Contents
Issue 56 July 2010
20 NATHAN EAST
Having played on over 1,000
albums, we quiz one of the bass
world’s most established players
on the business of bass
Regulars
08 THE LOW DOWN
Keep up with all the latest new gear and
industry news…
14 BASS TO THE FUTURE:
SIMON SMITH
Introducing the talents of Simon ‘Spud’ Smith.
16 TAKE FIVE: ADAM DUCE
Machine Head’s bassman muses over
his favourite bass albums.
18 BASSICALLY SPEAKING
We talk to bassists Jesse Wood, Matthew
Cohen, Troy Heaton, Jonny Thornton, Jay Gibby
& Yves Fernandez.
BassicallySpeaking
Bassically Speaking
Bassists tell us what they do in a minute or less!
Jesse Wood
e Black
Swan Effect
Troy Heaton A Plastic Rose
‘I would describe my bass style
as aggressive, with plenty of
groove and too much fuzz.
I use a Fender Jazz Bass 2008
with Ernie Ball Hybrid Slinkys,
an EH Big Muff Pi with the tone
rolled down, an EH Double
Muff with the tone rolled up,
a Boss chromatic tuner, a Boss
Super Phaser and an Ashdown
T15-250S. The secret of playing
bass well is keeping in the
groove and making the crowd
bounce. My first bass was a red
Marlin Precision. It was in the
corner of my brother’s room for
ages and was eventually handed
down to me. My favourite bass
ever to date is my Fender Jazz.
18 Bass Guitar Magazine
Basically Speaking_1nw.indd 18
4 Bass Guitar Magazine
Contents 56_1nw.indd 1
‘I use a black Fender Jazz that
my old man gave me, with
HomeBrew electronics if
possible. I use a pedal called
a Hematoma Bass Overdrive
with The Black Swan Effect,
made by that company. My
amp is an Ampeg SVT-R,
which gives me a wicked tone
at any volume. The secret of
playing bass well is to have
a good groove and feel. I
don’t play 5- or 6-string bass;
I’ve never tried either, to be
honest. I like 4-strings at the
moment – maybe I should
start watching Nathan East a
bit. My bass heroes are Aston
‘Family Man’ Barrett, John Paul
Jones, Noel Redding, Bootsy
Collins, Darryl Jones, Willie
Weeks, John Hogg, Alonza
Bevan and my dad.’
www.theblackswaneffect.com
I got this bad boy two years
ago and I still love it. It’s got a
great sound and a great neck.
It’s quite sturdy too, which
can be useful for tours. The
greatest bass player that ever
lived was John Entwistle: the
one man who could gel The
Who together. He played so
hard and with relative ease;
he complements the drums
so well and no man could fill
his shoes. I slap, because there
is nothing quite like walking
around your house with your
bass, playing old-school Chili
Peppers.’
www.myspace.com/
aplasticrose
Matthew Cohen
e Reasoning
I’d say my bass playing is
rocking, riff-orientated,
melodic and grooving. I
use Yamaha TRB6P and
TRB6 basses plus a Warwick
Streamer LX6 Custom and
a MIJ Fender Precision. I am
officially endorsed by Hartke
and use a Hartke LH1000 amp
in conjunction with a Hartke
HyDrive 810 cab. I solely play
6-string bass because I find it
gives me the ability to cover all
the sonic and melodic aspects
required within my style of
rock music. I love the fact that
I can hit the low notes and add
that wonderful bottom-end
heaviness to the guitars, but
still have the option of playing
chords and melody lines with
the inclusion of the high C
string. They are very versatile
instruments indeed, and I
have never looked back. The
secret of playing bass well is
to understand when to hold
off and when to let the music
breathe – the simplest of lines
can really make a song come
alive. It is also important to find
the groove and not to overplay.
A clever approach doesn’t
have to mean playing a million
notes all the time, but it does
require an understanding of
exactly what is needed within
the context of a given song
– making sure that what you
play doesn’t overwhelm the
overall feel or melody. I always
remember someone telling me
that the groove is everything,
and they were right. My first
bass was a Marlin Slammer
4-string in black – a Fender
Precision copy. I loved that
bass dearly, and wish I still had
it! My favourite bass to date
is my Yamaha TRB6. I still
can’t believe how wonderful
it feels under the fingers, plus
the sound is just amazing. The
construction is second to none
and this bass just rocks. My bass
heroes are Steve Harris [Iron
Maiden], John Myung
[Dream Theater], John Paul
Jones [Led Zeppelin], John
Deacon [Queen], Chris
Wolstenholme [Muse], Pete
Trewavas [Marillion] and
Steve Lawson. They are all
extremely melodic, exciting and
tight players who understand
their instruments and roles
fantastically well. The greatest
bass player that ever lived is
Steve Harris of Iron Maiden.
The guy just blows me away.
Every time I hear him or see
him play I am utterly transfixed:
he makes everything he does
look so effortless and exciting.
www.myspace.com/
thereasoninguk
24/05/2010Basically
10:16 Speaking_1nw.indd 19
Jonny ornton Night By Night
