The Low End of Ambient

Close up a man's hand playing the bass guitar.

For most of my life as a music listener, I’ve been somewhat resistant to genres of music that a) largely eschew vocals and b) don’t rely on tight, memorable melodies or pop-centric structures. Whether it’s classical, techno, or jazz, I’ve always had a hard time connecting with forms of music that aren’t interested in giving…

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How Do We Create Meaning with a Bass Line

I love lyrics, both reading and writing them, but as a bassist, I tend to compartmentalize thes kills I cultivate as a bassist and think of them as being separate from and unrelated to the skillsI cultivate as a writer. I think a lot of musicians operate in much the same way, especially when they’re…

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Mids Are Your Friend

KSM Bass Bridge mounted to a quilted maple custom bass guitar

One of the most infamous signs of a novice bass player is the infamous “scooped mids”. When I started playing gigs regularly, I learned fairly quickly that that wasn’t a good way to go when playing with a band, but it took me a little bit longer to really understand just how valuable the mid-frequencies…

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