Ok, here's what you do... light up some of that nag champa (and anything else that smells nice
), sit cross-legged on a comfy pillow, bass in hand.
Now, using only the D and G string play this;
Code:
Simultaneous drone+melody
Right hand = index and middle finger simultaneously
'tapping' D and G - they 'bounce' on the strings
near the neck.
G -7--9--10-12--9--7--2--4--5--4--2h420h2--------
D -0--0--0--0---0--0--0--0--0--0--0----------------
A ---------------------------------------------------
E ---------------------------------------------------
The 2h420h2 is a fast 'trill' thing
a sort of middle-eastern phrase-ender
Alternate drone+melody
Right hand = thumb plucking D
and index and middle playing G
like a classical guitar player.
G ---7---9---10---9---7---2---4---5---4---2h420h2--
D -0---0---0----0---0---0---0---0---0---0-0-----------
A -----------------------------------------------------
E -----------------------------------------------------
all ya gotta do is play around with scales on the G string and constantly hit the open D while you slide around. Let all the notes ring like crazy. Like bells. That way, when you do a trill or other quick part, they really stand out in contrast.
I do this all the time with a my guitar player/collaborator who also plays the bazooki or mandocello (a bass mandolin) that sounds a lot like a sitar. A lot of what we play has that ragga/middle-eastern thing that the drone D while playing scales on G works really well on.
Depending on the intensity, you can rake these drone or use your thumb like a pick - or even use a pick. A pick sounds really good doing this technique.
For E and A I pretty much always use the 7th fret in preference to the 2nd, but I also use the open string for the 'octave down'.
