Pbmwhitehouse Posted September 24, 2012 Share Posted September 24, 2012 I play finger style bass and have been learning slap bass and I'm having a nightmare getting the ghost mute notes sorted it so hard any tips guys and girls Regard Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Doddy Posted September 24, 2012 Share Posted September 24, 2012 How do you play ghost notes when you play fingerstyle? I don't want to make it sound too simple or condescending,but it's really just a matter of lifting off the note slightly with your left hand and hitting the string. Try fretting a note,(say A on the E string) and play steady crotchets.Then gradually start to lighten the pressure on the note,but still keep in contact with the string.You should find that the note becomes muted. Then it just becomes a matter of being able to do it readily and easily. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Lord Sausage Posted September 24, 2012 Share Posted September 24, 2012 Don't tell him Pike! How dare someone ask for help without being creative, working out for themselves, learning theory, not learning theory, trying to sound like someone else and being condescended too first! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
xilddx Posted September 24, 2012 Share Posted September 24, 2012 [quote name='Doddy' timestamp='1348521744' post='1814841'] How do you play ghost notes when you play fingerstyle? I don't want to make it sound too simple or condescending,but it's really just a matter of lifting off the note slightly with your left hand and hitting the string. Try fretting a note,(say A on the E string) and play steady crotchets.Then gradually start to lighten the pressure on the note,but still keep in contact with the string.You should find that the note becomes muted. Then it just becomes a matter of being able to do it readily and easily. [/quote] But he's slapping isn't he? Not playing finger style. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
paul_5 Posted September 24, 2012 Share Posted September 24, 2012 Don't think, FEEEEEEEEELLLL. I tried getting ghost notes when I was learning to slap and I consciously put a lot of unnecessary effort into it. Then one day I just relaxed and had fun with it and hey presto - I got a ghost note. I then 'backwards engineered' what I had done and realised that the effort that I had been investing to develop a new technique had been causing me to tense the muscles in my wrists and hands. The minute I stopped trying everything just fell into place. Weird. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
xilddx Posted September 24, 2012 Share Posted September 24, 2012 [quote name='paul_5' timestamp='1348523776' post='1814894'] Don't think, FEEEEEEEEELLLL. I tried getting ghost notes when I was learning to slap and I consciously put a lot of unnecessary effort into it. Then one day I just relaxed and had fun with it and hey presto - I got a ghost note. I then 'backwards engineered' what I had done and realised that the effort that I had been investing to develop a new technique had been causing me to tense the muscles in my wrists and hands. [b]The minute I stopped trying everything just fell into place.[/b] Weird. [/quote] That's the way it works innit. I had exactly the same thing with slap. I don't really play slap much, but my mate showed me and he does that double thumb hit thing which I can't do, but I do a four note thing with a ghost that he can't do. It just happens doesn't it Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ScreencastTutor Posted September 24, 2012 Share Posted September 24, 2012 (edited) I struggled a lot with it at first as well. It was just a matter of practicing really slowly until I had it down. Then it all comes naturally with feel. Also MaroloweDK on youtube had some nice videos to practice - he uses his slap like a metronome a lot of the time so he adds in plenty ghost notes (certainly helped me). Also once you have certain techniques down you can add them together really simply, so you only really need to learn once. For example the Mark King left hand slap mutes and some of the triplet variations can be added to other lines a lot of the time. PS. What line are you currently working on? Edited September 24, 2012 by ScreencastTutor Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bertbass Posted September 24, 2012 Share Posted September 24, 2012 OK, I'll be the one to ask the obvious question. What's a ghost note? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mr. Foxen Posted September 24, 2012 Share Posted September 24, 2012 http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WGXGpa458Ig because slapping is drums. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Maude Posted September 24, 2012 Share Posted September 24, 2012 [quote name='bertbass' timestamp='1348524897' post='1814906'] OK, I'll be the one to ask the obvious question. What's a ghost note? [/quote] Don't ask ............... they're scary man! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
paul_5 Posted September 24, 2012 Share Posted September 24, 2012 (edited) [quote name='bertbass' timestamp='1348524897' post='1814906'] OK, I'll be the one to ask the obvious question. What's a ghost note? [/quote] They're sometimes called 'dead notes' too; it's the percussive, non-pitched noise that you get when you either pluck or slap a note that isn't fully fingered (also called left hand muting). Try resting all four fingers on your fretting hand on the strings and then pluck a string, it'll give a non-pitched sound that hasn't got any sustain to it - that's a dead note. Edited September 24, 2012 by paul_5 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
