On bass endpins

Finding an endpin height that works for you can be quite a challenge. Many factors come into play when experimenting with endpin heights, including whether the player stands or sits, the shape of the bass, how sloped the shoulders are, player height, whether the...

Funky Formalwear

Most guys I know have formal wear that resembles a petri dish. I don’t know if women’s formal wear gets this nasty (something tells me it doesn’t). Men seem to be able to tolerate a high degree of funkitude before deciding to finally take their...

University of Illinois bass quartet tours Chicagoland

I had the pleasure of checking out the University of Illinois bass quartet recently (October 22, 2008). This ensemble is comprised of University of Illinois bass professor Michael Cameron and U of I doctoral students Garold Fowler, Hunter Capoccioni, and Alex...

100th episode of Contrabass Conversations coming soon

We’ll hit our 100th episode of Contrabass Conversations in the next few weeks–a significant achievement for any podcast! It’s hard to believe that I’ve interviewed, recorded, edited, and published nearly 100 of these buggers–it seems like...

Paul Erhard tours with West-meets-East

The following is a short excerpt from the E-Bass Line Newsletter from the International Society of Bassists. Receiving this newsletter each month is one of the many benefits for ISB members, including special rates on instrument insurance, the excellent journal Bass...