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The Bass Is Not a Guitar
The Root of It All

The Bass Is Not a Guitar

The modern bass might look like a guitar, but it has a lineage of its own.

This 50-Piece Ensemble Is a Model for Modern Music Making
The Root of It All

This 50-Piece Ensemble Is a Model for Modern Music Making

Philadelphia’s Public Orchestra offers an alternative to traditional classical ensembles, with room for all instruments and backgrounds.

Akai MPC 3000 bass guitar
The Root of It All

How to Become a Rhythmic Time Traveler

From James Brown to J Dilla, understanding note placement is a key to rhythmic mastery.

Bass-ic Metamorphosis: Creating Something from Nothing
The Root of It All

Bass-ic Metamorphosis: Creating Something from Nothing

The steel pan orchestra proves that bass is more than an instrument. It’s an experience.

The Hub of Hip-Hop Bass Playing
The Root of It All

The Hub of Hip-Hop Bass Playing

As a member of the Roots, Leonard “Hub” Hubbard created a vocabulary for live hip-hop.

Flashy Is Fun, But the Bass Has a Deeper Function
The Root of It All

Flashy Is Fun, But the Bass Has a Deeper Function

In this introductory installment, our new columnist Anthony Tidd considers his own path to discovering the most important role of the bass—and it’s not lightning-fast technique!