Any private instructor will tell you there are countless reasons to have a consistent, structured practice routine. You’ll never see progress if you only pick up your bass guitar during your weekly lesson. Whether you take private lessons or not, setting time aside to practice on your own is imperative if you want to be …
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! …
Playing in power trios seems to be a trend in my life. Ironically, I’ve performed in three of them – modern worship, pop rock, and funk rock – and while the genres are different they all have one thing in common: less instrumentation means more responsibility for the bass player. That means you as the …
If you’re a beginner bass guitar player, the concept of chords may be the last thing on your mind. “That’s just something guitarists and keyboardists deal with. What does that have to do with me? Don’t bassists just have to play one note at a time?” Typically, yes – but playing chords and double stops …
Hey bass players! Thanks for dropping by. It’s hard to believe this blog has been up and running for over a year and a half! Many of you are familiar with the type of content that gets posted on this blog… but for you new visitors, whether it’s gear or ear training, so far I’ve …
I’m going to bet that many bass players (or anyone, really) reading this post took piano lessons as a kid, and whether your parents knew it or not it’s a great instrument for introducing children to music. Even if your days as an adolescent are long gone, it’s not too late to learn some basic …
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 …
“I’m sorry, but you’ve thrown off the Emperor’s groove.” Such a quoted scene from a classic Disney movie. Kuzco’s routine is suddenly interrupted by an innocent old man who is then cast from the tower. Years later, I recalled this scene again after I started playing bass and understanding the instrument’s role in a musical …
When I first started learning how to play the trombone in sixth grade, I really didn’t care that much for it. I mean sure, playing glissandos endlessly and competing with my friends to see how much condensation we could build up in our horns was a blast (gross, right?), but investing in practice time and …
Let’s face it: it doesn’t matter if you’ve been playing bass guitar for two years or twenty, auditions can be scary… and worship band auditions are no exception. You start overthinking your bass lines as you get the nervous sweats… then your fretting hand starts cramping and you realize you’ve been holding your breath for …
