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December, 2006
 
Bass Player Live 2006
More than a Meeting of the Bass Minds by John Montalbano Bass Player magazine has been the most important printed source of bass inspiration since the mid-1980s. Beginners and professionals alike have flipped though its pages to discover facts about bass legends, fellow bass players and up-and-coming players, as well as reviews of new gear, the people that build it, playing tips and transcriptions. I have always felt that the magazine is not only for musicians; it is also for fans of the instrument. Instead of printing empty words on "Who's Hot and Who's Not," they have recognized the deeper need for "Who's Doing It and How." That is the true value of Bass Player, and that attitude sets the best example for readers of all levels. On October 28 and 29, Bass Player held an event called Bass Player Live in New York City. This assembly gave bass players and fans the chance to mix and mingle with hundreds of fellow bass players, attend workshops, meet their bass heroes and check out some of the latest gear. Walking the two floors of the Millennium Broadway Hotel, you may have casually run into Bakhithi Kumalo, Billy Sheehan or Mark Egan. Or you might have ducked into a clinic featuring Justin Meldal-Johnson, Steve Bailey or Gerald Veasley. But it wasn't just about seeing them or hearing them play. It was about hearing their voices. It was about them sharing their personal insights and war stories of those moments that opened their windows to success. To be involved in a conversation with David Gage and Carl Thompson talking about the days when Ron Carter slept on Carl's couch or when he delivered the first piccolo bass to Stanley Clarke at two in the morning so Stanley could have it for his session the next day. To speak to Michael Tobias about how important it is to support the bass community at functions like this to continue to inspire working and aspiring players. To hear Stanley Clarke speak about his experiences and advocacy toward the education of bass players. To simply talk about how hard it was raining that morning with Bakhithi Kumalo. To witness the Saturday evening concert featuring Stanley Clarke, Victor Wooten, Marcus Miller, Jeff Berlin, Stu Hamm and Billy Sheehan, where Stanley Clarke was given the Bass Player magazine Lifetime Achievement Award. To see the tears well up in Carl Thompson's eyes when Stanley expressed his appreciation for the part that Carl played in the success of his career. Moments like this throughout the weekend brought that element of humanity to the musicians we might have only seen performing in arenas or to the bass builders we have only read about. The "celebrity" players had some traits very much in common: dedication, professionalism, humility and a pleasant demeanor. It makes sense, doesn't it? Maybe something genetic draws cool people to the bass. If I had a chance to rethink my music career, I wouldn't choose a different instrument. As both a professional musician and fan of music and the bass itself, Bass Player Live made me feel proud to be a bass player. Product Spotlight Planet Waves – S.O.S. Bass Tuner Planet Waves is becoming known more and more for their innovative approach to musical instrument gadgetry. With the wider acceptance of the strobe tuner being the most accurate of tuning methods, Planet Waves delivers a unique and inexpensive solution that fits in your pocket. The S.O.S. is a strobe tuner shaped like a guitar pick that utilizes two synchronized LEDs. Using the selecght that element of humanity to the musicians we might have only seen performing in arenas or to the bass builders we have only read about. The "celebrity" players had some traits very much in common: dedication, professionalism, humility and a pleasant demeanor. It makes sense, doesn't it? Maybe something genetic draws cool people to the bass. If I had a chance to rethink my music career, I wouldn't choose a different instrument. As both a professional musician and fan of music and the bass itself, Bass Player Live made me feel proud to be a bass player. Product Spotlight Planet Waves – S.O.S. Bass Tuner Planet Waves is becoming known more and more for their innovative approach to musical instrument gadgetry. With the wider acceptance of the strobe tuner being the most accurate of tuning methods, Planet Waves delivers a unique and inexpensive solution that fits in your pocket. The S.O.S. is a strobe tuner shaped like a guitar pick that utilizes two synchronized LEDs. Using the selector wheel, you set the note of the open string you are trying to tune, and the two LEDs begin to alternate at the fundamental frequency of that note. You then pick the string using the pick-shaped tip of the tuner and shine the LEDs on the string at the 12th fret position. When the string is not in tune, you will see the light moving on the surface of the string. Tune up or down until the light stops moving, and you are in tune. It takes a little getting used to, but after tuning up my six-string bass with the S.O.S., I checked it with my standby Peterson Strobe tuner and it was right there—all for under $20. Check out www.planet-waves.com. |