 15" speaker. Many
companies have re-voiced their 12s to replicate the sonic foot-
print of an old-school 1x15. It works, but to me, it doesn’t feel
or sound the same. As for 18s, I love them. They’re not as “fast”
as a 10, 12, or 15, but front-loaded 18s have a bounce and air
to them that makes me feel and play differently.
Today, of course, many players prefer small amps and cabs.
To me, Class D amps and neo cabs don’t sound as heavy as
old-school gear; they’re just loud, plus I have to use EQ to make
up for the loss of high end and mids I get from the natural sound
of ceramic-magnet speakers.

a Word about Cabs the rIght rIg For the gIg

When it comes to choosing a speaker cabinet, I’m a big fan of 5" Now that I have many different amps, it’s important for me
to take the right rig to each gig. As a bass player, I need more
amp than less, because if I don’t bring enough power, the other
musicians will run over me and I can’t make the band sound
good. If I’m headed to a small gig, like a duo with an acoustic
guitar player, a 1x10 with a 2" dome tweeter will do just fine.
If there’s going to be a small drum set and a small guitar amp,
I’ll take a 1x15 with a 2" dome tweeter. For a club gig with a
dance band that has drums, keyboards, and guitar, a 1x15 and
a 1x10 will get the job done. And if I’m playing with a full band
at the Fillmore, I use a 1x15 with a 2" dome and a 1x15 with a
10" whizzer cone speaker.
How do you choose the right amplifier and cabinet for you?
Try lots of rigs to see how they affect you. Go out and listen to
some live music in your local clubs to see what amps and cabi-
nets other bass players are using. Play amps and speaker cabi-
nets made by the same company: Usually, they have a concept
and they did their math, so when you use both together, you
can hear the builder’s whole vision/equation.
John Margaretten

As always, feel free to get in touch at bobbyvega.com. Tell

me about your favorite amps and cabinets! May the groove be
with you. —BoBBy Vega

66 bassplayer.com / o c t o b e r 2 0 1 5
 GAME GHANGER
by marcus miller & sire

“ To put my name on the sire MMGv7 bass, it had to be perfect.

Now we have a great instrument here ” - marcus miller
Jus
u t af
aftte
ter a m
ter moonth
ntth of
o ssales, peeople started cal
alli
ling
ng uuss th
thee "ggam
amee chan
channge
ger.
r.""

Prof
Pr ofes
essi
sion
onal
al qqua
uali
liity insanne price. Startting at

sire-guitars.com