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What's This Bass Technique Called?

C

creativemind

Jan 26, 2021
5
1
#1
Hi All!

Was wondering what the bass technique is called in this video, when the main chord sequence starts on the G to the D, he's doing it on every third pluck.



Is he just plucking the string and muting it with this left hand and it's as simple as that or does it have a name?

At the moment I'm using a midi controller to play bass lines with bass vst patches in a daw, as it's my only option (to my acoustic guitar tracks) and I think what he's doing in that track would be too difficult to emulate synthesis-wise but if anyone had any tips on that matter, I'd appreciate it.

Thanks!
 
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#6
creativemind said:
What, is he not playing it correctly? lol!

You get ghost notes in drums too don't you?

Trying to work out if it would be possible playing it in in a daw. It's doubtful. I could do with buying a cheap 2nd hand bass.
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A drummer's ghost note is basically hitting the snare softly.

And yes, you can record ghost notes. If you're talking about a bass guitar VST, some include ghost note functionality.
 
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#8
JKos said:
There's a difference between a ghost note and dead note. A ghost note has a discernable pitch; a dead note doesn't.
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Ghost note - Wikipedia

In music, a ghost note is a musical note with a rhythmic value, but no discernible pitch when played.

Any lesson I've encountered that lovely thud in place of a rest or a note has been referred to as a ghost note.

He calls them dead notes throughout this video but he's talking about the same thing, and titled it "Ghost Notes Pt1".

 
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#10
JKos said:
A dead note is muted to point it has no discernable pitch. What is "Dead Note"?

Where as a ghost note is a quieter note. What is "Ghost Notes"?

We have wondered into an area where there simply may not be complete agreement.
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I think I'm going to go with Mark from talkingbass.net, Scott Devine from SBL, Joe Santerre who has some lessons on jamplay and is also a part of the Bass department at Berklee, who have all demonstrated and described ghost notes as striking a muted string. Or any lesson material I've personally used anyway. Incl. Hal Leonard books and various DVD's.

Sorry, Sweetwater.

Of course you're more than welcome to disagree, but the closest thing I can think of with a discernable pitch to a ghost note is what's called a muted note, but those aren't limited in duration like a simple thump of a ghost note.

The only sources I'm finding clarifying between ghost note and dead note are you, sweetwater and a response to a question on Quora, you don't answer questions on Quora do you? Though I've found a plethora of sources using the phrases ghost note and dead note to describe the exact same thing. Sticking with my guns. :P
 
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#12
I feel like dead note and ghost note are both names for this and are the same thing.

In fact, I don’t think such notes can be played without pitch. Which fret you are muting the string at matters. If you want zero pitch you use a plucking-hand slap or thump, rather than plucking/sounding with the same technique you use for tonal, fretted and open-string notes while muting with your fretting hand.

In terms of pitch its like the pitch of a drum head. Drums can be tuned, but due to the strong transient and relatively quick decay the pitch can also be considered indeterminate. Ghost notes are similar in that way.

But also I agree with @JKos that this is not universal terminology. It’s a relatively new technique on a relatively young instrument. I am not sure how effective the technique is in un-amplified music.
 
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#14
It’s sometimes called a gggggghost note.

upload_2021-2-10_8-31-6.jpeg
 
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#18
creativemind said:
Hi All!

Was wondering what the bass technique is called in this video, when the main chord sequence starts on the G to the D, he's doing it on every third pluck.



Is he just plucking the string and muting it with this left hand and it's as simple as that or does it have a name?

At the moment I'm using a midi controller to play bass lines with bass vst patches in a daw, as it's my only option (to my acoustic guitar tracks) and I think what he's doing in that track would be too difficult to emulate synthesis-wise but if anyone had any tips on that matter, I'd appreciate it.

Thanks!
Click to expand...

I do that all the time. It sounds cool.
 
#19
creativemind said:
Hi All!

Was wondering what the bass technique is called in this video, when the main chord sequence starts on the G to the D, he's doing it on every third pluck.



Is he just plucking the string and muting it with this left hand and it's as simple as that or does it have a name?

At the moment I'm using a midi controller to play bass lines with bass vst patches in a daw, as it's my only option (to my acoustic guitar tracks) and I think what he's doing in that track would be too difficult to emulate synthesis-wise but if anyone had any tips on that matter, I'd appreciate it.

Thanks!
Click to expand...

"Movin' On" contains a bunch of ghost notes... and they are executed very tastefully!

 

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