Bass Tone

Bass Guitar Tone

  • New Series! Bass Tone teaches the sounds of the bass - It punches you in the chest, and flaps your trouser legs. It’s the thump that moves the rump. A bass player forms the connective tissue between the drummer and the rest of the instruments, standing with one foot in the rhythmic and the other in the melodic. The drummer may make you tap your feet, […]
  • Bass Tone: The Upright Bass - Learn all about the importance of the bass guitar in music, the bass ear training you can do, and get to know the sound of the upright bass a.k.a. "double bass"
  • Bass Tone Podcast 1: Introduction and the Upright Bass - Listen to this podcast episode to learn all about the importance of the bass guitar in music, and get to know the sound of the upright bass a.k.a. "double bass"
  • Bass Tone: Playing with Precision - The famous P-Bass guitar brought around a revolution in bass playing when it was released. Find out what exactly made it have such an impact with its sound.
  • Bass Tone Podcast 2: The Electric Bass and Tone Control - In episode 2 of the Bass Tone podcast, Nick Long introduces Leo Fender's revolutionary electric bass guitar and talks through the core choices which affect the tone of the bass, including: • Electric vs. Upright bass • Pickups: Single-coil and Humbucker • Blending between pickups • Active bass guitars and bass/treble boosts and cuts • The effect of string choice on tone
  • Bass Tone: Playing Techniques, Part 1 - Learn about some of the special techniques bassists use to adjust their tone, including finger-style vs plectrum, and slaps/pops. Train your ears to hear each.
  • Bass Tone: Playing Techniques, Part 2 - Learn about some of the special techniques bassists use to adjust their tone, including hammer-ons, pull-offs, tapping and slides. Train your ears to hear each.
  • Bass Tone Podcast 3: Playing Techniques - In this podcast, learn about the special playing techniques bassists use to adjust tone, including finger-style vs plectrum, slap bass, slurs and tapping.
  • Bass Tone: Fretless Electric - Now that you’re used to the tones of the upright, and electric basses, and the playing techniques used to achieve different sounds, it’s time to meet a variant on the electric bass: the fretless electric. The fretless electric bass is essentially an electric bass with the frets removed, providing the sound and convenience of an […]
  • Bass Tone: All Amped Up - Find out about the impact your amplifier has on your bass guitar sound, and how you can train your ears and set up your amp to craft your perfect bass tone.
  • Bass Tone: Bass Effects, Part 1 - Learn all about audio effects ear training for bass guitar, including EQ, compression, limiters, distortion, overdrive and fuzz. Ear training for bass tone.
  • Bass Tone Podcast 4: Bass Amps - In episode 4 of the Bass Tone podcast Nick Long dives into the wide choice of bass amp technologies and options out there and their effect on your bass tone. You'll learn all about: • The difference between valve and solid state amplification • Class AB, G and D amps • The options for amp heads, cabinets, and speaker sizes • How to choose an amp for the best balance of size, tone, power, and price
  • Bass Tone Podcast 5: Bass FX, Part 1 - In episode 5 of the Bass Tone podcast, Bass FX Part 1, Nick Long covers the most frequently used audio effects for the bass guitar. You'll learn all about: • Equalization (EQ), the cornerstone of a good effects chain • Compression and Limiting to even out playing dynamics • Multiband Compression • Distortion, Overdrive and Fuzz Effects
  • Bass Tone: Bass Effects, Part 2 - Learn all about audio effects for bass guitar, including modulation, octave, pitch shift, wah-wah, chorus and flanger/phaser. How to hear them and why to learn.
  • Bass Tone Podcast 6: Bass FX, Part 2 - In episode 6 of the Bass Tone podcast, Bass FX Part 2, Nick Long explores some more unusual effects you can add to your bass tone. You'll learn: • What modulation effects are and how they work • The Chorus and Flanger effects and how they impact your tone • The sound of Wah-Wah effects, and why they combine well with distortion effects • Pitch-shifter effects (including octaver effects)