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Bass Guitar Magazine Issue 54
Bass Guitar Magazine Issue 54
20 gail ann
dorsEy
We talk to Gail Ann Dorsey
about David Bowie’s new live
album and the adrenaline
rush of taking to the stage
with one of popular music’s
all-time greats
Regulars Interviews
08 thE low down 36 alan
All the latest new gear and industry news...
gorriE:
14 bass to thE FuturE: Jon avEragE
rEshard whitE band
Introducing the talents of US bassist Jon Reshard. Alan looks back
over his remarkable
16taKE FivE: MichaEl anthony career with Scottish
Michael Anthony reveals the top five albums that funk & R&B outfit,
have helped shape his hard rock basslines. the Average White
Band
18 bassically spEaKing
We talk to bassists Freddy Feedback, Pete Agnew,
Joel Graham, Ahren Stringer, Carey Willetts, Ted
26 EtiEnnE MbappE
Everything you wanted to know about one of
Lundström and Andrew Cushing.
Africa’s greatest bass exports. Including his new
gig with John McLaughlin’s 4th Dimension.
BassicallySpeaking Bassically
BassicallySpeaking
Bassically Speaking
for my bass-playing heroes. The
secret of playing bass well is
simply enjoying the songs and
the music you’re playing. Playing
with passion is much better and
more enjoyable than just doing
Bassists tell us what they do in a minute or less! bass tricks. Also, feel what you
are playing in a literal sense – I
thE woMbats
about them getting me a bass
for Christmas – I remember Ted Lundström
34 MarK bEazlEy
four strings…’ And I went, ‘OK, got it the wrong way round, I a wah pedal. I have an Ampeg not in Korn or Creed. My first mainly use that for compression seeming a little unsure what to players that ever lived were Cliff from ESH to ESP – I don’t like
I’ll give it a go,’ and went and got think. I’ve played an Alembic SVT-3Pro head. It’s worked bass was borrowed, pretty here and there. For amps I use do with themselves with their Burton and John Entwistle. Cliff big changes so I take one letter
myself a little Mustang bass. And since 1977; I couldn’t believe it for about three months of much. I just kept borrowing Peavey – I have recently been bass tucked under their chin. was a huge influence. Entwistle at a time… The bass players
that was it! I put a Precision neck when I first got it: the neck is the five years I’ve had it – until I hooked up the Schecter using the Tour 700 amp and Aside from this, four strings was something else altogether. that influenced me to start
on it when we started recording. like the one on my Strat. It’s just since it was dropped down about a year ago. For recording two 4x10” cabs. Great amps – I were always more than enough www.evile.co.uk playing are Steve Harris, Gene
The very first song I ever played a wonderful bass and I love the a flight of stairs once after a I borrowed a bunch of basses Simmons, Nikki Sixx and Cliff
onstage was ‘Good Times, Bad sound of it. The entire Nazareth show. My bass heroes are Fat off friends’ bands to get a better Burton – I think it was more
talks about his long-standing love affair with the Leo explains just why Dreadzone are proving a
rackmount, an Ashdown 8x10” time I see one in a shop or on now because the neck started create melodies but don’t stand
cab and an SWR Big Ben. I have eBay I just buy it, because I love moving on the old one – it was out and be flashy. Even though my amp has it, I and Geddy Lee. They’re just use more practising but I’m
lots of hum with the Ampegs, it. I use a Rat as well and a Tech one of those with only three www.athlete.mu never use distortion. I like the the best of the best. Listen and very lazy sometimes. I play a
which is annoying, but on 21 CompTortion, which is great screws at the back. I admire straight-up sound of a bass. I’m you will know this. The greatest 5-string bass so that I can get
the road they’re one of those for instant feedback. I’ve got people who play more tastefully not against trying it in the future, bass player of all time to me is the low B. On the new album
big brands, so it’s easy to get a bass microsynth and a little and what feels right for the song. though. My amp is a Mesa Cliff Burton. He was the man! we even have some songs
anything fixed that goes wrong. mixer pedal made for me by a Melody is really important for Boogie. I’ve got an 8x10” cab He really took bass playing to where we use drop tuning to
They have 18 or 19 valves in friend. I play a 1976 Fender Jazz, bass, so I think Alex James from and the Big Block 750 head. If a whole other level. I don’t slap A. A 6-string bass is not really
tronics Ergon
ractIve style FIle
Dave Marks: Inte
step
3 month’ BoogIe is a rocked-up Blues
Boogie,
This s Style File ‘3 Step Boogie’
Gary Moore.
typical of an artist like in E for all of
the 12 bar blues pattern
Form-wise, we follow interlude drops to
C7
lessons work: the interlude. The
the sections except shuffle. (For great
Here’s how my interactive
Dave Marks
lesson, viewable from this piece, I’ll have
a aggression – I dug
want to get inside lots of attitude and
3. If you who really track with the bass expression to the lines.
and also a backing slides to add some feel free to put your
own stamp
copy of the full song ks.com. As with last month’s tune,
from www.davemar a fairly specific
London- removed, both available post a video based sections require
Dave Marks is a busy of you who like a challenge, track. The on this song. The riff
an audition
is spread the choruses, keep www.davemarks.com
the minute, his time for the vocal and in drums.
out 8th them in with the
between pounding jazz!) and really lock
note rock with the
Dirty Hands
Andrew MCK
InneY:
Jr. band,
and the Rick Parfitt
depping Thriller Live
and writing and producing
in London
at 3 Step Boogie
How To Read Music TuITIon TIp
Clean Feet Studios.
