Sneaky nodes, I hate them loads!

[SharpCat]

So not a secret that I'm just a home enthusiast, with more enthusiasm than actual skill. (I look forward to the day I get good enough to join the mediocre bassists club. )

Fender Player Jazz bass, 2022 model, Delano pickups, 9050Ls. CAR if it matters.

So anyhow, in my practicing, I am playing a note on the A string, at the 4th fret. Play, mute with tip of plucking finger, still hearing quiet ringing, sounds like a harmonic. Oh, darn, not muting other string well again--gotta work on that....nope, all other strings muted well. Huh? So, turns out I was muting the played string right at the back edge of the neck pickup, and I get a slight ringing muting it there. Doh! slightly forward or back, no ringing. I never though about nodes down in the pickup area, but they're there. Guess I need to work on muting the played string as well with the fretting hand.

I'm sure most readers are like "well of course!".

</rant>

 

[eddododo]

These little discoveries are the joy of learning and mastering an instrument. Figuring out how you personally address them ends up defining your play style, sound, and philosophy!

and then of course, we also keep these things in the back of our head as an option to explore and exploit intentionally.

Are you familiar with false/right hand/ pinch harmonics?

 

[SharpCat]

These little discoveries are the joy of learning and mastering an instrument. Figuring out how you personally address them ends up defining your play style, sound, and philosophy!

and then of course, we also keep these things in the back of our head as an option to explore and exploit intentionally.

Are you familiar with false/right hand/ punch harmonics?

I’m not, but I’ll go research them. Thanks for the tip!

 

[eddododo]

I’m not, but I’ll go research them. Thanks for the tip!

Long story short, you use some digit/contact in your right hand to create the same ‘accidental’ harmonic, but while plucking. So by touching the equivalent of the 12th-fret harmonic of whatever fret your left hand is on, you will hear an octave up from that note- this can just be an interesting timbre, or it can be used to extend your upper range. With different kinds of stroke and contact, you can make it less pure a harmonic, and have the fundamental ring a bit too… by using a non-octave harmonic, you can have a bit of a whispy chord! Hello, 4th fret harmonic