how often do you actually use dead notes?

[Fishbrain]

how often do you actually use dead notes? I know they have their place but do they actually come through in a lot of band situations?

[BassChuck]

Sometimes. If the drummer is doing something that is really busy (a current problem in the band) I'll lay off of the dead notes cause they can muddy up the groove. Otherwise they fill spaces nicely in some lines give an interesting change in sound quality.

[Depth_Charge]

I'm not up on my terminology so first I'll clarify that we're talking muting notes with the left hand here, or palm muting with the right when using a pick??

They come come up in a few covers I've played - Fortune Faded (Chilli Peppers), Killing in the Name Of (Rage Against the Machine), Unchain My Heart (Jo Cocker).

Killing is an example where mutes can be used effectively, in this case they slightly change the sound of the verse riff as the vocalist starts singing "Some of those who want forces"

And covers aside, 2 of my own songs (from 8 currently) use them, so I'd say in a quarter of my songs, the dead note is represented

[Fishbrain]

im talkin bout left hand slap and about plucking with your right hand when you just mute it with your left hand.

[markjazzbassist]

always, couldn't live without them.

[slybass3000]

Always as well.
But they can be subtle!

SB

[ryco]

A lot! Somewheres between sometimes and always

[Fishbrain]

quite interesting! i though most votes were gonna come back slim to none!

[cowsgomoo]

I tend to use left hand dead notes a lot because they allow me to keep my picking hand busy and playing time even if the left hand isn't doing much... it also helps me gauge the lock in with the drums if i'm thrubbing dead notes... I find it adds to the overall band rhythmic texture too...

[cdef]

^^^ Exactly. I use them "all the time", because I'll play a syncopated style even on slower songs, usually with an implied 16ths pulse that drives my fingerpicking, and they are pretty effective in keeping the rhythmic pull going. - Still, as slybass said, they can be subtle.

[Pacman]

Always, always, always!

[chaosMK]

I use them all the time, in hardcore/metal.

You can hear some around 4:10 on in this recording- http://www.unm.edu/~mcliff04/drums/03LB-TheWaste.wma

[bburk]

Originally Posted by lmoh

^^^ Exactly. I use them "all the time", because I'll play a syncopated style even on slower songs, usually with an implied 16ths pulse that drives my fingerpicking, and they are pretty effective in keeping the rhythmic pull going. - Still, as slybass said, they can be subtle.

+1. huge part of my arsenal.

[nad]

Whenever I slap I probably use more ghost notes than actual notes. Fingerstyle playing, my main technique, pretty constantly.

[Ye_olde_dragon]

Originally Posted by cowsgomoo

I tend to use left hand dead notes a lot because they allow me to keep my picking hand busy and playing time even if the left hand isn't doing much... it also helps me gauge the lock in with the drums if i'm thrubbing dead notes... I find it adds to the overall band rhythmic texture too...

^This describes exactly what I would've posted.

[MakiSupaStar]

ALWAYS

[lemur821]

Nearly all the time. They help me keep the groove going.

[Nukes4U]

I use them most when I'm playing alone. I tend to use them less and less the more that's going on. I feel like if I had better rythmic drive, I'd use them more, that's probabley something I should work on.

[Bassist4Life]

I use them everytime I play. I don't say, "I'm going to play a ghost note here." I just use them. I guess it's just part of the way I play. I somtimes throw in ghost notes leading into beat one of the measure.

Joe

[tjh]

not nearly enough ... I play a lot without a drummer and I am all the group has going for beat most of the time ...