Dave also
in London
The tenth in a series
on reading
: Lesson 10
teaches at the ICMP
A
music notation
web – reading in position
and maintains a heavy question people
on his own often ask
presence, blogging on bass goes something when reading music
site and keeping his
Youtube
Which C do I play?’ like this: ‘It says
C.
Strategy For Choosi
stocked up with fresh There is a lot of
duplication of As I said earlier, ng A Position
channel notes on a stringed most bass players’
default reading
Music appearing four instrument, with the bottom four
content. He endorses or more times
on the fretboard,
some notes or five frets. A quick position is in
scan over the piece
and on how many tell us if this is sufficient.
Man Basses, EBS amps strings you have.
Take the C at the
depending
above the stave,
If there are any
notes higher than
should
the G string, for 5th fret on then we will definitely the C
Elixir strings. example (on the
above the stave). stave it is one ledger comfort zone. You have to move out
www.davemarks.com places, so if that’s
This note can be
played in four
line
for as long as possible,
may be tempted
to stick to the safe
of this
the first note of different but this could result position
your piece of music, up the neck for
Andrew
where do you the higher notes. in a desperate lunge
start? This tactic is fraught
As ever, with this danger, as large with
position shifts done
MCKInneY than one solution.
that can help you
sort of musical
However, there
problem there
are a few guidelines
is more
end up in the wrong
this happening?
place, so what can
in an emergency
we do to insure
often
Andrew McKinney make an informed I have boiled it down against
is Head of avoid disasters. choice and hopefully investigate which, to two main areas
Bass at Bass Guitar-X, if you have only to
The first port of before having to a minute to look
part of Tech over a piece
In assocIatIon wIth
call for all play it, can help
Music Schools in play in the bottom bass players should you to avoid potential
London, and is be to pitfalls:
Gear
currently touring four frets of the
strings. This is bass, and to use 1. Identify ‘range’
with the James where people open of piece. What’s
Taylor Quartet. exercises and also start off with note lowest note? Can the highest note,
recognition I play it all in the what’s the
INSTITUTE
The where we earn bottom five frets?
As people get most of our money! can I play it all
more experienced in one position If not,
favour playing , they will often point? Where is or will I have to
MUSIC PERFORMANCE For the full Tuition the 5th fret instead start to the best place shift at some
of CONTEMPORARY Tip archive of the open string, 2. Identify key. to shift?
including sound fretted notes generally What is the key
files and videos, have a more consistent as signature? Can
to to a scale fingering
Dave’s column is brought visit www.bassg are easier to control. sound and you relate this
uitar-x.co.uk - This position is that encompass
with the and no matter our ‘home’ territory, If there are no es the range of
you in association Interact – Tuition how experienced accidentals, if you the piece?
ry Tips. Each issue is on, reading-wis you get, when all the notes should stick to your scale
the heat fingering
Institute of Contempora Andrew will be
featuring a specific advise you to spend
e, this is where
we all head back.
be under your
fingers.
. I would
Music Performance class taught at the
school, giving getting your reading
a considerable
amount of time Further down the
you a bite-size chunk together in this line there are other
of the up the neck, as area before moving in: ‘Which C would factors to consider,
there’s no point sound best in this as
www.icmp.co.uk lesson, and an insight
into what options and more giving yourself
more reading with very situation?’ But for
sight-
to deal with until little time for preparation
T: 0207 328 0222 it’s like to be on
a course. base to work from. you have a concrete first two areas to
address – more , these are the
As I said, most come in further musical consideratio
In AssoCIATIon of the money in down the line. ns can
wITh playing low notes, bass playing is
but you will definitely earned
that go out of this encounter notes Exercises
range, so we need
first of all by dealing to prepare ourselves, I’ve included a
with ledger lines. whole range of
that cover a lot example basslines
of what has been this month
Andrew’s column
is brought to you Ledger Lines reading course.
Working out the
discussed so far
on this
in association with position before
Bass Guitar-X. Notes that are all part of ‘pre-reading you play
www.bassguitar-x.co higher or lower than the preparation’. As is
.uk can be represented range of the stave you can give yourself you probably know,
Magazine 020 8749 3131 using temporary a significant advantage
74 Bass Guitar known as ‘ledger 06/04/2010 11:28 ‘stave extensions’, actually start playing, if, before you
lines’. It takes time you step back,
Andrew McKinney_1n
w.indd 70
60
Techniques
06/04/2010
12:24
MarKbass
littlE MarK
tubE 800 & 70 andrEw McKinnEy
Tuition Tip: Reading Notation
ny604 cabs
A recent addition 72 stu haMM
The Bass Place!
to the Little Mark
range, this rig is all 74 davE MarKs
about portability Style File:
and tone 80 JanEK gwizdala
Modern Bass Improvisations
82 Franc o’shEa
Regulars
Bass Beyond: The Tempered Scale
84 MiKE diMin
The Art Of Solo Bass
64 thE woodshEd
We meet renowned electronics expert John East. 86 JaMiE wilKins
ICMP Scholarship Diary
68 on rEviEw
We preview the latest bass-related CD releases from the
likes of Marcus Miller and Gorillaz.