The SBL Podcast
If you’re a bassist — you’re in the right place. Join Scott Devine and Ian Allison from SBL as they dissect every aspect to being a bass player - professional or hobbyist - from basses and gear hacks, to musicianship and gig tips, all the way to mental health and what the future might hold for the music industry.
Episodes
304 episodes
167 - Dirk Lance: The ICONIC bass lines of early Incubus
We’ve got some good news for you today. Dirk Lance, a co-founding member of platinum rock band Incubus, is here to break down some of his greatest bass lines. We also asked him about his ’65 Jazz Bass and why he went from a Fender P Bass Specia...
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56:59
166- Was G&L Leo Fender’s biggest MISTAKE?
After he sold Fender and exited his collaboration with Music Man, Leo Fender founded a brand-new company that would play host to his final electric guitar and bass innovations. Leo called G&L Guitars the best instruments he ever made – the ...
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46:38
165-Why learning scales is NOT the answer to knowing your fretboard
Finally, a video that dispels some of the myths about achieving bass guitar fretboard mastery - like having to learn ALL of the notes in the Hungarian minor scale! In this episode, Scott and Ian reveal how they solved their fretboard woes, thei...
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1:01:34
164- Anderson .Paak’s Secret Bass Weapon: Kelsey Gonzalez
In today’s video, we asked Kelsey González to name the bass lines that helped define his career with American singer, drummer, and record producer Anderson Paak. You’ll hear nuances to his bass lines you never noticed before – and probably rus...
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48:17
163 - The Genius Bass Lines of Tony Franklin
In today’s video, we asked Tony Franklin to dig into the fretless bass lines that helped define his long resume of gigs with artists such as Blue Murder, The Firm, and Whitesnake. We asked him about his time with Kate Bush, the history behind h...
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1:18:46
162 - 6-String Basses: Pros and (mostly) CONS?
In this podcast, Ian and Sharon explore the highs and lows of playing a six-string bass, from the extra range it offers to the challenges of controlling those extra strings. They share their favorite models, riffs, and tips for anyone curious a...
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1:13:47
161 - Is Toxicity costing you the gig?
If you’re in any sort of environment that’s become toxic, chances are you’ve been bending and flexing for a while to try to make it work. It’s no different in a band. While the audience might not always see it, the band always feels it. In this...
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1:10:33
160 - The HIDDEN Genius behind Bob Marley’s Bass Lines (6 ICONIC examples)
Throughout the 1970s until Bob Marley’s last sessions and live shows in late 1980, the bass lines of Aston ‘Family Man’ Barrett played a primary role in introducing the sound of reggae’s one-drop rhythm to audiences around the world. His full-b...
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1:03:10
159 - The Bassist Behind Blackstar: The Tim Lefebvre Interview
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 o...
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41:58
158 - The Mount Rushmore of SLAP Bass
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 mus...
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1:05:17
157 - Human vs. AI ... is real bass DEAD?!
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:
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57:44
156 - I was WRONG?!
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! ...
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1:03:56
155 - The 5 BIG Mistakes I Made on My Journey Of Bass (it was PAINFUL!)
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...
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51:45
154 - Jon Button breaks down his favorite bass lines
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 ...
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29:33
153 - The 12 Ugliest Basses of ALL TIME
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 som...
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42:56
152 - Why learning Jazz Bass SUCKS (5 reasons no one talks about)
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 ca...
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56:37
151 - Michael League breaks down his FAVORITE bass lines
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:B...
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41:24
150 - The LA Bassist EVERYONE’S talking about
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 toda...
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16:50
149 - Are Short Scale Basses DEAD?!
So which is better – a long-scale or a short-scale bass guitar? If you’ve ever wondered which is the right scale length for you, you’ve come to the right place! In today’s episode, we’re taking a closer look at the key differences between short...
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58:29
148 - The Undercover BASS ICON of ROCK: The Chris Chaney Interview
Chris Chaney’s contributions to the bass world often go overlooked – but there’s genius in his bass playing if you know where to find it (take his game-changing bass lines with Jane’s Addiction for instance). Today’s interview is the perfect wa...
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1:18:10
147 - We Met Adam Clayton from U2 (it was OUTRAGEOUS!)
U2 has officially finished their residency in Las Vegas – the history-making shows saw over 700,000 fans descend on Sin City, from September 2023 through March 2024. In today’s episode, fresh from a weekend trip to Las Vegas, we take a trip ins...
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47:05
146 - The Sean Hurley Interview: Behind John Mayer's Iconic Bass Lines
The year is 2006 and John Mayer has just recorded a landmark album that will put his new trio on the map. Drummer/producer Steve Jordan had the great idea of bringing Willie Weeks AND Pino Palladino in to play bass on one track, with Pino addin...
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1:35:20
145 - The Dark Side of Boutique Basses
In this episode, we’re sorting through our pick of boutique basses from F Bass, Ken Smith, Olinto, Overwater and more. We’re also going to delve into some of the questions that often come along, namely: why are they so expensive? Ho...
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1:26:29
144 - Gospel Bass Mastery: The Justin Raines Interview
There’s a TON you can learn from Gospel bass players – and one, in particular, you may have overlooked. Justin Raines could teach you everything you need to know about pocket, songwriting, and epic bass fills. In today’s interview, ...
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1:01:16
143 - Are These the 5 Most Iconic Basses of all time?
So, what makes a particular bass guitar a classic? While some basses are undoubtedly born great (it’s a testament to Leo Fender that the P-Bass is still one of the most played instruments ever): some achieve greatness over time and some have gr...
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1:20:00