Open Strings

[norvegicusbass]

Dont know why it is but playing a tune with a lot of open strings really kicks my arse. Its like I need to be fretting a note or otherwise I mess up. Its bloody frustrating as I love the sound of the open strings ala James Jamerson but whenever I play I sort of transpose it so I am fretting the notes ( all but the E obviously ). Why do you think I struggle with open strings?

[Truckstop]

Open strings have a different tension to fretted strings so there's a physical obstacle there. There are also tonal differences between a fretted A and an open A (for example) and sometimes an open A wont give you the tone you expect so there's an auditory obstacle too!

Try plucking the strings nearer the bridge and try to play a little lighter. That should help to achieve a more consistent tone between the two and also should have tighter, controlled feel.

Otherwise all you can do is try to identify what it is about open strings you dont like and then find a way to overcome it. That's what practice is for!

Truckstop

Edited May 9, 2013 by Truckstop

[SpaceChick]

I feel your pain, I will always opt for a fret 5 E string A over the open string if I can help it.

However, I have some songs where you really need to play open strings for the groove to work (Floyd - Wish you were here, is a classic example). The more you play open strings the easier it becomes!

Good luck

[stevie]

I use open strings all the time. They are different because you have to damp them in a different way to stop them ringing too long - you can't just lift your finger off the fret.

[tonyquipment]

Sometimes it is easier to play an open A rather than a fretted one... Like when I am doing Ds and A walks etc

Depends really whether I require to fret the note to make the run to the next note easier, most of the time I'm lazy and have sloppy playing... Might use open notes or fretted ones...

[Hobbayne]

Norvegicus eh? JJ Burnell uses an open A string on the track 'Sometimes' from Rattus Norvegicus. He then hammers on the C and plays D & E all on the A string. Give it a go, its a good technique to master.

[Lowender]

Open strings take you out of the "position" that works throughout the neck. I'd recommend practicing all the scales using open notes. Also, simple walking bass lines in the keys of F, Bb, and C so a 3rd will be an open string.

[risingson]

Most people who struggle with open notes or purposefully avoid using open notes will have muting issues, something you won't struggle with when fretting because you can simply rely on your fretting hand to do all the muting. You can still mute open strings with your fretting hand but it can often be less effective than developing a decent means of fretting with your right hand.

It takes work, Jamerson was excellent at using open strings (whether they were tonal or atonal) as stepping stones in order to get to places, typically playing 'through' an open string and landing on the one below as you often see upright bass players do. This makes a lot of sense as it was his background before he came to electric bass.

You should be able to string passages and scales together with the option of using both fretted and unfretted notes depending on what the situation calls for. Practice out of F major as a means of getting this together to begin with, you have easy access to your major 3rd, major 6rd and your 9th on the A, D and G strings respectively.

Edited May 9, 2013 by risingson

[seashell]

[quote name='Lowender' timestamp='1368136655' post='2073797']
Open strings take you out of the "position" that works throughout the neck. I'd recommend practicing all the scales using open notes. Also, simple walking bass lines in the keys of F, Bb, and C so a 3rd will be an open string.
[/quote]

My bass teacher makes me do this! :-) It's been really helpful. I find it a lot easier now to use open strings or not depending on the song.

[toneknob]

[quote name='norvegicusbass' timestamp='1368131277' post='2073715']
Dont know why it is but playing a tune with a lot of open strings really kicks my arse. Its like I need to be fretting a note or otherwise I mess up. Its bloody frustrating as I love the sound of the open strings ala James Jamerson but whenever I play I sort of transpose it so I am fretting the notes ( all but the E obviously ). Why do you think I struggle with open strings?
[/quote]

Phil Lesh of the Grateful Dead etc recently said "You've gotta have a damn good reason to play an open string on a bass." - not entirely sure why to be honest, I mean look at James Jamerson.

