Barend Tromp

Barend Tromp is an experimental bass, guitar and sitar player from the Netherlands. He started at an early age as a classical guitar player. Soon he also began playing bass and electric guitar in bands and making his own compositions. He graduated from his Conservatory studies in 1996 and finished his Musical Science studies in Amsterdam three years later. His guitar playing had a big influence on his electric bass style.

He plays chords, strumming, slapping and uses various finger styles. By combining all these techniques he creates his own unique bass style. Sometimes the bass is used more as a solo instrument and other times as an accompanying instrument.

Besides normal 4- string bass and 6-string bass he also loves playing fretless bass. Adventurous players such as Stanley Clarke, John Giblin, Percy Jones, Michael Manring, Les Claypool and Tony Levin had an influence on his bass style.

Listening to old Ravi Shankar records from his grandfather made Barend decide to start playing sitar. It resulted in a long journey learning the instrument and Indian classical music. Barend also lived for six months in India where he had lessons every day. These six months were a real boost for his sitar playing. Barend had lessons from several great sitar players. The last few years he is trying to incorporate Indian classical music in several fusion styles and groups on both bass and sitar. Barend is also a long time writer for the Dutch national printed bass magazine De Bassist.