Anyone know any cool bass tricks?

[mikethecannibal]

I remember that, wasn't that back when mtv knida played music a little bit

woah woah woah MTV played music? i thought they were just a bunch of reality shows! but now i know and knowing is half the battle! YOOOOOOOOOOO JOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOE!

 

[spambot772]

my old bass teacher could make 100+ different noises (that sounded like things.... seagulls, laser guns, chimes, piano, old boats, neat stuff....) with an upright bass.

 

[Southpaw5]

My best trick is paying the mortgage with the bass. Didn't always pull it off in the old days.

That my friend, it the trick, did i say trick? dream we all wish to make a reality.

 

[MetalElf]

It would have been pretty cool if more people took this thread seriously. Although the Krist video still puts me in stitches! LOL!

Anyhow, mine is kinda dumb but sounds cool! I fake the "death bell" in "Hallowed Be Thy Name" by Iron Maiden. While playing the open E in the beginning I simultaneously hammer-on (and hold) the high E (double-octave) on the D string! It sounds pretty cool! The harder the "high e" is hammered the better it rings like a bell! For the tabbers:

g--------|
d---14---|
a--------|
e----0---|

 

[Premierbass]

OK, on a serious note, how about Percy Jones and the sliding harmonic:

Bass Exploration of Percy Jones Pt. 1 - YouTube

Start watching at about 5:30 (but do watch the whole thing as well).

It works easiest if you hit the harmonic then *immediately* press the note and slide. Works best on a fretless (actually, I haven't tried it on a fretted). You can slide up or down.

To hear it in a musical context, here's Percy with Brand X in the late 70s:

Brand X - Black Moon - YouTube

Dan

 

[Tampabass]

i know some stupid people tricks. Does that count?

 

[F Clef Groovist]

Marco Rodi -- Undiscovered Color - YouTube

I've posted this on here somewere else before, but I feel it fits here very well.

 

[Psycho]

It would have been pretty cool if more people took this thread seriously. Although the Krist video still puts me in stitches! LOL!

Anyhow, mine is kinda dumb but sounds cool! I fake the "death bell" in "Hallowed Be Thy Name" by Iron Maiden. While playing the open E in the beginning I simultaneously hammer-on (and hold) the high E (double-octave) on the D string! It sounds pretty cool! The harder the "high e" is hammered the better it rings like a bell! For the tabbers:

g--------|
d---14---|
a--------|
e----0---|

Dude, i'm so using this when I get an opportunity to play For Whom the Bell Tolls!

Thanks for the trick!

 

[Stealth]

You can always play your bass with a spoon:

Devetka spoon 6-string bass solo, 9\8 ritm - YouTube

 

[ksandvik]

I would study various African contemporary bass players as they incorporate clever percussion ghost notes in their playing.

 

[hangmanX]

This is a cool slap technique good for beginners

 

[Clef_de_fa]

The starting engine is easy to do with a good distortion and a fretless bass

 

[Russell L]

I would triple stop a chord (like E5 with the bottom E open) and hit the bass body with the heel of my hand. It made a deep, sustaining roar in tune that had no discernible pick attack. When I got real wound up, I'd get on my knees and do this while banging the end of the bass against the stage. I'd only do that with the old Hagstrom I had at the time, though. It was most effective on some of those long, drawn-out endings.

Yep, done that, too. Or just leave all the strings open and drum on the body for a thunder effect.

 

[Bassisticful]

this

 

[Watchootognbout]

When I first started learning to play,I had a flanger,chorus and a delay.
With them on I would turn the bass volume down.Strike a note.Turn up the volume while bending a note.
My version of the Humpback Whale.

 

[Creede]

Not really super weird noises, but if you slide all the way up the E string, then down the A, up D, and down the G (not at the same time) it'll sound pretty weird. Also, if you slide down the whole note scale on one string, bending each note half the distance to the next (half a note), that'll also sound bizzare.