‘I use my Gibson Thunderbird
5-string live, but I also have
a Warwick Streamer LX
5-string. In the past I used a
chorus pedal to give a little
more character to the tone, but
at the moment I’m just using
the great, solid sound of the
Gibson. My current rig is a
Peavey Nitro through a Peavey
4x12 cab. The great thing
about this amp is that it’s a
no-nonsense amp and great for
rock. It really gives the higher
Yves Fernandez
Jurojin
‘I would describe my bass style
as melodic and groove-based.
I try to achieve a liquid, fluid
style with a deep pocket. I like
to give my basslines a crackle
and buzz with energy when
playing. I aspire to play with
empathy and sensitivity around
other musicians and artists.
At the moment I am playing a
4-string active Cort bass. On
the Jurojin album I used three
different basses: a custom
notes that crisp, clear sound
without losing power.
I would love to hear my
Gibson through an Ampeg,
though – possibly the SVT-
PRO4. I’ve always been a big
fan of John Paul Jones: he was
one of the first bass players
I started to learn from, and
I always loved his bluesy
basslines. Mark King is another
personal hero, but more for
his fluid lead basslines than
the funkier side of Level 42.
4-string Ruach bass, a 4-string
US Fender Jazz and a Warwick
Streamer. Although I’m not
currently using any bass effects,
this is an area that I would like
to explore in the future. I’ve
played 5- and 6-string basses in
the past and enjoyed it. Players
like Anthony Jackson and
Jimmy Haslip have made these
instruments their own, and
maybe in the future – when I’ve
mastered my 4-strings a little
As I’m a huge 80s fan, Billy
Sheehan is a big influence. In
my opinion, he epitomises the
notion of playing for the song
rather than overusing his vast
bag of tricks. Tom Hamilton
of Aerosmith is the reason
I started playing bass. Their
solid, bluesy rhythm section
is what inspired me to join a
band: they’ve got such subtle
groove and solid rhythms.’
www.myspace.com/
nightbynightmusic
more – I will study the other
two strings. The greatest bass
player that ever lived is Jaco
Pastorius. When I listened to
Jaco’s first album and heard
“Donna Lee” I was blown away.
I was just learning jazz then,
so I couldn’t understand what
on earth Jaco was doing. His
groove, tone, feel and choice
of notes amazed me, and still
do. It’s almost like he created
and composed a new language
on his instrument. The
secret of playing bass well is
dedication and a commitment
to hard practice. There are no
real secrets: it comes down
to disciplined and focused
practice. After the pain barrier
of frustration comes progress.
Slap bass is an important sound
that all bass players should take
the time to learn and master.
From Larry Graham and Louis
Johnson to Victor Wooten and
Marcus Miller, learn it all, man.’
www.myspace.com/jurojin
Interviews
36 TOM
HAMILTON
We catch up with
Tom Hamilton as
Aerosmith’s ‘Cocked,
Locked and Ready
to Rock’ tour arrives
in the UK
26 MIKE MONDESIR
BassicallySpeaking
A vital force within the international music scene,
we track down the ultratalented Mike Mondesir.
Jay Gibby
30 JOSH DUNHAM
Escape
To Sea
‘I would describe my bass
style as progressive. I try to
39 IAN PERES
find a place between the
rhythm and lead guitar. I get
The Prince bassist tells us about life backing one
bored following root note
progressions, so I do my best
to find notes and chords to
offset the guitars a little and
develop my playing into
something that builds up
throughout the song. I also
of the world’s most celebrated performers.
Joel McIver meets Ian Peres of Australian hard
only play with my fingers,
which is partly to do with
the fact that I always used to
drop picks, but I really prefer
the warm sound you get
from fingerstyle. 
I use an American Fender
P Deluxe. I used to own a
rockers Wolfmother
vintage 5-string, but it was
fairly cheap and the low B
sounded terrible, so I took it
off and changed the set-up
34 VERDINE WHITE
to EADGC. The high C was
really cool and I used it to
play jazz. I have no effects:
I believe that the bass has a
tone of its own – it’s there
to drive the band. I use an
Orange OBC 410 cabinet,
40 KASIM SULTON
an Orange Bass Terror
head and a Boss TU-3
The legendary EWF bassist talks bass, boogie and
tuner. I don’t slap, because
it doesn’t really suit the style
of my current band, and it
gets me in trouble. When
we recorded our second
EP, I made the mistake of
slapping while the engineer
was fiddling with my bass
about his recent induction to the Rock and Roll We meet one of the unsung heroes of
tone in the live room – it
almost got me kicked out of
the studio…’
www.myspace.com/
escapetosea
Hall of Fame. American bass playing.
Bass Guitar Magazine 19
24/05/2010 10:16
03/06/2010 11:59
 Gear Reviews
42 MAYONES
JABBA & SLOGAN
Will this pair of upmarket
Polish-made basses impress?