xilddx Posted September 24, 2012 Share Posted September 24, 2012 [quote name='bertbass' timestamp='1348524897' post='1814906'] OK, I'll be the one to ask the obvious question. What's a ghost note? [/quote] If you imagine a normal bass note as a large dog, ghost notes are like the flies on it. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bertbass Posted September 24, 2012 Share Posted September 24, 2012 Oh, I get it. Just a normal damped note but with a new name. Thanks. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ScreencastTutor Posted September 24, 2012 Share Posted September 24, 2012 (edited) [quote name='paul_5' timestamp='1348525323' post='1814915'] They're sometimes called 'dead notes' too; it's the percussive, non-pitched noise that you get when you either pluck or slap a note that isn't fully fingered (also called left hand muting). Try resting all four fingers on your fretting hand on the strings and then pluck a string, it'll give a non-pitched sound that hasn't got any sustain to it - that's a dead note. [/quote] I actually started with slap bass. Now whenever I play fingerstyle I always do the left hand mute. Whereas I see pretty much everyone else just place their right fingers onto the string. Edited September 24, 2012 by ScreencastTutor Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
paul_5 Posted September 24, 2012 Share Posted September 24, 2012 [quote name='Mr. Foxen' timestamp='1348525157' post='1814911'] [media]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WGXGpa458Ig[/media] [/quote] Now there's a fella who LURVES his job! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
redstriper Posted September 24, 2012 Share Posted September 24, 2012 [url="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=j8sLNh8JS08"]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=j8sLNh8JS08[/url] Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Fat Bob Posted September 24, 2012 Share Posted September 24, 2012 mmm....I could be really condescending here and say it's all about first, third and little finger left hand technique....(how many of us play ghost notes with the second finger of the left hand - assuming you are right handed of course) - however, it is horses for courses and experimentation is good... for instance, I actually play ghost notes with my right hand with the little, fourth and third finger tapping on the fretboard in sequence to create a triplet, add in the thumb (right hand) and third finger again (left hand) I get five 'taps'..f**k I must have been bored that night.... Bottom line is don't be afraid to just try stuff....heck, we haven't even talked about plectrum and finger style combined to play ghost notes, include the thumb and we can start talking about James Jamerson and Brian Wilson.....sh+t, I'm even boring myself now..... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
xilddx Posted September 24, 2012 Share Posted September 24, 2012 (edited) I woke up in the middle of the night to hear an interview on the World Service with Larry Graham. He was saying how he just wanted to be a drum kit. He was asked by the interviewer what he thought of all the bassists he's influenced since, like Mark King, Flea, Marcus Miller .. he said it feels gratifying hearing all his bass children Sorry, bit off topic. What is it with the BBC and bassists at the moment? Edited September 24, 2012 by silddx Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Raymondo Posted September 25, 2012 Share Posted September 25, 2012 [quote name='bertbass' timestamp='1348524897' post='1814906'] OK, I'll be the one to ask the obvious question. What's a ghost note? [/quote] when I played in an "originals" band we recorded a demo and after I had finished my part the guy recording us asked me if I meant to play "all those ghost notes?"....I had no idea what he meant so I said "yes"....everything was left as was and that was that...... I still have no idea what they are (even after reading this thread ).....I don't (read CAN'T) play slap and play fingerstyle rock type stuff..... some times ignorance really is bliss Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
daz Posted September 25, 2012 Share Posted September 25, 2012 I find that like anything a s a beginner if I ever put too much thought in to it, that killed it. Like Doddy said at the beginning, if I were you I'd just play quarter notes then start to try to put ghost notes every other note. just try doing that for a good while to a metronome. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
RhysP Posted September 25, 2012 Share Posted September 25, 2012 [quote name='bertbass' timestamp='1348525551' post='1814920'] Oh, I get it. Just a normal damped note but with a new name. Thanks. [/quote] No, that's not right. If you damp a note it will still have pitch, you're just altering its envelope. Ghost notes don't have pitch. They're more of an atonal thump or click used to add rhythmic structure & variety/interest. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Pbmwhitehouse Posted September 25, 2012 Author Share Posted September 25, 2012 Thanks for everyone's input much appreciated Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
steve-bbb Posted September 25, 2012 Share Posted September 25, 2012 [quote name='Pbmwhitehouse' timestamp='1348520543' post='1814809'] I play finger style bass and have been learning slap bass and I'm having a nightmare getting the ghost mute notes sorted it so hard any tips guys and girls Regard [/quote] you wouldnt be using them tony levin funky finger attachments by any chance?? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dave Vader Posted September 25, 2012 Share Posted September 25, 2012 I was once complimented on my ghost notes after a gig I had no idea what they were, I have since looked them up, and have realised that they are notes I have failed to hit properly. I had no idea I was even doing them until i listened back to some stuff. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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