Review: Rev Jones 'Bass Line' Instructional DVD

by Jesse Stern.

I will admit that when I got the Bass Line instructional DVD for review, my expectations were low. Rev Jones is a great bassist, known for his work with “shredder” bands like the Michael Schenker Group and Paul Gilbert. However, I thought, many great players are either protective of their “secrets” or just not that good at teaching. I prepared myself to be subjected to an onslaught of obscure riffs that would be of little interest to a groove player, and would be difficult, if not downright overwhelming, to a beginning bassist.

It turns out I was wrong.

I popped the DVD in, and the introduction showed Rev playing his signature style, a two-handed tapping solo. The thing was, this was more than just an impressive set of chops. There was a sense of humor and ease in his short solo. He was having fun, and it was contagious.

The next thing that impressed me was the menu layout. It was organized and comprehesive. It started with the basics: some warm-up exercises, presented in a way that were easy to understand and follow. He also explained how the intermediate or advanced student could expand on the exercises. He covered some left-hand techniques, like hammer-ons, pull-offs and vibrato, showing how this can make an ordinary bass line more interesting. He finishes the section with several musical examples, which not only build on the warm-up exercises, they are also just cool bass lines.

We then get into the meat of the DVD: two-handed tapping. This section begins with some basic exercises, building on the warm-up exercises. Rev stresses the importance of developing good technique by practicing slowly. The techniques move quickly into demonstrations and musical examples.

The tapping section is divided into several short lessons, each one building on the last, and covering the many uses of the two-hand tapping technique. As with all the examples in this DVD, he plays each example twice: once at normal speed, then slowly. Again, Rev presents difficult material in a way that is easy to learn, while at the same time packing a ton of information into each lesson.

Following the tapping section, he discusses picking. Rev shows a few exercises for alternate picking, sweeping, and solo ideas. Though using a pick (as opposed to fingers) is a stylistic choice, the bassist who wants to use or improve their picking will benefit from this section.

The Gear section was, to me, the weakest part of the DVD. On choosing a bass, he spoke mainly of the appearance (body and headstock shape), and a few hardware elements, such as the bridge and the pickups. I would have liked to see him go into more depth by mentioning the basic-but-essential playability of a bass: Is the neck straight? Are the strings close enough to the neck to make it easy to play? His recommendations were naturally biased toward his sponsors, and that’s fine. However, compared to the depth and thoughtfulness of the other lessons, it seemed a bit hasty. The Gear section was redeemed by his excellent comparison of active vs passive pickups, and on choosing strings.

I was impressed by Rev’s choice of bass lines from songs by other artists. In demonstrating each bass line -- everything from soul to disco to metal to classic rock -- Rev did it his own way. To me, this is a great way to show the benefit of listening to music outside your comfort zone. The unspoken message was: listen to everything, make it your own.

The DVD ends with demonstrations of several of his best known solos. For each solo, he gives a step-by-step breakdown, then an onstage performance. Even if you’re not already a fan of Rev Jones -- which I wasn’t until now -- the solos are amazing. His technique is clear and strong, an obvious result of his practicing the same basic techniques that he teaches in the DVD. The best thing is, watching him play: it’s completely obvious that he’s having fun.

This is an excellent DVD that delivers a lot of bang for the buck. Aimed at the intermediate to advanced student, the lessons are comprehensive and challenging enough for a more advanced player. Though I wouldn’t recommend it to a total beginner, the material is clear enough that any student with a solid foundation in the basics could give their playing some flash. Any bassist will learn something from this DVD. For those who aspire to master the art of the Rock bass solo, it is a must. 4.5/5

Related Links
Win Rev Jones Instructional DVD Bass Line from Modern Guitars
Rev Jones Interview

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