harmonic slide

cocas · #1 06-18-2007, 10:50 AM

is it possible?? I think I saw wooten and steve bailey bailey done it
but I thought it was impossible.. no?

I think wooten does it in the amazing grace part a few times:
http://youtube.com/watch?v=mz7zrkGDBFQ

Dave Martin · #2 06-18-2007, 11:41 AM

It's not hard - just hit the harmonic, then lightly push down on the string (at the spot where you hit the harmonic. The harmonic note should still be ringing. Then, move your finger....

I'll usually only slide a step or two - for instance, a nice way to accentuate a D chord is to hit the 7th fret harmonics on the G, D and A string (which should give you a D, an A and an E note), then press down on the A string, then slide it up to an an F sharp. Simple and a cool sound...

Kalyptic · #3 06-20-2007, 04:44 AM

Steve Bailey does it with artificial harmonics, he moves both the left and right hand so well in unison that it wont throw out the harmonic.

Fishbrain · #4 06-20-2007, 05:44 AM

i'v done it but its easier on a fretless

Linkert · #5 06-20-2007, 06:12 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Fishbrain

i'v done it but its easier on a fretless

You know thats just a myth?
Frets or no frets, they have nothing to do with harmonics.
On a unlined fretless its harder becouse you cant see exaktly where to put your finger for the harmonic but on a lined or a freted bass you can see exaktly where to put your finger.

Dont you see how stupid that myth is? Frets have no connection to the strings if you dont play normal notes...

If you find it easyer on the fretless bass its possibly becouse of difrent scale length or the pickups..

Fishbrain · #6 06-20-2007, 06:26 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Linkert

You know thats just a myth?
Frets or no frets, they have nothing to do with harmonics.
On a unlined fretless its harder becouse you cant see exaktly where to put your finger for the harmonic but on a lined or a freted bass you can see exaktly where to put your finger.

Dont you see how stupid that myth is? Frets have no connection to the strings if you dont play normal notes...

If you find it easyer on the fretless bass its possibly becouse of difrent scale length or the pickups..

as far as i know the scale was the same, i could still do it on a fretted bass but only a semi tone or so, on a fretless i could do it considerabely more. i don't think its a myth, the problem i find with fretted basses is that when i have press on the string to slide it, if i catch a fret it kills the note.

Linkert · #7 06-20-2007, 06:43 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Fishbrain

as far as i know the scale was the same, i could still do it on a fretted bass but only a semi tone or so, on a fretless i could do it considerabely more. i don't think its a myth, the problem i find with fretted basses is that when i have press on the string to slide it, if i catch a fret it kills the note.

But that has nothing to do with the frets.. Only pickups and scale length...
Dont you see?

Fishbrain · #8 06-20-2007, 06:52 AM

no, i'm saying if when i do it and touch a fret then it stops the note, i dont get that problem on a fretless, a bass with no frets. what does that have to do with pickups and scale length?

**Eric Perry** · #9 06-20-2007, 06:58 AM

For a good, easy to find, example listen to Pearl Jam's Even Flow just before the first verse. It's more prominent on the version of the song used in the video (more raw), and it's really noticeable. He nails a harmonic and ascends the neck. Very cool.

Dave Martin · #10 06-20-2007, 08:24 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Linkert

You know thats just a myth?
Frets or no frets, they have nothing to do with harmonics.
On a unlined fretless its harder becouse you cant see exaktly where to put your finger for the harmonic but on a lined or a freted bass you can see exaktly where to put your finger.

Dont you see how stupid that myth is? Frets have no connection to the strings if you dont play normal notes...

If you find it easyer on the fretless bass its possibly becouse of difrent scale length or the pickups..

Actually, it IS a bit easier to keep the harmonic ringing on a fretless when you're sliding it around, and here's why: every time you slide your finger (the one that's holding the harmonic note) over another fret, there's a discontinuity in the length of string that's vibrating. the possibility of losing the harmonic note to the fundamental note is present. With a fretless, you're smoothly shortening the length of the vibrating string without the discontinuity of the fret bump; it's easier to keep the harmonic ringing while sliding a 5th, a 6th, or even an octave without having the fundamental overpower the harmonic.

