The Applei Books version of “An Introduction to Double Bass Playing” now available world wide! It is a multi-media book and includes videos and photo galleries. And it’s only $8.99 US dollars.
Here’s an interesting article from The Strad. Click the image for the PDF.
Check out this post over at Bass Strings Online where Jason toured the D’Addario Factory. Very cool!
Once again, Shar Music has screwed up my school purchase order. They don’t carry the brand of items I want but they accepted our bid and substituted my specific brand order with their crappy house brand.
Why Shar? Why? If you don’t carry what I want, why did you bid? You’re not doing your business any favors by continually having me return things. And I AM RETURNING EVERYTHING.
AVOID SHAR MUSIC. Where should you shop? Well if you need to do large scale, cross country bid orders, try Southwest Strings. Or even better, shop locally! DO NO SUPPORT SHAR. I blogged about their crappy bass in 2009 and I’m still blogging about why they suck.
Hello Readers! Check out (and ‘like’) my band on facebook
And now you can purchase some of our songs. Come on!
Come on – they’re only a buck!
Check out the fingerboard extension I had done by Mark Sonksen of Sonksen Strings, Chicago, IL.
Here’s a scale sheet of 3 octave G major, melodic minor, blues scales and G major arpeggio. I created it with the electric bass in mind so there are many fingering options. As usual avoid shift into and out of one note – in other words, group several notes together. Click the picture to download.
The Bass Rail can be found on facebook here. It is a unique device to mimic the feel of another string to give bassists a better anchor for their thumb fingers. MostlyBass talks with the Hector Rodriguez, creator of the Bass Rail.
What is your bass playing history? When did you start playing bass?
I started playing bass at 17 years old in 1992 in earnest, after a false start in 1988-89. At first, I didn’t even know what a bass was. I wanted to play an instrument, but the first thing I did was decide that guitar was not going to be it. It seemed to be what everyone went for. And drums were too unwieldy for a scrawny 13 year old, and too loud for my parents, who hate rock and metal. Then I watched Cliff ‘em All, and Cliff Burton blew me away, and the lightbulb went off. I’m mostly self taught. I’ve taken a total of 3 bass lessons in my entire life.
Later on, I got into jazz through Jaco, and from there into all sorts of stuff. Jazz, funk and latin are my other favorite genres. Especially for bass, funk and latin are awesome, because the grooves are so deep.
Even though I did play in a jazz combo for a while, I’ve come to realize and accept that I’ll never be a bonafide jazzer. I’m a metalhead at heart, and the influences of latin and funk also come easier to me than those of jazz. That stuff just seems to be forever out of reach, and I’ve made my peace with that. Not that I’ll stop practicing jazz, but I don’t think I’ll ever be able to play like Paul Chambers, you know?
Interview with Jason Mendelson of BassStringsOnline.com Part III of III
Questions are in BOLD.
Responses are in plain text.
Interview comments are in italics.
BUSINESS
Where is Bass Strings Online?
Now located with a retail location in Woodland Hills California. Just
outside of Los Angeles in a climate controlled storefront. At the moment walk-ins are welcome but by appointment only.
Interview with Jason Mendelson of BassStringsOnline.com Part II of III
Questions are in BOLD.
Responses are in plain text.
Interview comments are in italics.
GEAR QUESTIONS – BOTH WHAT YOU USE AND WHAT YOU RECOMMEND
What instrument and gear do you use?
1996 Ken Smith BMT 6 Elite G Fretted – Ken Smith Light Custom Balanced
Taper Core strings 1998 Ken Smith BSR 6 Elite G Fretless – Thomastik-Infeld Jazz
Flatwounds (Sometimes use Ken Smith Compressors or DR Hi-Beams) (original owner of both)
1963 Fender Precision (All Original Fretted) – La Bella 1954 Originals (aka Jamersons)
2008 Fender Custom Shop Jaco Relic Fretless – GHS Boomers or Rotosound Swing Bass 66′s (Stainless)
Warmoth Parts Bass, both Fretless and Fretted necks.
Gerald Jaeger early 1900′s double bass w/ Low-C extension
I’m currently interviewing Jason Mendelson, founder of Bass Strings Online. I don’t do
advertising on my site so any banners you see are for products or businesses I buy from or think are worthwhile. Right now that list is only Bass Strings Online and Nozbe task / project management software. I’m a customer of Bass Strings Online. The prices are incredible, the shipping is VERY quick, and they have the best customer service I’ve ever dealt with. They have pretty much every electric bass string made and although their list of upright strings is short, I have been told he has most upright strings and can get any one you like.
Bass Strings Online was built by Jason Mendelson, a Bass Player, who has been
performing since he was 14 years old. Jason’s goal is to get the best bass strings, parts, and accessories for you and your instruments. Jason and Bass Strings Online takes enormous pride in offering top quality products.
Interview with Jason Mendelson of BassStringsOnline.com Part I of III
Questions are in BOLD.
Responses are in plain text.
Interview comments are in italics.
First of all Peter I would like to thank you for the opportunity to tell my story. I appreciate your site and what you are doing for the bass community!
You’re very welcome! Thank you for taking the time to do this interview.
Is your school setting up an instrumental program? Are you wondering where to start with purchase orders, curriculum, music, and assessment?
I can help! I have 16 years of experience teaching all levels and have saved everything throughout the years!! Reasonable fees. Contact me at tambroni AT gmail DOT com.
Thanks!
Love for Three Oranges is not about oranges
The Rake’s Progress is not about lawn management
Check out the new facebook-inspired yet very useful place for musicians to discuss, socialize, and meet other musicians: (aptly named ) The Social Musician.
Listen to some great upright playing on Egg Man. And at 49 seconds in he plays a pedal arco note. Very cool.
I recently received bass books 1 through 5 of “One Step at a Time” by Jennie Lou Klim. I liked books 2 – 5 more than 1 but these books would make a great complement in the private studio for younger students studying Thomas Gale’s books, Simandl, or Essential Elements.
Book 1 has too many missing details and explanations and as a small publisher it is very difficult to compete with deep-pocketed music publishers that include a polished play along CD.
The rest of the series is refreshing with a wide variety of traditional and original examples. Jennie spends a lot time ( as she should! ) on shifting and bowing. She has students reading accidentals early on and does a fantastic job of teaching rhythms and meters.
Check it out!
I’m a big fan of the website, LifeHacker. It’s full of great tips and tricks to make life easier. Recently they had a post about using a reef knot to tie your shoes rather than the more common granny know. As a runner I was interested as having shoes come untied is a drag.
As I’m trying this new knot I immediately felt like a young child learning to tie their shoes for the first time. Then it dawned on me – this is what our students feel when we teach them a new task! Try it. And the next you teach a new concept, be patient and tie your shoes!
