technique for muting the open strings when playing fast octaves

[Diablo]

I decided it would be a good idea to put Hollywood Nights into our setlist. Bass line is easy enough, but it is fast, and full of octaves, which from playing Jamiroquai and stuff does not bother me. However Hollywood nights has an E octave as the main riff, so open E then fret 7 on the A. I only have 4 string basses and I'm finding I cannot mute the open E effectively. It just sounds crap, either carrying on ringing or too much muting. All the other octave stuff I've played has used fingered notes so just lifting off the string does the muting. So - what is the technique/method to get this sounding great, or is it a 5 string job? I did try tuning down half a step on every string and playing the song a semitone up on the fretboard but those 1-3 fret octaves at that speed are a recipe for cramp and injury!

Cheers,
Rich

[HowieBass]

Are you playing this fingerstyle? If so then let your plucking finger come to rest on the E string after you strike the A at the 7th.

[Froggy]

Again, if you're playing fingerstyle you could use your thumb to mute the open e string.

[Truckstop]

Try using a plectrum and use your wrist to mute the strings.

Although I would say that it's riffs like this that make 5-stringers essential for a lot of disco/funk!

Truckstop

[gjones]

The guy playing the bassline in this live video doesn't bother changing key for much of the verse and chorus. And for much of the song he's not playing octaves. And when he does he's pretty sloppy.

[wateroftyne]

[quote name='HowieBass' timestamp='1417370027' post='2619645']
Are you playing this fingerstyle? If so then let your plucking finger come to rest on the E string after you strike the A at the 7th.
[/quote]

That's what I'd do (I had to pick up my bass to fin that out, mind) - nowt to it, really.

[discreet]

[quote name='Truckstop' timestamp='1417371682' post='2619661']
Try using a plectrum and use your wrist to mute the strings.
[/quote]

Or use a pick and palm muting.

[Diablo]

Finger style all the way, I've never got on with a pick. I suppose this is one of those limitations of not having any lessons and no bass players around to sit and jam with, you don't pick up new techniques. I'll try a couple of the suggestions later when I do some practice.

gjones - link missing from your post.

Cheers,
Rich

[Cameronj279]

[quote name='HowieBass' timestamp='1417370027' post='2619645']
Are you playing this fingerstyle? If so then let your plucking finger come to rest on the E string after you strike the A at the 7th.
[/quote]

This.

[JTUK]

Work thru it as it will stand you in good stead at a later point...
but I also fail to see why the track should need or have to have octaves..
and especially if its a struggle
The part needs driving and it gallops... work with a few different ways of playing it
but simple octaves doesn't really drive it anyway..but if you must do that..you could play the
octave at the 12th

[xgsjx]

Get a 5 string & be done with it.

[Diablo]

[quote]Work thru it as it will stand you in good stead at a later point...
but I also fail to see why the track should need or have to have octaves..
and especially if its a struggle
The part needs driving and it gallops... work with a few different ways of playing it
but simple octaves doesn't really drive it anyway..but if you must do that..you could play the
octave at the 12th [/quote]

Some practice tonight and it is sounding better, just need to develop more coordination between RH and LH fingers so I don't end up half a beat off after a few bars!

It seems whoever owns the rights to that song has removed all tabs and dots from the web so there is little good info to go at. The only one I have found is octaves, and from listening to the version I have I'm sure at least a most points in the song octaves are played. Cannot do it at the 12 as there is a run up at the end of each 8 bar section and I cannot jump from the 12th to the 4th fret in half a beat at that speed. Need to stick within finger reach for it all. If you know a better version of the bassline for this song please share :-)

[quote]Get a 5 string & be done with it[/quote]
stop being naughty. I've just bought tickets to the F1 GP in Hungary next year for my son's xmas present. Feeling poor right now. Just got to work out how to get to Hungary now...

[chris_b]

Play open E then E on the A string. Your plucking finger mutes the open E, your left hand mutes the other E when you take the pressure off the note. The run up is C# and D with their octaves on the A and G strings. The Middle 8 is D, A, E.

