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I don't know if this has been dealt with somewhere. My local orchestras are starting up soon and I'm wondering if getting several cakes and freezing them is a way to always have some fresh on hand. Too often I have a cake lose effectiveness and have to scramble to find a new one of the brand...

Just when I'm thinking of giving Pop's another try, I see the company is cutting back on production. Does anyone have any info?

I'm keeping some gear for a friend who's traveling for the summer. She has a quite new bass, bag, bow, and bow case. It's all very good quality stuff, and completely new looking. Seeing it alongside my well used (to say the least) equipment makes me realize what several decades of use can do to...

I recently saw a Nat King Cole Trio video on YouTube featuring a bassist I believe is Candy Candido. I played for Mr.Candido when he was a conductor for acts at State Fairs in the 70s. I know he had been a bass player and had even written a bass method but this video really displays some great...

I played a swing era dance party last week that took me back to my early playing days and reminded me of some of the core aspects of bass playing. The music was all the old big band rep with the emphasis on danceable. The role of the bass in this situation is very clear: no solos, nothing...

I played this solo with our local orchestra last night. As those of you who've performed it in concert know, it can be a nerve -wracking experience Its exposure, upper register location, and melodic nature make it unique in the standard literature, I believe. It also presents the bass in a...

I'm looking for a good teaching method specifically for five-string BG with a low B. It needs to be a book, not an online or YouTube approach. Any suggestions?

Having been exposed, willingly or not, to a lot of recorded Christmas music in the last few weeks, I've been closely listening to the DB playing on the various selections from the various eras in the various styles. The quality of sound and playing has been an interesting study. You can hear a...

I played an outdoor day gig on Sat in conditions that were not favorable to say the least- 40ish temp, damp and foggy. It was a duo with guitar and we both suffered but made it through. I could be accused of bass abuse under the circumstances and it made me realize how much I've depended on this...

I came across several good photos of Mr. Prell from a concert I did with him probably 15 or so years ago. I don't have any contact info or even know if he is still with us. I thought maybe he or his family might like to have them. Does anyone have any info? Thanks in advance.

I played a gig last night that gave a rare chance to really hear what my current rig sounds like: outdoors in a fairly small space, duo with guitar only, not loud or distracting background noise. I have to say I was very happy with it and believe that based on these circumstances it's the best...

This is a recording from 1979 of the tune Tricotism. The playing by Mr. Simpkins is amazingly good: great tone, time,and note choices at a ridiculously fast tempo. Just playing the head at the speed they take it is incredible, and the groove never stops- worth checking out. It's on YouTube.

I came across this recently in a stack of LPs I hadn't thought about in quite a while. The playing is excellent and I realized listening to Don Thompson that this is the sound I'm trying to get as part of my current goal of playing less forcefully with lighter strings while still achieving good...

For a recent performance of Big Noise From Winnetka(again) I went back to study the original. I found a video of Mr. Haggart and Mr. Bauduc doing the tune in what was essentially the original version(some of the later band versions with the timeless lyrics are hilarious). The fun thing I...

Last night's gig had a twist that I had never experienced before, at least that I can recall. It started as a fairly routine background music situation for a celebration of life. We played some jazzy-commercial stuff, and a few of the family and guests began to sit in with vocals and guitars. By...

Not sure where to post this: My community orchestra will soon be playing the Beethoven 7th symphony. I played this years ago where the bass section was placed across the back of the orchestra. I believe this is common in European orchestras but not American. I really like this setup and wish it...

I must have no sales resistance at all. Tempera strings is selling a new rosin from Leatherwood designed especially for their strings. I just ordered a cake. At 30 euros plus shipping it's going to be interesting. I really like the strings so I hope it's worth it.

I've aquired a nice mid40s Kay Swingmaster. It has strings I've never seen before: black by the tailpiece, with green, blue, yellow, and red thread bottom to top in the pegbox. The most unusual feature for me is that the strings at the tailpiece end have little brass rods that the string ends...

I'll have a student next year who has used the 1,3,4 left hand technique(Italian style) for a while and I am trying to decide if I should have him change. I'm aware of some of the good and less good aspects but it's a legit method used by many great players. Do any of you teachers have an...

I had a gig last night and was aware at one point that the bass sounded particularly good and natural. I looked at my rig settings, which were in their usual spots. I was trying to figure out what was different when I realized that the wall plug had been kicked out somehow and I was playing...