52 PEAVEY VB-3
The guys at Peavey have done it again
with this powerful valve stack

Bass Techniques

ractIve style FIle

Dave Marks: Inte
the Bunk and final ‘Interactive
Style File’ in my series.
ninth
Welcome to this, the

Dave Marks
London-
Dave Marks is a busy
based musician. His
playing Bass Techniques
span
and recording credits
and
a wide range of bands
Carlton,
artists, including Larry

Andrew MCK
Paul
Albert Lee, Carl Palmer,

InneY:
others.
Carrack and many
At the moment, his
spread between
time is
pounding
How To Read Mus TuITIon TIp
out 8th-note rock with
Dirty Hands Band and
The
the The 12th in a series
on reading
ic: Lesson 12
Rick Parfitt Jr Band,
depping music notation
– 16th notes with
Thriller Live in London, and ties
at
writing and producing
Dave also
Clean Feet Studios.
in London

Gear
teaches at the ICMP
web
and maintains a heavy
on his own
presence, blogging
YouTube
site and keeping his
with fresh
channel stocked up
content. He endorses
Music
Andrew
Man basses, EBS amps
Elixir strings.
and
MCKInneY
Andrew McKinney
www.davemarks.com Bass at Bass Guitar-X,
is Head of
part of Tech
Music Schools in
London, and is
currently
my inTeracTiv
touring with the e lessons work:
Here’s How James
through stylistic playing, Taylor Quartet.
To conclude our journey
bassline
is a tune a transcription of the
a bit of funk. ‘The Bunk’ The magazinethe
For will fullcarry
Tuition Tip archive can get a special,
we’re going to try from HBO’s including sound the Internet, you
my favourite characters for you to study. On
In assocIatIon wIth inspired by one of
if Dr Dre was writing cop show
in-depth video
visit www.bassg
from either the BGM
files and videos,
lesson, viewable
uitar-x.co.uk -
The Wire. I figured this.
80s, they’d sound like Interact – Tuition
site or my own site. Tips. Each this piece, I’ll have a
theme tunes in the way, with a low, full, deep Andrew want to get inside issue
all the If you really will be the
backing track with
INSTITUTE
The
The vibe is groove featuring
this up an octave with
a class taughtsong and also a specific
bass sound. I played copy of the full at the school, givingwww.davemarks.
more sense available from
of CONTEMPORARY
MUSIC PERFORMANCE
pedal on, but figured it made bass
you a bite-size
removed, both chunk
of the
sub-octave lesson, and an insight a
to to tab it for 5-string. seamless,
com. like a challenge, post
into what
who
Dave’s column is brought to flow and sound it’s like
Finally, be onofa you
those
forto toInthe
thebacking
with the The main riff needs hammer-ons
course. last
you playing along rhythms.willfew issues we’ve been looking
you in association the plucked notes, video response with at 16th-note
so work on keeping is we see this month Hopefully, this is giving you