Forget tab.You gotta work stuff like this out by ear.

And if we're talking about the 1978 live YouTube version([url="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xWQKGZTCRWo"]https://www.youtube....h?v=xWQKGZTCRWo[/url]), the sound quality isn't good but I can hear all the octaves being played just right.

At 2:00 you get about 5 seconds of the bass player. Check him out.

Edited December 1, 2014 by chris_b

[alyctes]

Failing all else, try tuning down a whole tone.

[chris_b]

Do you know what key you'll be playing this in yet?

So far I've played this number in 2 bands, in A and D.

[Norris]

Right hand damping with the plucking fingers would be my choice. You could try left hand thumb over the top

Edit: You could also try using one or more of your spare left hand fingers to damp (a couple of fingers will avoid unwanted harmonics)

Edited December 1, 2014 by Norris

[xgsjx]

That's the first time I've heard that song. I'm surprised Jamiroquai never covered it!

Anyway, Youtube has a video of someone playing the bassline. Hopefully helps on any bits you're not sure on.
Looks like he uses his RH middle finger for muting the low E rumble.

http://youtu.be/GP_wZyNZeIY

[JTUK]

[url="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_D4eUWBAE_A"]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_D4eUWBAE_A[/url]

assuming you are going for E, then you only have to fit 8th notes in..and you can
play the octave from the E on the 7th ( A )...
I don't see what the bottom E really gives you anyway... and simple octaves
should work...depending what everyone else is doing.
As said, you are going to have to work it out in context of the band doing it... as their
patterns might dictate yours.
Forget tab ... it's a busker,


Having said that... octaves were a thing of the 70's 80's anyway... not sure I'd want to go near them with this track
now... that would sort everything anyway..

[FuNkShUi]

[quote name='wateroftyne' timestamp='1417371992' post='2619667']
That's what I'd do (I had to pick up my bass to fin that out, mind) - nowt to it, really.
[/quote]

Yup, that's how i do it too.

[Marvin]

I don't anchor my thumb permanently on the pick up so as I go to pluck the A my thumb has dropped to the E, muting it... my plucking finger, like others have said, will also come to stop on the E.

[HowieBass]

[quote name='Diablo' timestamp='1417388743' post='2619993']
Cannot do it at the 12 as there is a run up at the end of each 8 bar section and I cannot jump from the 12th to the 4th fret in half a beat at that speed. Need to stick within finger reach for it all. If you know a better version of the bassline for this song please share :-)
[/quote]

Another (and probably easier) way to get this is to play the high E on the E string at the 12th fret and when playing the C#, D octave pairs play those at the 9th fret on the E, 11th fret on the D and 10th fret on the E, 12th fret on the D respectively (I use my ring finger to fret the E octave then index finger and little finger for the C#, D pairs).

[Diablo]

[quote]Another (and probably easier) way to get this is to play the high E on the E string at the 12th fret and when playing the C#, D octave pairs play those at the 9th fret on the E, 11th fret on the D and 10th fret on the E, 12th fret on the D respectively (I use my ring finger to fret the E octave then index finger and little finger for the C#, D pairs).[/quote]

Doh! I didn't think of that.... I'll practice all the suggestions and see what works.

[Cherchez la Femme]

I did something similar by wedging a sock/glove (can't remember which!) under the strings by the bridge. It'll look bloody awful onstage, but it worked for me (recording at home, I might add...)

[xgsjx]

[quote name='Cherchez la Femme' timestamp='1417454500' post='2620495']
I did something similar by wedging a sock/glove (can't remember which!) under the strings by the bridge. It'll look bloody awful onstage, but it worked for me (recording at home, I might add...)
[/quote]
A more common thing that looks a good bit better is a sweatband around the neck at the nut.

[Dave_the_bass]

No-one has mentioned hipshot?

Drop D tuning is your friend here as the octaves are on the same fret. No cramp inducing stretches and all muting can be done with either a change of finger angle or spare left hand fingers.