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
322 episodes
185 - Rex Brown: The BONECRUSHING bass lines of Pantera
What makes a bass line cut through in a heavy band like Pantera? In this episode, Ian Allison sits down with Rex Brown to find out. Rex walks us through a few of his most iconic lines—including the growling groove of “I’m Broken” and shares wha...
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34:24
184 - Berklee College of Music - The Good, the Bad and the Ugly
What really happens when you go to one of the most famous music schools in the world? In this episode, Sharon pulls back the curtain on her time at Berklee College of Music as Scott digs into the highs, the lows, and the stuff you don’t hear in...
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1:12:15
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183 - NEW 5 string arrived. It's INSANE.
Scott’s got a brand new 5-string, and it’s shaking things up. In this episode, he and Ian dig into what makes it so special and why 5-strings deserve way more love. From tone and feel to gig-ready setups, it’s a deep dive into the g...
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58:35
182 - 5 ICONIC Bass Lines that use EVERY. LAST. FRET.
Ready to stretch out beyond your usual comfort zone? In this episode, Scott and Ian explore five epic bass lines that make full use of the fingerboard. We're talking top to bottom, end to end.Along the way, you’ll pick up tips on fretboa...
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56:03
181 - Lee Sklar: The Working Bass Player
What’s it like to be one of the most recorded bass players of all time?In this episode, Scott sits down with session legend Leland Sklar, the bassist behind classic records from Carole King, Phil Collins, James Taylor, Dolly Parton, Toto...
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1:26:07
180 - BIG changes coming to our YouTube channel
Exciting things are on the way!Scott and Ian sit down to talk about major updates coming to the SBL YouTube channel, including a brand-new series featuring some of the best bassists in the world. With 12 days of back-to-back sessions in ...
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52:31
179 - Writing 365 Bass Lines in 1 Year?... INSANITY.
What happens when you commit to writing a brand-new two-bar bass line every single day for a year?In this episode, Scott sits down with Ian Trusheim to talk about his 365-day bass line challenge. From the creative process to the quality ...
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1:31:27
178- Rating the technique of Bass LEGENDS
What makes a bass legend? Is it flawless technique or breaking the rules in just the right way? Today, we’re having a raw, unfiltered conversation about bass technique—what works, what doesn’t, and when “bad” technique actually makes a player g...
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1:10:07
177- Record your bass (at home) and get a BADASS sound ($100 - $20K)
It’s never been easier to capture pro bass tones at home without waking up the neighbours. Whether you’re taking your first steps into home recording or planning a multi-layered bass masterpiece, in today’s podcast, we break down some essential...
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52:55
176- Vintage vs Boutique? Don't throw your money AWAY
There's something about playing a bass guitar that’s older than you that just feels incredible. But just because it’s old doesn’t mean it’s great. Mojo aside, do vintage basses really sound better than their new counterparts? In today’s episode...
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54:25
175- Our Fav Bass FX Pedals (and Preamps) of 2024
2024 was the year of the HX Stomp, Jad Freer’s Capo, Boss being bosses and more effects than we knew what to do with! We seem to say this every year, but there's been so much competition for your cash in 2024, with the bass effects market bigge...
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49:00
174- The 6 Basses that DEFINED the 1990s (why Fender is ABSENT)
As the hair-metal spandex of the previous decade met its end, the ‘90s ushered in a new breed of bass guitar. From Ken Smith to Lakland, to Spector to Tobias, basses of the '90s packed a memorable punch to the gut. In today’s podcast, we're run...
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57:27
173 - 37 AWESOME gifts for bass players ($1 - $1000)
We get it: bass players are extremely difficult to buy for and everything we want costs a small fortune. Well, you needn’t worry, as we’ve trawled through the Internet to compile a list of bass-friendly gifts that we'd be more than happy to rec...
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1:16:16
172- Let’s talk about P Basses (and my Freddie Washington Obsession)
While Leo Fender will be forever revered for his iconic electric guitar designs, without doubt his greatest contribution to the advancement of popular music was unveiled in October 1951 – the first year of the Fender Precision. Today’s podcast ...
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55:40
171- My Health Scare and the MADNESS that prevailed
If you’ve ever suffered from wrist pain after spending hours perfecting a John Entwistle bass solo, you’ll know that spending extended periods hunched over a bass guitar can cause all kinds of hand and arm problems, back pain, and even nerve da...
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40:17
170 - Our favorite amps & cabs in 2024
You might have an expensive custom shop bass and all the boutique stompboxes in the world, but you’ll still need a great bass amp to achieve your dream tone. In this video, we’re looking at some of the greatest amps, pedals and cabinets of 2024...
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1:01:14
169 - Is the Bass Amp FINALLY DEAD?! (In ear monitor takeover?)
Let’s clear this up from the start – we LOVE bass amps, big stacks of speakers coupled with loud, monstrous amplifier heads. We want to feel the air move as we play! But when you’re a gigging bassist, one of the biggest struggles we face is the...
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57:59
168- Why Headless Basses Suck
Headless basses were two a penny in the 1980s and 1990s, and nowadays they tend to look pretty embarrassing. But we like crazy-looking gear, in case you hadn’t noticed! So, whether you love them or loathe them, if you’ve always dreamed of wield...
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42:18
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
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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
