Ghost notes

[JacosTacos]

Any good ghost note exercises? I'm having big trouble with ghost notes for some reason...I'm used to palm muting on six string I guess. Just looking for any tips to improve technique, thanks guys

[Jazz Ad]

As a starter, a good song to practice ghost notes. It's pretty simple but filled with them.
Henry, serial killer - No one is innocent HQ - YouTube

[JacosTacos]

Thanks that's a cool song dude. Workin on it right now

[sammyp]

the bass line to duran duran's Rio!

[ppal]

play scales with every other note a 'Ghost Note'...another words play a note, then a ghost note on that same string, then the next note in the scale.

[21niko21]

Originally Posted by sammyp

the bass line to duran duran's Rio!

Ahhhh, sammy beat me to it.

[sammyp]

Originally Posted by 21niko21

Ahhhh, sammy beat me to it.

Doesn't hurt to drive the point home though lol!

[sammyp]

There is a good exercise in alexis sklarevski's MI curriculum book ......take the basic walking blues arpeggio in G ......You play g as an 8th note then ghost on two 16th notes .....that's beat one.....on beat two you do the same on the B note.....then d.....e....f and back down the arpeggio

So its 1 + a, 2 + a etc with the ghost notes on + a

[schmig]

I've been working on Alain Caron's "P.A.C. Man" for a few weeks. Have sheet music so I'm trying to play it exactly. Finding it hard, but improving. Starting at very slow tempo, away from any backing tracks, seems to help. The "evolution" which I'm having to experience is that of keeping the right hand playing steady 16ths no matter what the apparent rhythm of the music.

I figure if I manage to do it, I'll be reasonably OK at playing ghost notes.

[Skitch it!]

I tend to play most ghost notes using left hand muting, basically a flatter left hand shape keeping the flats of the fingers in contact with the strings. One thing I would say is to practice playing ghost notes to have the same volume/intensity and attack as your fretted notes. I find I have to use a little more picking force so they don't get lost in a band setting depending on whats going on.

Those are good exercises above posted by the chaps here.

[sammyp]

Originally Posted by schmig

I've been working on Alain Caron's "P.A.C. Man" for a few weeks. Have sheet music so I'm trying to play it exactly. Finding it hard, but improving. Starting at very slow tempo, away from any backing tracks, seems to help. The "evolution" which I'm having to experience is that of keeping the right hand playing steady 16ths no matter what the apparent rhythm of the music.

I figure if I manage to do it, I'll be reasonably OK at playing ghost notes.

great tune and groove ....where'd you get the tab ...i'd like to learn that myself ...i can get it by ear but if the tabs good i'd take the easy way out on it!

[onosson]

Interesting - I've been playing for a couple decades but I've only ever heard the term "ghost notes" in reference to drumming. What's the definition of a ghost note on bass ?

[sammyp]

a ghost note or percussive note ....when you pluck a string but don't have a note fretted or depressed ...often a 16th note pecussive note before playing an actual fretted note ....it's like a drummer doing a quick double kick where the first note is light and the 2nd is accented or a guitar player striking the strings of a chord but with the fret hand lifted up so not real note is played......

they are usually notated in tab with an X or a note is brackets ....

they help give bass lines motion and some funk!

[onosson]

Thanks - I use them all the time, in fact, I'd just never heard the term in reference to stringed instruments before.

[Tupac]

Originally Posted by onosson

Interesting - I've been playing for a couple decades but I've only ever heard the term "ghost notes" in reference to drumming. What's the definition of a ghost note on bass ?

I was thinking the exact same thing. Upon reading more of the thread, it appears he means dead notes. I've never heard them called ghost notes before.

[JehuJava]

I liked the book Muted Grooves for Bass. Lots of ghost notes lines and exercises.

[sammyp]

Originally Posted by onosson

Thanks - I use them all the time, in fact, I'd just never heard the term in reference to stringed instruments before.

figured you did! ...yeah dead notes ...that works too!