How To Practice Reading Music

Here is some general advice about practicing sight reading for bass...

Consistent, Steady Reading Practice

The biggest key to learning to read is to do it every day. It’s all about memory. The more repetition you do, the better. I always feel frequency of practice matters more than quantity of practice. Just running through it a little each day will do wonders. A few minutes several times a day is even better. You will have a hard time if you only practice reading one day a week.

Bass Guitar: Notation Vs Tab

Bass Guitar: Notation Vs Tab

If you’ve spent any time on internet message boards about bass or guitar you’ve probably witnessed a heated debate about whether or not it's necessary to read musical notation, and the musical validity of bass tab. I’m going to give you my opinion on the matter.

I think both forms of notation have their place. Let me outline the pros and cons of each form of written music for bass:

Amptweaker Bass TightFuzz Pedal -- Review

Amptweaker Bass TightFuzz Pedal 

To paraphrase William Shakespeare’s Sonnet 59, there ain’t nothin’ new under the sun. Though Bill was spouting this more that 400 years ago, the concept often holds true today when it comes to music products—especially new pedals or amps that always seem to include references to existing amps or pedals, while still touting themselves as “new.”

Providence DBS-1 Dual Bass Station -- Review

Providence DBS-1 Dual Bass Station

You often need more than one bass sound on a gig and the Dual Bass Station is purpose-built for the job. This compact preamp lets you select two different preset EQ settings when using one bass, or switch sounds between two instruments.

Yamaha TRBX504 Bass -- Review

Yamaha TRBX504 Bass

Yamaha's reputation for making great basses continues with the TRBX504. Another well-crafted instrument, it makes use of a solid mahogany body with significant chamfering to the top, which aids both playing comfort and weight. The five-piece maple/ mahogany laminate neck is ultra-smooth to the touch and has Jazz-like proportions with a slim 38mm nut and offset pearl dot inlays.

When to Play with the Harmony: A Discussion for Bass Players

When to Play with the Harmony: A Discussion for Bass Players

Q: The (new) guitarist in my band has mentioned a few times that I’m not “holding it down” because I don’t always play the root, and he finds it “detracts from the song.” He is an extremely good musician and I respect his opinion. However the chords in our songs are super vanilla. Our vocalist says she loves the way I play, and she is the songwriting force in