Using ebow on bass.

[badboy1984]

I've got a ebow today from a bc member. I find it hard to get the ebow effect. Sometimes it works and sometimes i struggle to get a sound. I'm sure is my technique problem. I like to use it on my fretless but does the ebow works on black nylon strings?

[BassBus]

It's like everything to do with playing, practice. Keep trying and you'll get there. I find it works best for me if I hold the very edge of the ebow against my fingers and set it on the neighbouring string. Then rotate it in to the string you want to trigger. Do it gently until you get that tone. This what takes practice.

[BassBus]

http://youtu.be/P-3ke4zZXUU

http://youtu.be/ib7F30pSiAE

Edited December 22, 2014 by BassBus

[alyctes]

Do the black nylon strings work on a bass with magnetic pickups? If they do, the ebow should work with them. But it might be a bit muffled because the coating might damp the string core somewhat.

[SingleMalt]

I think using really light strings should help. The problem with using regular strings is that they are so much bigger than guitar strings so it takes quite a bit more to get them moving. I hear about people manually starting the vibrations with some kind of hammer on technique.

I know Michael Manring actually uses piccolo strings at something like 20 - 52.

[badboy1984]

I find the ebow works better on my D and G strings. Maybe I should focus on using it on a single string like the G strings and use that effectively.

[rungles]

Ebow always makes me think of Big Country and my first ever live gig.

[thebassist]

I use an EBow with my 6-string Jazz Bass and tend to use it more on the high C but, as others have said, its practise that'll get you there.

[ambient]

I use one a lot, listen to my bandcamp and soundcloud pages. It'll work on any string, not just the high ones, and any gauge, I use 125 to 30 flat wounds.

It's all down to practice.

Make sure the eBow isn't touching the string at all, if you're not getting it to work it could just be that.

Just stick with it and you'll soon be making some very cool and unbass like sounds 🎅.

[ambient]

Also check which way you have the little switch set, with the eBow point along the fretboard, the little switch ideally should be switched upwards towards you. Switched downwards toward the door it does weirdness, I sometimes use that setting for very high pitched sounds.

[badboy1984]

I'm still trying hard to practice the use of ebow lol.

Is hit and miss for me at the moment. I maybe pointing the ebow abit too close to the string.