eBow guidelines

[onewebfoot]

Mr. Manring or Mr. Lawson,
If you were to offer a course on using eBows, perhaps eBows 101, what might you add, if anything?
This is a list of what I've found:
1. Light guage strings do indeed help.
2. Effects do help, particularly in harmonic mode.
3. The eBow on bass requires a little additional effort.
4. Mr. Manring has wikipedia coverage with eBows. (grins)

http://www.ebow.com/faq.php
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/EBow
[Invalid or Expired Link Removed]

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Edit - Cannot determine if ebow is discontinued or not, but the website has some great info. Most ebows I can find available online come with a cassette tape instruction, which is a laughably obsolete medium. Most online stores that carry ebow cannot advise if their inventory has the cassette, or the newer mini-CD disc. I strongly suspect that they all pretend like they don't know which medium is included in the package, and have the cassette package in inventory.

Other than basic instruction, which is available online in PDF format at the link below, I have no idea what special effects might enhance ebow performance with bass, but that's part of what makes the artist, I suppose.

I caught Mr. Manring performing last night with the Gyan Riley Trio in San Francisco, that was spectacular (as always). Unless he wishes to speak to effects sooner or later, or convey that information in online lessons, beyond what he shares on his Thonk DVD, this is likely it from me on this topic. Delete thread as desired.

http://www.ebow.com/EBowPlayersGuide.pdf
Thanks. I'll keep with it.

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12/29 Edit: For those learning this effect, here's an additional shopper's note: EbowPlus is version 4.0 of the ebow, and is the only ebow I've ever seen used or available (to my knowledge).

More relevant, the older packaging with cassette tape will say "cassette lesson included" on the cover of the box. If the box has the mini-CD instruction instead, there will be no such statement on the cover, and the box is more square in its dimensions. In fairness to retailers who still carry EbowPlus (version 4.0 by definition), MusiciansFriend.com appears to be such a retailer (that carries the eBow with CD instruction instead of cassette). That's it.

 

[ninefingerbass]

I found amazing results using the Ebow, I have a youtube video, check my homepage. I used it on their and it worked amazingly. Trying to create unique sounds is fun and being creative and wowing others is also fun because people I surround myself with do not know about the electric bass as a solo instrument. So the fact that I use something that is meant for a guitar, create rich, pulsing sounds that pierce through air like an arrow, and just playing something other than root notes, just amazes everyone. This is just a response to the amazing use of an EBow.

For the record I find that the EBow can be very pricey and hard to look for. I found one in a local music store and they guy said it was rare that anyone even knew about it, much less know how to use it. I'm no pro but I got some practice years back from a friend who introduced me. The EBow is awesome!!! Love you work Mr. Manring.

By the way thanks for talking to me on the phone that Saturday when you were at Bass San Diego. I am the one on deployment.

 

[onewebfoot]

For general awareness, see this newer ebow thread where others take over... (very cool).

http://www.talkbass.com/forum/showthread.php?t=613285

 

[Michael Manring]

Thanks for your comments, guys! And thanks for being out there on deployment, ninefingerbass. That's what my dad did and I know how tough it must be.

Regarding your guidelines for using the Ebow, onewebfoot, I agree that light gauge strings are easier to activate, but in my experience the variation is relatively small. I'd say for instance, that my E string responds something like 7 percent slower than my G string so it really isn't much of an issue. I have yet to find a gauge of standard bass string that didn't seem to me to work well with the Ebow, even the fattest B strings I've tried.

I often like to to use a bit of reverb and/or chorus with the Ebow but I don't feel the use of effects has any influence on its basic function.

In my experience, the main issue with the Ebow is alignment. It's a very sensitive device and any variation in how it's aligned to the string will have an effect on its response and in fact, that's what makes it so appealing. If and when I'm asked to give instruction in using the Ebow, that's what I focus on. I don't find it necessary to tap the string to the fingerboard to get it vibrating a bit first before bringing in the Ebow as folks sometimes suggest, but this can be a useful technique if you need an especially fast response.

I wouldn't say the Ebow is difficult to use, but it does require a lot of attention and sensitivity to what's going on. Once you get the hang of it, it really is a lot of fun!