When I first wrote about my review of Ben Allison’s “Man Size Safe”, I was listening to an audio-only version but today I managed to find the exact video of the song I was listening to. I hope you enjoy.
Review of Ben Allison’s “Man Size Safe”
Starting us off is bass with a very simple but effective quarter note baseline followed by a very interesting feeling melody. From what I can hear, its a quintet band composed of Upright Bass, Drums, Electric Guitar, Trumpet and Violin.
As the song ends, we have a guitar solo while the bass changes tactics as to how he approaches the chord changes. As his solo ends, we go back to the melody but during the break of the song, we have a very dissonant sounding trumpet solo. This solo ends in a fading out trumpet which leads to a very incredible drum solo.
The drum solo is actually really cool, not gonna lie. At the end of the solo we are greeted back by the same melody but with some embellishments, this time was done by the violinist and then bam, the song ends.
Experience listening to Chris Potter’s “Lament”
Well, to start us off, there is a very calm cello (maybe bass) intro. This is now being followed by the rhythm section for about 4 bars right before Chris comes in on tenor.
So far the chord changes are very melancholic with a very simple but powerful melody. This leads into a solo bass accompanied by violins. As we approach the end of the bass solo, tension builds up and Chris comes in again with the same melody as before but with more action in the rhythm section. Following that would be Chris’s solo where he foreshadows the climax of his solo.
There is a very delicate way in which he solos that makes the whole piece feel atmospheric and space-feeling. As you get deeper into his solo, everything else just follows. Ending his solo, we are greeted with the ending to his composition. Very amazing piece.
TC Electronics Polytune Tuner
If you are a guitarist, this is a necessity! Unlike all other tuners, this clip on tuner has the ability to tune all strings at once. This is very useful for those situations in when you can’t just tell everyone to be quiet so that you can tune–that wastes time and isn’t very efficient. As a musician, you have to come prepared and be independent when it comes to your own gear.
Out of all the tuners that I’ve seen before, this tuner is indeed the sleekest and most functional. There are obviously cheaper and more affordable alternatives out there but if you’re looking for quality and reliability, this tuner is for you.
Review of the Ibanez SR405QM
As my second bass, and with personal experience, I can confidently say that this is also a very good bass for beginners or for those who believe are ready to take on the challenges of a five string. Coming from a 4 string, this 5 string is actually very light and feels slim on the hands. If anything, this instrument is really affordable and the newer versions of this model currently have adjustable string spacing.
The tone you get from this bass is very good as you would expect. The tone knobs provide you with a large assortment of tones. In addition, there is just enough tension on the B string that it doesn’t wobble. The fret board is made of ebony wood which is actually one of the most versatile woods in terms of tone (from what I know at least) and that allows for this instrument to be very versatile as well.
Electro-Harmonix Freeze Pedal
As a guitarist or bassist, you’ve probably seen and maybe own a variety of pedals. There’s hundreds of pedals out there and each and everyone of them is different. One that really stands out to me is the Freeze Pedal by Electro-Harmonix. What makes this pedal different is that it doesn’t make you sound any more different than you already do, thats not the purpose of this pedal. This pedal works by essentially freezing whatever you play and keeps it as a static constant pitch.
From the top of my head, there arent many uses for this pedal that come to mind. One use I can think of is playing a pedal note and then playing over it. I find that method of using good for both performances and practice because say you’re practicing the modes, having a pedal note there can easily help you improve how you hear the relationship between intervals of the scale youre practicing.
My Review on Dirty Loop’s “Take on the World”
Originally, I thought that this was maybe a cover song like some of the other songs in their “Loopified” album but after doing some research it turns out it’s actually an original song which made it even cooler. Now for those of you who don’t know, Dirty loops is a trio made up of bassist Henrik Linder, Jonah Nilsson on vocals/keyboards and Aron Mellergardh on drums.
The song starts with an arpeggiated synth and string which is quickly followed by the rhythm section (bass and drum) and after about 4 bars, the vocalist comes in. The whole song has a punchy driving feel while at the same time having a very emotional string sound.
Review of the Fender Squier Bass
As my first bass ever, It has really helped me grow a lot as a musician and I believe it’s a perfect instrument for beginners who just want to try out bass. Not only is it affordable but it’s also very versatile and good for any genre of music.
This bass features a 20-fret fret board, a volume control knob for each pickup, master control knob and active bass-boost control knob which can get you any tone you need. From personal experience as a beginner bassist, this bass has never failed me in any of the multiple gigs I’ve had out of Gonzales. The pick ups provide very strong lows and amazing highs. There’s actually not much else to be said about this bass aside from the fact that it’s perfect for the aspiring.
The Power of the EBOW
If you are a bassist or guitarist and you want to try out something new, you should check out the EBow. The Ebow is a small device, made mostly of plastic. There aren’t any other higher quality ones but from the videos you can watch on the EBow, I think it’s amazing how much of a sound you can get with this. The way it works is that it produces its own small magnetic field that amplifies the sound of the string its on.
While not many people are aware of its existence, there are others who find it very “satisfying” because how it sounds. Personally I dont own one but from what Ive seen and have heard, it can produce a very powerful tone that is otherwise not achievable by any other means. I cant really talk much more about it because its hard to explain so I will leave you off with this short video.
Review of the Ibanez BTB1826E PREMIUM
The Ibanez 6 string is a bass from like 20016 I think. It’s made of 6 pieces of wood with a Panga Panga fretboard. It has quite a heft to it and the variety of woods used to give it a unique look and feel. Alongside the gold hardware, this bass feature Aguilar pickups which provide it with rich bass tone and a clear heavy bottom.
From my use, the 17mm string spacing is very good for a bass this size. In addition, the 35” scale length is just about perfect for the tension it gives the low B string. Now, I don’t know whether it’s the pickups or the fretboard wood but the sustain you get from this bass is amazing. The amount of versatility you can have on this bass is simply extraordinary. From my experience, you can whichever tone you may desire due to the 3 band eq on board and the balancer knob which allows you to go between using both pickups.
This bass has a lot of potentials, and then with the added B and C strings, it just gives the player, even more, to play around with making it perfect for a lot of things. From my experience so far, there is a lot that this bass offers yet there is still a lot that has yet to be discovered.
Music & Tech 