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 …
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 …
What do you think of when you hear the phrase “perfect pitch?” Some might think of a certain movie starring Anna Kendrick and Rebel Wilson. Others might think of baseball, or maybe sales if you’re in the corporate world. But what does it mean to have perfect pitch in music? Perfect pitch is the rare …
“What do you want for Christmas? Any ideas?” We’ve all been asked this question by our parents, our spouse, or the Santa Claus at our local mall. As a bass player this is a great opportunity to score some gear in your stocking. Is your guitar strap on the verge of snapping in half? How …
Physical fatigue. Late night rehearsals. Not enough paid gigs. Sound familiar? Whether you play professionally or on the side, the life of a musician is full of excitement! However, from time to time you may experience burnout… hauling your 150-pound speaker cabinet to and from gigs seems more like a hassle than an opportunity. Not …
Imagine you have five minutes before you hit the stage and your band leader pulls you all aside. He tells you that he’s got a scratchy throat and is lowering the key of the opening song by a whole step. You know the song by memory in the original key and have no chord charts. …
Fall is officially in full swing! The air is crisp. The leaves are falling. Pumpkin patches, pop-up Halloween stores and haunted houses are everywhere you look. For bass players, this is also the season of playing at outdoor gigs and fall festivals. I just wrapped up my first outdoor gig in a long time, which …
After a great deal of thought and consideration, you’ve decided that the bass guitar is your instrument of choice (because you’re all about that low-end life). Congrats! This is an exciting time- you’re ready to start learning the instrument and selling out venues. That’s great… but now what? The next step is selecting your gear. …
Whether you’re brand new to playing music or a seasoned musician looking to switch gears, learning the bass guitar can be a daunting task. Are you going to borrow, rent, or buy your gear? Will you take private lessons or teach yourself via online resources? And what about fitting practice time into your busy schedule? …
