Grammy-Winning Barry Bales Teaches Bass

One of the best bassists to hit the bluegrass and Country Music scene in the past 20 years, Barry Bales is officially releasing a DVD to learn bass. The Grammy-winning musician’s DVD is entitled A Solid Foundation to Acoustic Bass.

 

A well accomplished musician, Bales has won multiple Grammys and trophies from the International Bluegrass Music Association and the Country Music Association. He is the full-time bass player with Alison Kraus & Union Station, and he has also been heard in films such as Walk The Line and O Brother, Where Art Thou.

 

In this new AcuTab DVD, AcuTab’s John Lawless leads Bales through a discussion of his background, influences and his thoughts on the appropriate role of bass in music. Bales demonstrates many of his favorite techniques and covers important topics such as tone production, walking bass, percussive ‘ghost’ notes and more.

 

Bales then dives into instruction and discussion on basic left and right hand technique and then plays three different versions of the song “Fireball Mail.” He changes his approach to each version to add interest and dynamics to the bassist’s role in the song and explains everything as he does it.

 

Assisted by Adam Steffey (mandolin), Jim Mills (banjo) and Kenny Smith (guitar), Bales presents eight songs in varying keys.