Why is it an arse kicking experience? Is it a string muting problem? If so, check out some string muting exercises, scottsbasslessons.com has one for the floating thumb technique and I'm sure you'll find others if you google around. Also useful is using your ring/pinky and/or the fleshy bit of the palm (does this have a name?) for extra string muting. I use my ring finger a lot for string muting, it's kind of based on Gary Willis' three-finger method.

[Dave Vader]

Need as many open strings as you can get, so your left hand is free for sticking up in the Air, Saxon style.

[Lozz196]

I prefer to use open strings if possible, same sound, but less work.

[seashell]

[quote name='Dave Vader' timestamp='1368180438' post='2074088']
Need as many open strings as you can get, so your left hand is free for sticking up in the Air, Saxon style.


[/quote]

Top answer!

[Telebass]

Never understood that quote from Phil Lesh. Sounds a bit pompous to me...

[Dave Vader]

Phil probably had trouble with Jerry getting stoned and changing keys without telling anyone, if you have no open strings, then you can change key without thinking.

[chris_b]

Learn your fretboard and practice a lot, then open strings won't be a problem.

On the other hand, get a 5 string bass and never have to play an open string again.

[Baxter]

I use open strings as little as possible - With the exception of low E

[norvegicusbass]

Its not a muting issue its more that I mess up lines that have a lot of open strings its as though my left hand feels pissed off at the right playing a note it doesnt participate in.
I have no issues when playing lines where I fret A for example on the E string. Its bizarre really but its a problem that I am working on with the good advice of you kind folk here so thanks for all your replies

[norvegicusbass]

[quote name='Baxter' timestamp='1368197707' post='2074390']
I use open strings as little as possible - With the exception of low E
[/quote]
Why do you choose to do that Baxter?

[JellyKnees]

I've always liked open strings and use them a lot - I don't buy into this attitude that it's somehow 'wrong' to use them. I actually do what I have heard a lot of people on here say Jamerson did, i.e. use them as passing notes, often when the open string isn't even in the key that I'm playing. This is purely an accidental thing though - I'm self taught and I've never studied Jamerson's playing, it's just something that I kind of fell into doing...it just feels natural to me. Technically wrong? Well, who's to say...if it works, go for it I say.

From your last post, it sound like a bit of a co-ordination problem between your 2 hands. As other have suggested, the answer is practice - try and incorporate as many open strings as you can into what you play, once you can do it fluently, you always have the option of not doing it...

[Bilbo]

When you play ANY note on the bass,there are generally two things you can control; when the note starts and when the note stops ( ok, vibrato but put that aside).

When you start playing it is easier to start and stop a fretted note. The are, however, many techniques that allow you to manage an open string. Once these are developed, open strings are no problem. In fact, they may be your best friend.

[EssentialTension]

I can't understand at all why anyone woudln't use open strings. It's four (or five or however many) notes that are easily available in any position.

[Baxter]

[quote name='norvegicusbass' timestamp='1368197769' post='2074392']
Why do you choose to do that Baxter?
[/quote]
Can't say to be sure, its just ended up that way. I just tend to cover the note with a finger rather than let it ring, unless I want to let it sustain. I play mostly kind of 60s vibe stuff on semis with flatwounds so theres always that kind of blunt attack to the basslines. When I play with the soul band, because we have a brass section the songs are all in flat keys to suit them. Sometimes I keep a bass tuned down handy if the set includes songs like Nowhere To Run so I can actually use the low open E (rather than E flat on the A string) because that song really needs it.

Edited May 10, 2013 by Baxter

[Ziphoblat]

I don't think you need a "damn good reason" to play open notes but I can understand what he means. If you choose an open note when that note would just as easily be available to you fretted then it's usually for a reason. Personally my main use for open notes is as pedal notes. I don't mind open E, A or D but I'm not a fan of the sound of the open G.

[chris_b]

If your technique is good then open notes should not be a problem, but if you play by "shapes" then they can be.