I'm not sure this is the proper forum. but I recently heard a recording a student's parent made of a local student orchestra concert. The four student bassists are all students of mine and sounded great(if I do say so myself). The two things I took away from this are that phone recordings can...

I have a talented student on BG at a local college who is thinking of dropping out. He doesn't feel that his music courses are teaching what he wants to learn. I can't totally disagree.I had no formal training myself and have had a successful career as a professional player but I don't want to...

I need to have a couple of bows rehaired and no longer have a local option. I have tried to contact luthiers to send the bows to but haven't heard back from anyone. Is there someone in Ca. who I could contact that could do this?

I have a young friend who recently found a 1/2 size Kay M model. It has strings that are red coming out of the tailpiece with black above that. The pegbox end are: G-orange, D-blue,A-black, and E-red. Any ideas about brand or any other info? Thanks in advance.

I've just acquired a Kay Swingmaster S-9 from 1945. It's in great shape with what I believe are Tempera strings. I'm hoping to pass it on to a student who wants to play Rock-a -Billy. We'll see how that goes. In the meantime, I'll have some fun with it. I went through the bag it came in(nice...

I've been doing studio teaching at local colleges for several years and lately have had some questions from various quarters about my academic credentials. The answer is I don't have any. I never went to music school and have no formal training as such. Whatever knowledge I claim to have has...

I've been doing a lot of listening lately to both older and newer recordings by name jazz players and have noticed several that have to my ear obvious time issues. I've always been fairly flexible when playing with different people but assumed that the big names would have pretty solid rhythm...

I don't know if this has been discussed but I'm curious about the quantity of actual moisture that Dampits provide. I know there are differing opinions about them, but I have been a user for many years and have never had the supposed issues and believe they do provide protection from excess...

Concert ready to start- old reliable WW silent all of a sudden-what to do? This happened over the weekend. I decided to go old school ampless and hope for the best. At intermission I discovered I had flipped the channel selector switch by accident and the amp was fine. The interesting part was...

I've been willed an Eminence bass but need endpin and pickup replacements. Anyone have or know where to find?

In addition to Mr. Goldsby's other and many contributions to jazz bass pedagogy I would like to thank him for his work with the WDR big band. When a student in the high school or college jazz ensemble is playing a tune or arrangement recorded on video by the WDR band, all I have to do is tell...

My amp wouldn't light up at a rehearsal a few days ago. I couldn't get it to work at all but luckily there was another one available. I tried it again the next day but no luck at first. I came up with the idea of trying a different power cord. Imagine my surprise and relief when that turned out...

As part of bass history I will at some point bring my old Kay with gut strings to a lesson to show the student. Lately I've had a couple of them have a really negative reaction to the whole concept and refuse to even touch or look at them because they involve the internal organs of sheep. I...

The ISB just posted an obit for Joe Guastafeste of the Chicago Symphony. I never met him but did experience his creation Basshenge in northern Mn. I was on a tour with a jazz trio in 2004 or thereabouts and we were traveling in a van between dates that took us on the highway along the Canadian...

I haven't seen anything here yet on the death of Dave Roe, a Nashville bassist for many big names and great raconteur. He passed away a few days ago after a long and successful career. I recall a great rant he wrote for Bass Player magazine several years ago about how younger players would diss...

I just saw a video by this guy playing what almost looks like some sort of homemade bass. Any info?

With the school year coming up I have students who have seen videos of bassists playing the classical solo rep and wonder if they need a solo for an audition. My main orchestral mentors who had major orchestra histories felt that studying the solo rep was essentially a waste of time for players...

I have recently had an issue with the quality of electricity at certain venues. I can't use the rig I use tonight on a gig tomorrow because I will have major buzz problems at this other club. The one amp does it, the other one I use doesn't. The weird thing is I can't use the second one at the...

I've been in a few situations lately that have involved music that I consider "jazz based" rhythmically- show tunes and such. The classically trained players seem to have a quite different idea about how this music should be played. I've done a lot of orchestral playing but still consider myself...

I just saw on the Bassment shop website that they make a low A extension for 5 string basses. Has anyone seen or used one of these? It's probably not very practical but a cool thing nonetheless. I knew a player years ago who had a metal low B for 4 string, but have never seen a low A. There are...