As example, if I play a 12th fret harmonic on the A sting, then slide up from the open string to the 12th fret, by the time I get to the 12th fret, the note that sounds it usually the fundamental (that is the pitch I would get by plucking the string while holding the 12th fret). Not that this isn't useful in and of itself, since I can play a note, have the sound of sliding up an octave, and finish on the same note (kind of an MC Escherish moment...). On my fretless, when I do the same thing, the note the sounds at the end of the slide is an octave higher than the one I started the slide with.

Does that makes sense (this is another one of those things that's MUCH easier to show that it is to write about...)

Happynoj · #11 06-20-2007, 08:53 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Linkert

You know thats just a myth?
Frets or no frets, they have nothing to do with harmonics.
On a unlined fretless its harder becouse you cant see exaktly where to put your finger for the harmonic but on a lined or a freted bass you can see exaktly where to put your finger.

Dont you see how stupid that myth is? Frets have no connection to the strings if you dont play normal notes...

If you find it easyer on the fretless bass its possibly becouse of difrent scale length or the pickups..

It is easier on a fretless if you are doing a false harmonic...

Fishbrain · #12 06-20-2007, 09:26 AM

so there

hehehe

the JT · #13 10-08-2007, 06:53 PM

Wait. i still dont get it.

how exactly do you run the finger along the string without muting the harmonic?

Chad.mundt · #14 10-08-2007, 06:59 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Kalyptic

Steve Bailey does it with artificial harmonics, he moves both the left and right hand so well in unison that it wont throw out the harmonic.

What?? No way. I gotta see that! That is about the damn hardest technique I can think of, with the possible exception of certain dual node harmonics.

Darkstrike · #15 10-08-2007, 07:17 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by the JT

Wait. i still dont get it.

how exactly do you run the finger along the string without muting the harmonic?

Hit a harmonic, quickly press it to the fingerboard and slide, just try it, as said before easier to show than explain.

rbrown13 · #16 10-08-2007, 07:21 PM

yep, Bailey does it by plucking with his pinkie and nodes out the string with his index finger.

mutedeity · #17 10-08-2007, 07:38 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Linkert

You know thats just a myth?
Frets or no frets, they have nothing to do with harmonics.
On a unlined fretless its harder becouse you cant see exaktly where to put your finger for the harmonic but on a lined or a freted bass you can see exaktly where to put your finger.

Dont you see how stupid that myth is? Frets have no connection to the strings if you dont play normal notes...

If you find it easyer on the fretless bass its possibly becouse of difrent scale length or the pickups..

I hate to have to say it, but I don't think you really know what you are talking about.

Sliding a harmonic is a lot easier to do on fretless because the smooth surface allows for a continuous application of string to surface as the note moves. On a fretted instrument the transition from fret to fret means that the string is applied incrementally to each fret as the string is shortened or lengthened. This in turn means that the string is physically hitting the fret slightly each time which in turn intones more of the fundamentals.

Scale length and pickups have nothing at all to do with it. We aren't talking about where you play a harmonic, we are talking about actually changing the pitch of a harmonic once it has been produced. Trust me too, I am talking about this from experience, since I know how to play slide harmonics on both fretted and fretless. Fretless will definitely give you a more controlled and more easily played application of this technique.

By the way this technique is far from uncommon, and can definitely be done on either fretted or fretless. As mentioned above though playing it on a fretted bass is more difficult and has a more limited application. I have spoken about this in other threads too.

shostkontrabass · #18 10-08-2007, 08:11 PM

mutedeity has it right, while there is no difference in playing single harmonics on fretted or fretless (for instance, you can play Portrait of Tracy on either), the smooth surface of the fretless fingerboard is a lot better for the harmonic slides because you don't have to go over the "speed bumps."

the JT · #19 10-09-2007, 03:54 AM

Thanks darkstrike.
HOLY CRAP that is hard to do. My harmonic just instantly goes muted. seems impossible. Can anyone besides Vic Wooten and Steve Bailey do it? any TBers that have worked it out?

The BurgerMeister · #20 10-09-2007, 04:09 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by the JT

Thanks darkstrike.
HOLY CRAP that is hard to do. My harmonic just instantly goes muted. seems impossible. Can anyone besides Vic Wooten and Steve Bailey do it? any TBers that have worked it out?

Quote:

Originally Posted by mutedeity

...I know how to play slide harmonics on both fretted and fretless....
...this technique is far from uncommon, and can definitely be done on either fretted or fretless.