Harmonics

[Marc PG]

It is obvious that Pastorius expanded to a whole other level the use of natural and artifical harmonics in the electric bass, but I know some bassists used them before him (but just in very little specific moments), like John Entwistle or Paul McCartney.

Was there any other player before Jaco who used them?

 

[AGCurry]

Double bassists have used them for centuries.

 

[SteveCS]

It is obvious that Pastorius expanded to a whole other level the use of natural and artifical harmonics in the electric bass, but I know some bassists used them before him (but just in very little specific moments), like John Entwistle or Paul McCartney.

Was there any other player before Jaco who used them?

I've no doubt there were many hundreds, if not thousands, of folks that were doing stuff with harmonics long before Jaco got the opportunity to present his particular thing to the wider public. Without taking anything away from Jaco, technical discovery, innovation and development is going on all the time but only the few in the public eye - and it's always the same old names - ever get the credit.

 

[MonetBass]

Double bassists have used them for centuries.

Exactly.

 

[StereoPlayer]

Posted just because.
Harmonics chart for bass

 

[Abner]

Double bassists have used them for centuries.

And don't forget the harpists. Like Harpo Marx.

 

[Les Fret]

It is obvious that Pastorius expanded to a whole other level the use of natural and artifical harmonics in the electric bass, but I know some bassists used them before him (but just in very little specific moments), like John Entwistle or Paul McCartney.

Was there any other player before Jaco who used them?

It is not that it was never been done before. It was the way it was presented that made an impact. Never before was it used on electric bass to the extend as in Portrait of Tracy amongst other. That made a lasting impression on bass players ever since.

Listening back to some later recordings now I think he sometimes overused it and it became some sort of trick after a while. But still a very nice one.

 

[StereoPlayer]

It is not that it was never been done before. It was the way it was presented that made an impact. Never before was it used on electric bass to the extend as in Portrait of Tracy amongst other. That made a lasting impression on bass players ever since.

Listening back to some later recordings now I think he sometimes overused it and it became some sort of trick after a while. But still a very nice one.

Agreed. I’ve some members get tired of me using harmonics. Especially the sliding harmonic on my fretless.