Songs to practice quick ghost notes?

[guitarflinger]

You're the One That I Want

from Grease

 

[Bar Band Bassman]

This is a little different approach. My stepson sent this to me:


BBB

 

[Les Fret]

This is a little different approach. My stepson sent this to me:


BBB

I didn’t see any ghost notes in there.

 

[Bar Band Bassman]

I didn’t see any ghost notes in there.

I guess I count all the percussive right thumbing without fretting specific pitches a sort of ghost note thing. Maybe not.

BBB

 

[Exophysical]

The basic trick to make the ghost note sound good is to play the muted tone louder than the sounding notes, to achieve a consistent dynamic. To do that, your finger needs time enough to perform a good pluck. It's hard to do on those 16th funky lines, usually the ghost note is just before the beat, and several finger actions need to be performed at the same time. You need to plan your plucking 'fingering'.
Often, if you feel you can't do it right, the help is to clean your plucking technique, and the ghost notes will get better as well. I would recommend Ed Friedland's Hal Leonard Bass Method, even for experienced player. It is surprising how rewarding it is to reconsider your technique piece by piece from the very start.

Thanks for that, I'll try to pay attention to those details in the future. Its not that I CANT do somewhat quick ghost notes acceptably well, its that I've recently noticed that I find it tough to do spontaniously. I usually do it much like a slap pluck or double pluck, substituting a much less aggressive hit/ pluck. IMO its an easy way to create the perception of speed, as well as some cool "bounce" as the actual notes end up landing on off beats. I can do it if I learn or write a bass line, but I have trouble using the technique in a jamming situation or if I'm improvising a fill.

So I'd just like to use the technique enough that it hopefully becomes second nature, and I can just throw it down whenever I'm feeling it.

The suggestions for Big Money and Rio were pretty much spot on, thats the type of run/ groove I want to be able to channel at will. Thanks guys.

 

[EvilJ]

Paul Jackson Sr. I really dig the live stuff with Herbie.

 

[HolmeBass]

What Is Hip by Tower of Power is sort of a made to order example of what you seek.

I came here to post this. A lot of ToP and Rocco Prestia will highlight this type of bass playing.

For a more modern take, check out Joe Dart from Wulfpeck.