Bahhh stupid Natural harmonics!

[peaveyuser]

well basically I finished learning all of Cliff Burtons pulling teeth, finally. No I'm working out a few things so I get it to sound good (already have to find out how to make the muff and wah sound good on my ****** amp). Technique wise there is one little part before the tapping part thats ticking me off, it's nothing vital but I'd like to finish everything great, it involves natural harmonics, which is a technique that i'm just learning.

Basically this part is whats in my way to finishing the solo.

harm......................................
------- ------------------------
5-----5--5-----5--------------5
------- ------------------------
------- ------------4----4--4---

Problem when I play it is it's way to quiet compared to the tapping and fingerstyle notes being played before and later on, ughhh. I'm really not having such a problem with the notes on the A string but those 4th fret notes on the E string sound like crap and are so quiet. I don't understand what I'm doing wrong either, just barely holding the string and lightly plucking.

[trb6pJM2]

Basses usually have a sweet spot to make harmonics have their full range of sound, that's about 3/4s of the way from the end of the neck to the bridge. find that sweet spot, and it will make the harmonics much louder, generally.

[EADG mx]

bridge pickup
boost high mids
pluck near bridge
compressor
pluck harder



in that order

[JustOpenYourMind]

Also new strings really help harmonics come out, If you have fairly old strings it's going to be hard form them to sound even

[peaveyuser]

Originally Posted by EADG mx

bridge pickup -----not if it will effect the tone for the rest of the solo
boost high mids---same
pluck near bridge--good idea
compressor------don't have one
pluck harder------good idea



in that order

thanks for the help guys I'll try this out soon.

[bassandbeyond]

All the previously mentioned advice, especially about playing close to the bridge, is good. However, you should also be aware that some basses just naturally produce stronger sounding harmonics than other basses, even with old strings. And it's not necessarily always expensive basses or those with fancy hardware that have the strongest harmonics. Kind of a mysterious phenomenon, actually.....