132 - Best Gear of 2023 / SBL end of year round up!

Tim Lefebvre has had a career that Forest Gump would envy. As a bassist, he’s provided the punch for Sting, David Bowie, The Black Crowes, Elvis Costello, Empire of the Sun, Wayne Krantz and Knower.So today we’re diving into the genius of Tim Lefebvre, what makes his bass playing so iconic and how you can bottle a little bit of that magic for yourself – Tim even breaks down a few licks you can try out.

There are so many cool slap bass players out there, but who are the truly great ones? In this video, we round up some of the best slap bassists to have laid down stone cold grooves and mesmerizing double and triple-slap technique on some of music's biggest and best loved tracks.In this episode:Who invented slap bass?What's the best ever slap bass song?Why Flea's slap style is a great place to start.How Marcus Miller carved his name into slap bass history.Who has the weirdest slap sound?And much more.

AI is already here, tempting everyone in music with a previously unimaginable menu of cheat codes. As the potential continues to unfold, Sharon and Ian reveal their newfound love for Logic Pro’s latest AI features.In this episode:Is AI a genuine threat to real bass players?Logic Pro 11 AI Session Players: Love, or Hate?Can AI trigger a scrunched up bass face?Is AI really the future of music?And much more.

Some bass players love to double down on a bad idea. And though we once bristled at the notion that there could ever be such a thing as a wrong musical opinion, we’ve since come to accept that there is such a thing. We know because we had one! Scott was colossally wrong about the Fender Precision AND slap bass!In this episode, Scott and Ian reveal their newfound love for Robert Palmer, and the big things they’ve changed their minds about, or wish they’d known sooner.In this episode:Who is Pierre Brock?Scott’s new F Bass - love it or hate it?How Ian found the perfect monitor engineer.Is slap bass still cool?Should you put reverb on bass?Where are you on the midwit meme?And much, much more!

Whether you’re an established bass player looking to add to your library of skills, a total novice picking up the bass for the first time or you're heading back to school and want to take your four-string skills to another level, there are five common mistakes that nearly every bassist will make on their learning journey. In today’s episode Scott walks through some of his own key mistakes (and how he overcame them).In this episodeWhat held Scott back as a beginning bassist.How do you know when you’re playing too fast?Why jamming with other musicians is a must.Why are bassists so obsessed with gear?Why you should check out the SBL Beginner Journey.And much, much more!

In the episode of "The Bass Lines That Made Me," Jon Button shares enlightening reflections on his early experiences as a bass player. Throughout the episode, Jon delves into the profound impact of iconic musicians such as Miles Davis, Weather Report, Marvin Gaye, and Journey, shedding light on the pivotal bass lines that have significantly influenced his musical path.

Bass guitars are beautiful and they can make anyone look good, but during its 70-year history there have been a few that are gloriously gaudy or just plain ugly (Precision Bass Lyte, anyone?!) In this episode we’ve set out to name and shame some of the ugliest bass guitars of all time! In this episode:Does Ernie Ball make the world’s ugliest bass guitar?Why aren’t Rickenbacker basses more popular?Some history behind Fender’s Antigua finish.Why Scott loves the Ovation Magnum bass.The Spector NS-2 - love it or hate it?And much, much more!

The hate that some bass players have for jazz can transcend space, time, and the laws of nature. We get it. It can feel like your band mates are speaking another language, and you feel kind of left out. But, with practice, learning some jazz can give you musical superpowers. In this episode, we’re here to reveal why you should take the leap!In this episodeScott’s worst EVER audition story.Why all the best musicians play jazz.How it can be a bass player’s best friend.Should non-jazz musicians study jazz?Check out Ian’s new Olinto Jazz Bass.And much, much more!

In today’s video, we asked Michael League to dig into his earliest influences and name the bass lines that helped define his career with four-time Grammy Award Winners Snarky Puppy. There were a few things we agreed on:Bootsy Collins belongs on every top 10 list.Your drummer is your best friend.David Hood is a bass guitar genius.Everything else was up for debate. Well, almost everything…In this episode:Michael names his favorite bass line of all time.And the British rock band he idolized as a teen.We talk through his Jaco Pastorius phase.Bootsy Collins - just check out his swagger on Do That Stuff!And much, much more!

A few months back, we got into the argument that all bass players get into – what are the coolest, grooviest bass lines of all time? After hours of heated debate, we decided to get Nick Campbell to help make that decision for us.In today’s podcast, Nick Campbell reels off the bass lines that shaped his sound. It’s the perfect way to introduce yourself to the worlds of Rocco Prestia, Ray Brown, James Jamerson and Colin Greenwood.In this episodeWhy Nick is a huge Radiohead fan.The first time he heard Tower of Power.Why nothing beats a Ray Brown two-feel.Is this James Jamerson’s coolest bassline?And much, much more!