"Dead" notes and where to play them

[otis_b_flywheel]

A bit of advice needed please .....
I'm gradually getting to grips with playing dead notes (using a very light touch of the left hand) as an expressive tool. But when I play a dead note, for example, in fifth position, I actually play a harmonic. Does this interfere with what a dead note is supposed to do, or does it just get lost in the racket - sorry music - that we play on the bass?
Thanks
Tim

[SteveO]

I usually play with 2 or more fingers on the left hand to prevent harmonics. Not that I have anything against harmonics, but if I want a harmonic I'l play one, I don't want them appearing at random.

[Pete Academy]

Playing dead notes in a groove is difficult. I started by using them in sixteenth-note bass lines. It might be advisable to play your favourite bass lines and insert the dead notes in between or amongst the actual line.

That's just my opinion.

[thisnameistaken]

Like your first respondent, I tend to use my whole hand to mute the strings if I'm playing muted notes. Or I'll actually stop a note with one finger and use the next finger to mute it, so I am sort-of still playing a tune, just you can't hear the notes, if you see what I mean. I do that more when raking than when playing lots of mute notes on the same string though.

[Wil]

+ 1 on using the whole hand.

[XB26354]

Play slowly at first and make sure that you separate the dead notes from the plucked notes very clearly, as it's one of the best ways to get control (kind of like a drummer going from snare rim clicks to regular snare hits). If you don't use two or more fingers to dampen the string you'll get harmonics anyway. Listen to and watch Francis Rocco Prestia from Tower of Power - he tends to fret notes with the index and middle fingers and apply semi-damping with the third and litte fingers. Hard but very funky! For The Love Of Money by the O'Jays has one of most wicked plucked/damped parts. It's played with a pick - try playing fingerstyle. Most of the damped notes are on the G, 5th and 7th frets so you have to use whole hand dampening or it becomes a mess.

[Wolverinebass]

I tend to only use one finger mainly. If I'm playing my 8 string then I'd use 2 fingers on my left hand just to make sure that I'm not going to make a mess of it. I'm sure that this probably isn't correct technique by any measure, but it works for me. Were I learning to do it again, I'd probably go for the full hand and make more of an effort to get that right as I just couldn't before. Still can't.

The only thing I've used it on recently I've attached and yes this is an 8 string which is rather heavily flanged and overdriven. The relevant bit is after 1 min. Please excuse the slack playing (still doing cut and shut on the arrangement hence the clicks of joins) and sequenced guitar....

[otis_b_flywheel]

Thanks folks, all very helpful
Tim