Bass harmonics:OK,but what about harmonic glisses?

[E.J. T.N.T.]

Dear Todd and fellow talkbass members.
It has been a couple of years now since the guitar player in my band mentioned that the previous bass player could slide from one harmonic to another.I thought i'd give it a try,but of course it didn't work.Unfortunately i could never find the previous bassist to ask him,so i gave up on the thing.But then i saw this guy on youtube( )and blew my mind away.I tried and tried and tried with no results.Does anyone know how to perform this wonderful technique and offer some pointers?

 

[Todd Johnson]

Dear Todd and fellow talkbass members.
It has been a couple of years now since the guitar player in my band mentioned that the previous bass player could slide from one harmonic to another.I thought i'd give it a try,but of course it didn't work.Unfortunately i could never find the previous bassist to ask him,so i gave up on the thing.But then i saw this guy on youtube( )and blew my mind away.I tried and tried and tried with no results.Does anyone know how to perform this wonderful technique and offer some pointers?

Wow...cool stuff.

The only explanation I can come up with is to play the harmonic...then press it down, then slide it.

I can do it.....never work at it, but I can do it. It sure is a cool effect....Now the secret is to find a "musical" reason to use it in my playing.

Man, I wish I could explain this better for you!!

It would be easy to show you this in person.....

Sorry, I wish I were more help.

Have fun with it.....

 

[()smoke()]

cool find!

 

[E.J. T.N.T.]

Wow...cool stuff.

The only explanation I can come up with is to play the harmonic...then press it down, then slide it.

I can do it.....never work at it, but I can do it. It sure is a cool effect....Now the secret is to find a "musical" reason to use it in my playing.

Man, I wish I could explain this better for you!!

It would be easy to show you this in person.....

Sorry, I wish I were more help.

Have fun with it.....

OK.Would it be possible to post a video then?

 

[Hyperfreak]

OK.Would it be possible to post a video then?

+1. I would love to learn this, and I have no doubt I could apply it to my music.

 

[gnasher1993]

OK.Would it be possible to post a video then?

+2 interesterating....

EDIT: Check this out it shows you how it works...

 

[E.J. T.N.T.]

+2 interesterating....

EDIT: Check this out it shows you how it works...

I have also watched this video and it pretty much revealed how it works,but still thanks and thank you Todd.I actually tried it on a friend's fretless and after some time trying to figure this out it worked wonderfully.However it's a LOT harder on a fretted bass.I tried it on a couple different bass(varying in the number of dead spots across the neck)and also worked but i was only able to move two or three frets away.I also gave it a go after changing to a fresh set of strings.It was a lot clearer but still the dead spots killed the harmonics at some positions.Seriously though, it sounds really cool on the fretless(looking forward trying this on my teacher's custom shop warwick)

 

[Todd Johnson]

I have also watched this video and it pretty much revealed how it works,but still thanks and thank you Todd.I actually tried it on a friend's fretless and after some time trying to figure this out it worked wonderfully.However it's a LOT harder on a fretted bass.I tried it on a couple different bass(varying in the number of dead spots across the neck)and also worked but i was only able to move two or three frets away.I also gave it a go after changing to a fresh set of strings.It was a lot clearer but still the dead spots killed the harmonics at some positions.Seriously though, it sounds really cool on the fretless(looking forward trying this on my teacher's custom shop warwick)

Cool........glad you got the info you needed. Have fun!!!

 

[queevil]

I have also watched this video and it pretty much revealed how it works,but still thanks and thank you Todd.I actually tried it on a friend's fretless and after some time trying to figure this out it worked wonderfully.However it's a LOT harder on a fretted bass.I tried it on a couple different bass(varying in the number of dead spots across the neck)and also worked but i was only able to move two or three frets away.I also gave it a go after changing to a fresh set of strings.It was a lot clearer but still the dead spots killed the harmonics at some positions.Seriously though, it sounds really cool on the fretless(looking forward trying this on my teacher's custom shop warwick)

Yep. I do it all the time on my fretless and it's pretty easy if you use the correct amount of pressure with the finger that you fret the harmonic with. However, I've never tried it on a fretted bass. The louder you're able to make the harmonic sound the father away from it you'll be able to slide in my experience. You are also correct about the dead spots. The 3rd, 5th and 7th fret harmonics on the g and d string are the easiest for me.

 

[DeepGroover]

Just tried it for the first time, and it works. But the harmonic mixes with the normal note very fast, doesn't last long. Works well on the D and G strings, the sound of the regular notes is stronger on the lower strings.

Need practice, as it certainly doesn't sound as clean as the guy on the first video.

I played the harmonics as loud as possible and didn't fret the strings too hard, while keeping the same amount of pressure from fretting through sliding.
Once the harmonics ring, I start to slide and fret a bit far off the next fret; almost in between the frets, not as near the other fret as you'd play a regular note).

But it doesn't sound good yet.

 

[DeepGroover]

Sorry, found a better way: play the harmonic as clear as possible, slide on the string without fretting, then hammer on the note (harmonic) you want to play. This way you don't muddy up the sound as much.

 

[Buchada Azeda]

It's really easy to do that on a fretless, but if you're gonna do it on a fretted bass, you'd better have small frets and low action.

 

[Schlyder]

yup, good luck on a fretted bass.
A song you can hear this technique on is "Bella's Lullaby" by Alain Caron.
Recorded with Uzeb.
You can hear him play harmonic glisses up, and down, I'm pretty sure.
Find your own links

 

[DeepGroover]

It's actually fairly easy, but so far I can only make one slide before the harmonics die out.

Way easier on fretless, for sure.

 

[Doodaddy]

The first time I noticed this technique was some time ago when I revisited Vic Wooten's Amazing Grace. He starts a run shortly after 3:00 and ends with a harmonic slide. Interesting technique for sure, but hard to apply in a realistic manner.

 

[Beowulf Kingsle]

Percy Jones used to do a good bit of that in Brand X. I seem to remember some neat double-stop harmonic slides in the solo on Masques.

 

[mkp]

I watched the video and was really amazed. I really wonder how he manages to do that. He is really talented. I am a beginner when it comes to bass and I am sorry to say that I could not give a concrete answer to your question. But I have decided to ask one of my friends who happens to be a professional and I am sure that he will not disappoint us. I will be giving a reply within a week.

 

[lovely77]

Wow!! That was some cool stuff – sure it was pure magic!! Rarely do we see such talented players and I can also that must have been possible after years of endless hours of practice and sheer hard work to master that technique!! I haven’t seen anyone play like that in my life!!

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