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String theory?
- Thread starter CaribooBass
- Start date
I play open notes a lot. To me, it's just another color in the paintbox. Sometimes, when I'm looking for a way to break out of a rut, I'll specifically try to incorporate open notes into lines that are typically played with only stopped notes. Also, I love dropping that open E like a bomb in certain situations.
It's an available tool in your box. Use it.
- Not depending on open strings gives you a huge advantage for transposing, especially with a 5- or 6-string
- A lot of guitar rock songs have riffs based around open strings with pull-offs and such. If that's the kind of music you're playing, it would be silly to avoid open strings
I do avoid using it as if it sounds the same as fretted notes, like if it’s in the middle of a scalar run or something where you don’t want random notes accented by a change in tone.
I don’t avoid them as a general rule of thumb, but rather I make use of them as a subtle but distinct sound, or I use them where the change in tone isn’t noticeable because of the lack of context. One thing I use somewhat often is to integrate a non-muted open string in a complex slap riff, which gives an interesting kind of 3D or almost phased sound just because there’s a combination of different tones.
As a rule, I think it’s foolish to avoid usable parts of your instrument as a rule. You may have things you don’t like the sound of or things you don’t find suit your taste, but to avoid them because someone says they’re against the rules is goofy
When I'm recording, I'll favour open strings because I think that they sound a bit better. When performing or jamming, I'll go with whatever ends up being easiest to play - I'd rather it sound a little worse and minimize the chances of a shag up.
Good Gawd! I love how we get saw caught up in things that probably ZERO people listening would know, let alone care.
Do what you do, open, fretted, as long as the bass is singing, grooving, thumping, I don’t care.
I don’t play fretless basses and I just play what I want wherever I am on the neck that gives me what I’m wanting. A lot of times utilizing an open string note in a bass walk line sounds very interesting and should not be overlooked.
I tend towards playing in higher positions - for the bigger tone that comes with that, so I often play the fifth fret one string over in preference to the open string, but I don't view it as a "rule" - sometimes the open string works better, or sometimes I want the hammer on that comes from using an open string as a grace note to a note played higher up on the same string.
And, of course, a low B (which is glorious through the right rig) is only available as an open string, and I play those as often as appropriate (and maybe a few times here and there even when it isn't)
And, of course, a low B (which is glorious through the right rig) is only available as an open string, and I play those as often as appropriate (and maybe a few times here and there even when it isn't)
Ric5
Inactive
- Jan 29, 2008
- 29,772
- 30,452
- Disclosures
- I like 5, 8, 10, and 12 string basses
The old school method I was taught was to never play open strings, I was also taught to thumb pluck and use the tug bar ... I moved on from that ... now I use all my frets up and down the neck and all of my open strings
Anyone who says open strings are to be avoided on a fretted bass doesn't know James Jamerson.
Being able to play open strings requires the same 'technique' used to play fretted notes - practice 
Practicing scales properly also involves using the open strings and making those notes conform to the fretted notes output.
I have two progressions I use for finishing set ups on bass guitars, a stock 50's/rockabilly 12 bar blues in GM (all fretted), and an Em shuffle that rides on a root/7 chord at A7, using the open E as a polyphonic drone the way you might on acoustic guitar. Because I am tweaking action and pickup/pole height I am going for clean just as much on the open E as I am for the fretted notes. I am not averse to using the other strings open either, depending on how that fits into the mix.
Practicing scales properly also involves using the open strings and making those notes conform to the fretted notes output.
I have two progressions I use for finishing set ups on bass guitars, a stock 50's/rockabilly 12 bar blues in GM (all fretted), and an Em shuffle that rides on a root/7 chord at A7, using the open E as a polyphonic drone the way you might on acoustic guitar. Because I am tweaking action and pickup/pole height I am going for clean just as much on the open E as I am for the fretted notes. I am not averse to using the other strings open either, depending on how that fits into the mix.
I use open strings. It gives the tone a different timbre if that is the right word I am looking for. A good example is "Into the Void" by Black Sabbath. If the beginning of that was played without open strings you would be playing in the 5th position and it would make that glorious low intro sound all uptight. Just my 2 cents.
One of these days Google will index this post out of context. You have just cursed an entire generation of bassists.
LOL - yeah probably........I could swear it was Jaco. I also remember other various Jaco-isms from other articles such as (paraphrasing) "Playing the blues in F is weird", that 'nobody composes, everyone steals' and how Jimmy Blanton was a god amongst mortals........If anything, I remember those articles in an Alternate Reality ( or Realities)
