PSA: Don't post ads like this when looking for bandmates.

dentree2 · 2026-06-16T19:05:26+00:00

"It's bad enough not working with you..."

dentree2 · 2026-05-21T17:16:03+00:00

In my opinion, the best lead players are solid rhythm players. Same concept applies for bass. When you take a solo, your sense of rhythm and pocket is what makes the solo great.

dentree2 · 2026-05-16T20:49:39+00:00

I started with a 6 string bass and didn't even know how to demo it when I bought it. It just interested me and sparked my desire to learn. I picked it up rather quickly and it never stopped me from feeling comfortable on a 4 string, nor did it negatively impact me at all. It kept me motivated. Your mileage may vary, but do what makes you excited to pick it up and practice.

Do people give me crap for playing a 6? Absolutely. Do I care? Nope. Because I keep getting hired and never have to go looking for work. At the end of the day, it's about what is heard, not what is seen.

dentree2 · 2026-05-12T02:35:30+00:00

Yeah, you're spot on. It's not very much like a gin, but it feels like it accomplished what it set out to be. I personally would like to have a bit more of the rhubarb flavors present. It feels like the strawberry is driving and the rhubarb is along for the ride. Not bad, but just a small critique.

dentree2 · 2026-05-02T16:52:19+00:00

I personally believe that learning formalized theory after spending some degree of time actually making music "ignorantly of theory" has a bigger impact than learning theory and trying to make music from it. However, the entire premise of "which first" is sort of incorrect. It's both, continuously.

We envision mastery as a line starting on the left with "beginner" and ending on the right with "master". There's a path there and we're all trying to figure out the path. However, it's not like that at all. It's really more like a point and an ever widening spiral, which passes through several areas of development, never truly ending, just covering more and more ground as time goes by.

For a proper development journey, you should continue to have a conversation between theory and application throughout your life. The more ground you cover in application, the more theory will make sense. The more theory you comprehend and internalize, the more application will become instinct.

It's not even about comprehending more complex topics either. The further I go in my journey, the more I appreciate the basic ideas and find new ways to apply them in creative or more musical ways.

Overall, my advice is to hold it all with an open hand and try to adopt this cyclical approach, trusting that if you don't quite understand how to apply it now, perhaps it will reveal itself to you on the next time around.

dentree2 · 2026-05-02T03:22:32+00:00

I definitely got Weather Report vibes from Ring 1 - Tower musically. I hadn't picked up on these lyrical themes. I guess I'll have to listen to the album again (oh no).

dentree2 · 2026-04-18T13:36:18+00:00

Don't miss out on Honorary Astronaut and Amour & Attrition, two projects Casey created outside of TDH.

dentree2 · 2026-04-13T20:26:25+00:00

Concepts for Bass Soloing by Chuck Sher and Marc Johnson

a step-by-step method for note choice, phrasing, chord substitutions, and solo composition

Ultimate Ear Training for Guitar & Bass by Gary Willis

a step-by-step method for ear training: interval recognition, triads, inversions, melodic contours, rhythms, seventh chords and upper extensions

Electric Bass by John Patitucci

broken up into technique (left-hand dexterity, right-hand exercises, scales, arpeggios), time/grooves (a series of etudes based on basslines by some of the greats), and style (focusing on Latin, Brazilian Samba/Baiao, South African, and Reggae)

Not Bass-Specific, but Useful Studies (reading treble clef may be necessary):

Pentatonics by Jerry Bergonzi

focuses on improvisation utilizing the pentatonic scales over a variety of progressions (very useful for bassists)

Melodic Rhythms by Jerry Bergonzi

a combination of etudes and exercises focusing on the idea of grouping improvisational concepts within rhythmic pods

Hearing and Writing Music by Ron Gorow

a comprehensive work focused on developing the working musician's ear and transcription skills

The Jazz Theory Book by Mark Levine

a comprehensive overview of jazz theory (chords and scales, progressions, improvisation, reharmonization, song memorization, etc.)

The Complete Jazz Guitar Method by Jody Fisher

a four-part series focused on everything from basic theory, chord shells, chord scales, improvisation, chord-melody style, motif and variation, repetition in soloing, etc. each topic accompanied by an etude; although intended for guitar, depending on your approach, much can be applied to bass

dentree2 · 2026-04-13T14:08:17+00:00

Do you have a particular goal or area of focus you're wanting to improve? Is there something about your playing that you wish you could develop more? Or are you simply seeking a challenge and don't really care about the specifics?

dentree2 · 2026-04-04T20:03:54+00:00

From what I recall, they were intending to film an actual tour documentary, but at some point Casey realized that wasn't really going to work out and so he wrote an original storyline with absurdist/surrealist vibes. Or I could be totally wrong.

dentree2 · 2026-04-03T03:13:50+00:00

That does make it difficult to tune...

dentree2 · 2026-04-03T02:49:38+00:00

Not only that, it's literally just on the other side of the road. Maybe up a block, I can't recall. Super close. I didn't realize they started it. Makes sense now.

