Last year I started teaching at an amazing music store in Southwest Missouri, and it’s been a blast! Teaching was outside my comfort zone, but I’ve gained confidence along the way. While my skills aren’t perfect, I’d like to share some takeaways from my first year as a private bass guitar instructor. Level Up Your …
From leaving law school and pursuing his band to creating a solo act through the pandemic, Mike Hall is an inspiration to bass players desiring to create their own unique career path. He’s a professional bassist of over 10 years and has toured throughout the East Coast with the band Running Late, sharing the stage …
Goal setting is tough. There have been times where I’ve looked back on the past year and felt disappointed at how little I’d grown as a bass player… playing the same runs and practicing the same techniques. I often don’t even bother setting goals at the new year fearing that I won’t follow through. So …
I love discovering new music. It doesn’t matter if it was released last week or 30 years ago – if it’s new to me and I like what I hear, I’m all for it! I don’t know about you, but when I come across a new track, artist, or genre, I instantly get the urge …
Hello, bass players! I hope everyone has had a safe and healthy summer. Back in February I kicked off the first ever featured post on the blog with Pete O’Neill. I’m excited to continue our Bass Community Feature series with Mark Gunner. Mark is a UK-based singer-songwriter bassist. His solo bass act features the acoustic …
Welcome to the first ever featured post here on Mastertemps Bass Blog! I’ve been wanting to do this for quite some time, and I’m thrilled to kick it off with New York-based Pete O’Neill, a professional bassist, guitarist, and educator with a passion for songwriting and arranging for solo bass. Pete’s solo performances have been …
Ever get the pre-show jitters? Sweaty palms, endless thoughts of worst-case scenarios. Yeah… fun times, right? Last weekend I had my first performance with my band Blither. Being the first rock show I’d played in a long time, I was nervous, excited, and everything in between. In the end it was a really solid show! …
Skydiving. A first date. Reading a good book. Working your way through an epic RPG. Sometimes we get the opportunity to revisit those events, but chances are there’s nothing quite like experiencing them for the first time. I personally LOVE discovering new music. Getting hooked on an artist, anticipating their upcoming album, and finally getting …
The electric bass guitar has come a long way. It’s an instrument that has evolved physically, technically, and sonically over the past 60+ years, and bassists all over the world continue to push its limits. Once used only as a foundational instrument, the bass guitar has gradually found its way to the spotlight. Bass players …
As a teenager I remember when my friend started playing the bass guitar. I was at his house one day and noticed it sitting in the corner: it was a cherry red Squier Jazz Bass. I picked it up and had no clue what I was doing as I plucked around on it. Oh, and …