48 KALA UBASS
Institute of Contemporar
y By contrast, the B section track. The best performancethe next issue… on with. Don’t plenty to be getting representing notes
and pull-offs all flowing. Take care to keep the notes and a picture in worry if this takes
you more than and last into the
that start part-way
through one beat,
win a prize to
Music Performance. syncopated and spacious.
get to grips with, and a month next, as in many
the gaps syncopated rhythms.
good muting to keep
even if you do Method For Reading
you bass
on, the feel ready to move
controlled, and use lesson on playing can always refer 16th-note Rhythms
For an in-depth video
back to previous The method I advise With Ties
up on specific
www.icmp.co.uk tight and silent. scale. bass-related
as well as lots more our 16th-note areas. This month’s issues to brush for reading 16th-note
the A minor pentatonic parts in this song, and www. focus is adding ties is thus: learn rhythms with
T: 0207 328 0222 Most of this tune uses little work on www.davemarks.com rhythms. I’m afraid ties to to play the rhythm
ignoring the tie.
unfamiliar with it, a
the methods and
Perhaps, if you are master the content, check out add yet another to say that this
layer of complicatio does strategies I have
previously described,
Use
might help you slow it down and
that scale (in five positions) not to rush ahead of the bassguitarmagazine.com the increase in
possibilities
n, once again due
to count the subdivision eg
care approach, I’m confident . However, using a systematic :
riffs and grooves. Take some attitude – it’s a cool that given time 1 e & a 2 e
it with work you & a 3 e & a
drummer, and play it out! will be able to
4 e & a

We test this intriguing

not gentle! We first looked
vibe, but definitely at tied notes in
BGM When you are
tie is a curved issue 49. To recap: comfortable with
line connecting a rhythm, add the the sound and
The tie joins the two notes of the tie back in. This feel of the
notes together, same pitch. will make the second
longer note out effectively creating the tied notes
one join to the first. of
of two separate this note as though The key thing is
As I have stated notes. you are playing to still feel
Magazine
78 Bass Guitar 24/05/2010 10:20
before, 16th-note This will help you it – just don’t play
divided into units rhythms are normally keep time and it!
lasting no more downbeats are hold on to where
(a beat) in length. than one quarter – this is essential the
This means that note for reading syncopated

bass model from

16th-note rhythms.
In AssoCIATIon ties are very useful
for
Dave Marks_1nw.indd
74 wITh

Andrew’s column
is brought to you
in association with
Bass Guitar-X.
www.bassguitar-x.co

the States on its

.uk
020 8749 3131

international debut. 74 Bass Guitar

Andrew McKinney_1nw
Magazine

.indd 70

Techniques
02/06/2010
10:02

62 THE 74 ANDREW MCKINNEY

WOODSHED Tuition Tip: Reading Notation

Regulars
76 STU HAMM
56 EBS NEW- The Bass Place!
EDITION BLACK
LABEL PEDALS 62 THE WOODSHED 78 DAVE MARKS
Check out this batch Jens Ritter unveils the Cora bass Style File: The Bunk
of intelligent effects
from Swedish amp 66 ESSENTIAL EFFECTS 82 JANEK GWIZDALA
experts EBS. The DigiTech Bass Whammy Modern Bass Improvisations

60 LINE 6 68 BUT THIS GOES TO 11… 84 FRANC O’SHEA

POD FARM 2 Alex Claber sheds some light on voltage & current Bass Beyond: The Tempered Scale
Mark Beazley auditions
the latest tone plug-in 70 ON REVIEW 86 JAMIE WILKINS
from Line 6. We preview the latest bass-related CD releases from the ICMP Scholarship Diary
likes of Charlie Haden and Jaco

Bass Guitar Magazine 5

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