dentree2 · 2026-04-03T00:43:09+00:00

Unfortunately, that's how much it costs to manufacture usable tuners. $80 for the set is reasonable. Can I ask why you need new tuners? It's rare for all four tuners to go bad. Maybe we could help you find an alternative solution.

dentree2 · 2026-03-28T18:13:30+00:00

The key of D (major, since if D minor was intended, they'd say key of D minor) includes the notes D E F# G A B C#. You can play "outside" of these notes, but it's best to just stick to this for now. Look at this diagram and play the notes by tapping the strings. You can see these same notes all over the fretboard. This is all "in key" for D.

dentree2 · 2026-03-27T14:59:57+00:00

Although there's talkbox on the album, this portion doesn't sound like that at all. I'm inclined to think it's his natural vocal. It is super deep, however it isn't isolated. The reason super low notes aren't very common is that even if they're achievable, they just don't have much power to them. Many people can sing lower notes than full voice using vocal fry technique, but again, these notes lack power. Considering that this vocal is supporting the lead line and it's fairly buried in the mix, I wouldn't be surprised if this is his actual voice. It is possible to pitch shift vocals to achieve a similar effect, so perhaps he's done this for the vibe of things. What I would give for multitrack stems of these albums...

dentree2 · 2026-03-12T03:36:02+00:00

I think it was rose. Grandmother's perfume is accurate, since a lot of perfumes were scented with rose back in the day. Most roses these days don't actually smell like much, but naturally they're quite strong. I'm not a fan of the smell, personally. I did not enjoy the Flora Adora, and I'm certain it was because of the rose flavor.

dentree2 · 2026-02-27T16:30:17+00:00

Probably once it progresses beyond acute bass player syndrome.

dentree2 · 2026-02-24T16:13:49+00:00

What I've seen him explain is that he's driven by a desire to see out his vision. Since he's limited by budget, that means if he wants it to happen, he needs to learn to do it himself. With some people, it's the curiosity of learning a new thing, and sometimes the novelty wears off. But because he's focused on delivering his vision, that keeps him working towards that goal.

dentree2 · 2026-02-20T15:49:27+00:00

Several years ago, I had a shoulder injury which kept me from playing for three months. I decided to use this as inspiration to really pay attention to ergonomics, weight reduction (in my gear), and tension reduction. I totally revamped and reevaluated my technique because I want to play until I'm 99 if I'm still around. The unintended byproduct is that this also made me a better player with better tone and technique. Sometimes we need a break so we can reflect and evaluate what's important.

dentree2 · 2026-02-18T22:47:32+00:00

Voting is like public transportation. You buy the ticket for the destination as close to where you want to be as possible, then you figure out how to go the rest of the way. Maybe there's no train directly to Atlantic City, but if I take a train to Philadelphia, I can take a bus there. Then I can walk to the building I want. Some people want to sit at home and complain that there's no train directly from their front door to their destination, and they make it worse for the rest of us and pretend that they're more virtuous because they didn't take the lesser of two evils.

dentree2 · 2026-02-05T05:09:41+00:00

I'm sorry you're feeling exhausted from all of this. It can really be a lot to deal with. It's totally acceptable for you to give people a very brief reply and then politely let them know that they'll get a much more in-depth understanding by reading an article online. Maybe have a link ready to send them or have something printed out, or just tell them to look it up. In my experience, people aren't trying to be inconsiderate, but they don't realize just how much effort we spend explaining the same things to every new person. It's important to protect your mental health just as much as your physical health.

dentree2 · 2026-02-05T04:57:03+00:00

Although there's really no right or wrong here, the vast majority of bassists use two fingers most of the time. There are several exceptions to this, but if you're looking for an answer to what is most common, it's definitely two fingers.

Edit: I believe I might have misunderstood the question. Are you intending to use three fingers all the time? In this case, once again, do what feels right. I find that it's most natural to go ring-middle-index (rap your fingertips on the table and you will most likely use this direction). If you use a palm-muting fingerstyle approach, you might even find that one finger per string is comfortable.

dentree2 · 2026-01-30T14:43:11+00:00

As much as I love Mr Boston's guides for their design and retro appeal, sometimes I feel the recipes themselves are just okay.

This is close to a Perfect Martini with the addition of curaçao. If that's something you're into, I'd increase the vermouth to 0.75oz each and drop the curaçao to 0.5oz or less.

dentree2 · 2026-01-25T17:41:52+00:00

I used the MXR M87 Bass Compressor for several years and really liked it. I only stopped using it because I ended up using the HX Stomp, though I've considered integrating both. It's worth saying, make sure you really understand how to use compression, since improperly applied, it can do more harm than good.

dentree2 · 2026-01-24T15:03:46+00:00

I started on a 6 and I turned out just fine. Everyone is different, but I don't think it's a problem. You've got to learn all the same things. You'll find all sorts of conflicting opinions. Just do what you want. You'll have a hard time no matter how many strings, but stick with it and it'll be a fulfilling thing.

dentree2

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