Are quartertones usefull?

Fret-less Six · #1 10-26-2004, 11:32 PM

I was thinking about this today...I primarily play a fretless and I was wondering if there are certain modes, scales, chords etc, that I can use quarter tones with? Does anyone know anything about this?

James Hart · #2 10-26-2004, 11:40 PM

as a fretless 6 player... sure I know of them.

I call them Clams

but yeah, like bends and vibrato... they lend an expresive element

Tim__x · #3 10-27-2004, 12:09 AM

According to This thread in DB, you can play Gypsy music.

the ombudsman · #4 10-27-2004, 07:23 AM

I think Arabic music uses lots of quarter-tones. Can someone confirm this?

Floating teetH · #5 10-27-2004, 06:06 PM

I remember reading something about "between" notes in eastern music.

At first I thought you were asking about quarter notes....

velvetkevorkian · #6 10-28-2004, 07:03 AM

as far as i understand it, microtones are only really used in western music in pretty avant garde classical- they don't correspond with our normal scales. however, as the ombudsman says, arabic and indian music use 'em, but in a different theoretical framework.
i say go for it though, and let us know if you come up with anything!
Kyle

Bruce Lindfield · #7 10-28-2004, 10:49 AM

You could always do a cover of :

"These Boots are made for Walking"

velvetkevorkian · #8 10-29-2004, 08:15 AM

*zoooom*
(sound of that joke going straight over my head)

chrismmc · #9 10-29-2004, 06:17 PM

...at least I got Bruce's joke...

Eastern music uses a 24 note system,as we on the west side of the Atlantic use a 12 note system...thus why eastern music sounds out-of-tune to our ears.Many moden day guitar players use quarter tones in solos-like Hendrix-but mainly for effect...the only scale I have heard of,that would be a good start,is the chromatic scale-24 notes between each octave.That may be the best way to get your ears in tune to it...but don't be suprised if people listening don't quite get it...

Aaron Saunders · #10 10-29-2004, 08:10 PM

You can do some weird eastern kind of music using weird half-tones, even. Try these: H-m3rd-H-W-H-m3rd-H, or H-m3rd-W-W-H-m3rd-H

(H is half tone, m3rd is a minor third, and W is a whole tone).

I try to avoid microtones, personally. To most people, including other fretless bassers, they just sound like bum notes.

JimK · #11 10-29-2004, 08:29 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by chrismmc

...at least I got Bruce's joke...

Me, too.

jenderfazz · #12 10-29-2004, 10:07 PM

Govithoy, my bass teacher taught be that scale last year. It's very cool sounding.

Joe P · #13 11-03-2004, 11:42 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by velvetkevorkian

*zoooom*
(sound of that joke going straight over my head)

Anyone who listens to that song (the original radio hit), and still doesn't get it, should stay away from a fretless!

I often give a little intentional 'stretch' to minor thirds and fourths - I don't know if it's a Q-tone, but at those times it sounds more 'in-tune' to me sharpened a bit. Make any sense theory-wise?

Joe

elros · #14 11-03-2004, 11:46 AM

I seem to remember hearing a horn player (probably Miles Davis) using quarter tones in some jazz tune... it sounded wonderful! It was like "Wow that was beautiful! What tone was that?!?"

Elliott · #15 11-03-2004, 12:12 PM

Try this: Hit a harmonic (the octave for instance) and then, on another string, play the same note, but a quarter tone (or less) sharp or flat - If the two notes are balanced, you can get a beating sound sound that is pretty cool, especially if you slooowly bring the two notes into unison. Great resolution. On a fretted bass, just pull the fretted note slightly to get the effect.

On the fretless, if you have long fingers or a short neck, play a note (say, F# way up on the G string) with your index finger and play the same note on the D string with your pinky. Pluck both strings together - make one a little out of tune (not quite a quarter tone) and it sounds like a chorus or flanger. Move you whole hand up and down the neck and you look just plain weird, but the sound is unique.

mattmcnewf · #16 11-03-2004, 01:41 PM

should't it soound pretty bad no matter how use to it u get.

Joe P · #17 11-03-2004, 03:55 PM

So who here is going to be first to order a custom bass with quarter note fret spacing? - yeah, the 48-fret model.

Joe

Bruce Lindfield · #18 11-04-2004, 03:09 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by elros

I seem to remember hearing a horn player (probably Miles Davis) using quarter tones in some jazz tune... it sounded wonderful! It was like "Wow that was beautiful! What tone was that?!?"

I've seen the horn player/composer : Gilad Atzmon, do this kind of thing. So - he included a female Palestinian singer in his extended Jazz group and he explained how the traditional Palestinian singing does include microtones. So, at one point he was playing soprano sax and duetting with her - she would sing a traditional microtonal song and then he would improvise a sax line based around that.

Ozzyman · #19 11-04-2004, 04:06 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Joe P

So who here is going to be first to order a custom bass with quarter note fret spacing? - yeah, the 48-fret model.

Joe

hmmm... that actually sounds like a good idea. Maybe only for Jazz or funk tho.
You would never NEED to use those frets but you've got them

Joe P · #20 11-04-2004, 11:58 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Ozzyman

hmmm... that actually sounds like a good idea. Maybe only for Jazz or funk tho.
You would never NEED to use those frets but you've got them

I think you'd have to run the action pretty high though, wouldn't you? The frets would be so close together that the plucked string would always want to buzz against the fret that's just above the one that's fretted, right?

Joe