Sliding harmonics

[DJpullchord]

Is there a way to play a harmonic and slide up a couple of tones on a fretted bass?

Ta.

[Dad3353]

[quote name='DJpullchord' timestamp='1509485083' post='3399388']
Is there a way to play a harmonic and slide up a couple of tones on a fretted bass?

Ta.
[/quote]

Maybe with a 'shy-slide'..? A wide half-ring, used like a bottle-neck. Country pickers use 'em quite a lot with Telecasters and such. Never seen it done on bass, but don't see why it wouldn't work...
[url="http://www.musiciansfriend.com/accessories/dunlop-shy-slide"]Dunlop Shy Slide ...[/url]

Edited October 31, 2017 by Dad3353

[dannybuoy]

I do it the same way you would on a fretless...?

[fleabag]

Its possible yes, as basically, you dont actually fret the string on a fretless, and you wouldnt touch the fret on a fretted either.

If you have a very low action, its quite hard

But the sound of a sliding harmonic on fretted basses is nowhere near as distinct as a fretless

[TheGreek]

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KSvu5xM_C28

[mcnach]

Play the harmonic, then press string down and slide. On fretless the harmonic 'character' is preserved very well, on a fretted bass you lose most of it but can still hear it... however it's nothing as clear as the way it sounds on a fretless.

[DJpullchord]

Cheers chaps. When I play a hormonic, the left hand comes off on a quick controlled kinda way. Surely replacing a finger kills off riiiiiiiiiiiiiiing? Fairly dead?

[Norris]

Hipshot d-tuner?

[Nicko]

You could fake the slide by adjusting your machine head or exerting pressure on the string between the machine head and the nut which are both fake whammy bar techniques used by Jake E Lee. You need to be pretty accurate getting the tuning back on point, and given the distance you need to cover getting to and from the headstock it only really works for slow pieces though.

[radiophonic]

I used to engage a delay when I hit the slide to preserve the initial harmonic. It's a slightly different effect to doing on a fretless but you can get the same 'sliding up to a lower note' effect.

[Dad3353]

[quote name='radiophonic' timestamp='1509543834' post='3399776']...the same 'sliding up to a lower note' effect.
[/quote]

Surely that should be 'sliding down'..?

[JellyKnees]

[quote name='Dad3353' timestamp='1509548677' post='3399816']
Surely that should be 'sliding down'..?
[/quote]

Not if you're playing sideways...

[YouMa]

Stanley clarke does it on schooldays.

[Dad3353]

[quote name='JellyKnees' timestamp='1509549573' post='3399825']
Not if you're playing sideways...
[/quote]

So 'sliding to the left' for a righty and 'sliding to the right' for a lefty..? Hmm...What about neck dive..? Does that change things..?

[JellyKnees]

[quote name='Dad3353' timestamp='1509551496' post='3399851']
So 'sliding to the left' for a righty and 'sliding to the right' for a lefty..? Hmm...What about neck dive..? Does that change things..?
[/quote]

Undoubtedly. And what about the double bass, where you slide up to go down and down to go up.... tricky stuff this relative directional business

[Dad3353]

I'm glad I play drums.

[SICbass]

[quote name='YouMa' timestamp='1509551295' post='3399846']
Stanley clarke does it on schooldays.
[/quote]

He had a Bigsby tremolo bridge and did the bending the strings at the tuning-post thing described above.

[goblin]

Sliding up is dead easy, you slide the harmonic from just behind the nut (Fred Baker taught me that one), I never asked how to slide them down though...

[ivansc]

Use a pinched harmonic using right hand only and your left had is free to do all the sliding you want.

[SpondonBassed]

[quote name='DJpullchord' timestamp='1509519678' post='3399530']
Cheers chaps. When I play a hormonic, the left hand comes off on a quick controlled kinda way. Surely replacing a finger kills off riiiiiiiiiiiiiiing? Fairly dead?
[/quote]

No. As long as you put your finger tip precisely on the sweet spot for that harmonic, the note will continue to ring. You are damping the other frequencies by touching the string thereby isolating the harmonic note for that position.

This will also give you an indication of how well the intonation of your bass has been set. If you are killing the harmonic at the fret I'd look at a saddle position adjustment to pull it into line.

[radiophonic]

[quote name='JellyKnees' timestamp='1509549573' post='3399825']


Not if you're playing sideways...
[/quote]

Hit a harmonic at 5th fret. Depress string. The harmonic will still be dominant. Slide to 12th fret. The note at 12th fret is lower in pitch than the harmonic at 5th. You slid up but went down. Now add a tape delay. I end a song this way.