The most important secondary skill for any musician - Q&A

Janek's Bass Studio:

[jaysoncornish]

I have been watching your vlog from almost the beginning and just wanted to comment on your personal progress. Not quite a year ago you were breaking down in tears over your divorce. Now you are clearly in love, you have a beautiful place, pets etc. In general you come across as less neurotic now than then and it has been interesting to watch that progress.

[admarhermans]

I absolutely love the sound of your new bass. On my (Beyerdynamic) headphones I hear really beautiful low mids and clear, but not too glassy highs. I tend not to love most 'modern' sounding basses too much, but your tone sounds like a nice mix between what I've always liked in the past and more clear sounding contemporary tones I've come to like through your music.

Happy holidays!

[sbingham]

I really like your attitude in the responses to these questions, and your enthusiasm in general, is very inspiring.

[xeode]

Hey there, just an FYI 'bass studio', (when you view your YouTube page in portrait mode) crops down to 'ASS STUD', the stylised orange text/logo. Keep up the good work and hope the new bass comes out soon, HAPPY CHRISTMAS!

[Scomelbasses]

The new bass sounds really nice, don't like the looks as much as the Fodera.

[AKLowEnd]

Happy Holidays there Janek! Love the channel. Cheers from Alaska.

[gejv]

Holy shit! Your improv is sounding great

[AskiaSuper]

Dear Janek! You always hold your bass in a classical guitar-like position, which makes hard to reach the lower register of the bass. I'm in the situation of searching a comfortable playing position, and found the comfortable instrument instead. :) Have you ever tried an "economical" bass, like the Artisan bass works Ansir basses, or the Rick Toone Orchid bass, or other instruments leaving the classical look, and prefer the comfort of playing the instrument?

[半人半獣]

Digging the pickup configuration! 1/10 of the scale length? Thinking about ordering my next bass with the two pickups jammed into the same cavity. Something like the MTD Super series. You get a nice “ramp” like feel without the ramp.

[chris_outh]

Hey Janek. This is a question about transcription and vocabulary. Do you find that licks that you have transcribed show up spontaneously in you playing or do you have to work them into your vocabulary through sheer practice. If so then how do you go about doing so?

-Thanks, Chris

[HereticJudgment]

Great Q&A, Janek! Btw - do you like Aguilar Supoer Doubles more than Agi's DCB? Gotta make a choice for a custom build bass

[porteous]

Love the new book! This will keep me busy for some time... Do you specifically recommend using the fingerings you have in the TAB section, or is that just for people that prefer TAB to standard notation?

[stevemincer]

Hi Mr. Gwizdala, i'm from Australia and love yours and Bob Reynolds videos. Might be a silly question but is your book primarily bass specific or versatile for use  across different instruments?? Cheers, Dan.

[creativeleaves]

Hey Janek,

Thanks for the vlogs much appreciated!! I admire your philosophy and intentions much!

 I wanted to know what your audio/video setup is for these vlogs. The sound seems very clear as well as the video and sync quality.  I'm sure I can google it, but in a way thats what Im doing except a bonus I get to converse with a real person, possibly....

Thanks much!!

[triathlonSDhsp]

How does he get that chorus like tone? Beautiful stuff.

[napasmith]

Maybe the MTD is more "old school"? Sounds a bit 'further back" than the Fodera usually played.

[Jedmanuel]

Janek, for your next Q&A, your GF is half Cuban, I’m wondering if/how your bass playing has been influence by Latin genres like Salsa, Latin Jazz, Son, Merengue, etc.? Do you or her have any Latin Bass players you admire? Have you guys heard about Cachao or Sal Cuevas? Thanks for your time. Happy Holidays. All the best for Miami.

[bchitnis]

Hey Janek! Big fan of the vlog and your music!
Also, I really find your discipline towards practice and your work ethic very inspiring if not anything more!
Would you have any tips to developing a work ethic as consistent and badass as yours? Is it just the way you are or you developed it along the way?
Thanks in advance! Cheers from India! :)

[natehaiden]

New bass sounds like it has less mid focus and is possibly brighter sounding compared to the last. Is that possibly true?

[Futekihito]

Janek your american elm album its a favorite in the house, its there a vinyl i can purchase ?

Thanks !