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Posted

Over Christmas I tried brushing up on some technique and realised that I'd never really go to grips with playing ghost notes. After 2 practice sessions I still cant play them , it just feels so unnatural to not fully fret the note. Does anyone else struggle with these and are there any tips ?

Posted

Focus on muting with your left hand whenever you're not playing a note, then all you need to do is carry on with your right hand when you'd ordinarily stop. Start with something with a groove, like the line from Another One Bites the Dust. Ordinarily that line would have a lot of gaps, so instead of playing 1/4 notes with your right hand, play 8th notes and try and mute anything that isnt part of the main line with your left hand, rather than focusing on muting individual notes. You right hand can then dictate where the ghost notes sound.

So, where x = a ghost note:

G-|-------------------------------------------|
D-|-------------------------------------------|
A-|-------------------------------------------| x2
E-|---5-3-0-x-0-x-0-x-x-x-0-0-3-0-5-x-x|

Posted

[quote name='thunderbird13' post='1078304' date='Jan 5 2011, 10:11 AM']Over Christmas I tried brushing up on some technique and realised that I'd never really go to grips with playing ghost notes. After 2 practice sessions I still cant play them , it just feels so unnatural to not fully fret the note. Does anyone else struggle with these and are there any tips ?[/quote]


I'd call in that Derek Ancora/ Anorak or whatever his name is. He's good with Ghosties.










Sorry, someone had to do it. :)

Posted

[quote name='thunderbird13' post='1078304' date='Jan 5 2011, 10:11 AM']Over Christmas I tried brushing up on some technique and realised that I'd never really go to grips with playing ghost notes. After 2 practice sessions I still cant play them , it just feels so unnatural to not fully fret the note. Does anyone else struggle with these and are there any tips ?[/quote]

You are not alone, I'm rubbish at ghost notes as well.

I shall be reading any advice with extreme interest

Posted

I suggest practicing a pattern on a single fretted note to start with, alternating full and ghost notes in swung 8s because the swing helps emphasise which notes should be ghosted, da-dum da-dum da-dum etc. with 'da' being the ghost note

One thing to remember is that for a really cleanly muted note you really need fingers on the left hand to mute the string at more than just a single point or you get problems with ringing harmonics. So in the example about I'd fret firmly on the LH index finger for the full note but for the ghost I'd raise this off the fret, keeping it on the string, at the same time as resting my LH ring finger on the string a fret or so up.

Posted

Not something I have though about for a long time. Worth getting to grips with as it really helps. I can imagine it's not easy if new. Good luck.

Posted

It'll come with practice and you'll be glad you put the time in. I love ghost notes and used well can really liven up a bass line.

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