cheddatom Posted January 14, 2009 Share Posted January 14, 2009 When i'm playing the bass, one technique which I particularly like is to fret a note, and then to tap on the string i'm fretting at various positions on the neck. I don't tap hard enough for it to be called "tapping" as you don't hear the note which my right hand is "playing". What you do hear are extra harmonics and generally pleasing frequencies which aren't there when plucking or picking, or even when using artificial harmonics in the style of an 80s guitarist. This works particularly well on acoustic bass. So.... what's the name for this, who else does it, and where's the obligatory amazing youtube video of the master of this technique? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mcgraham Posted January 14, 2009 Share Posted January 14, 2009 Not sure if there's a technical name for it. I know Michael Manring does faux 'slapping' using the tips of his fingers, and lighter versions up the neck to add your mentioned harmonics. I've used this on occasion but I'm not a huge fan of added percussiveness from frets in that sense. Mark Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
peteb Posted January 14, 2009 Share Posted January 14, 2009 I've always just thought of it as 'tapping harmonics' and have used it a lot for many years I know that Stu Hamm used to use it for the intro to his bass solo years ago but unfortunately I can't find it on YouTube or remember the name of the piece when he originally recorded it Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
alexclaber Posted January 14, 2009 Share Posted January 14, 2009 I believe it's a tapped artificial harmonic. Alex Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
51m0n Posted January 14, 2009 Share Posted January 14, 2009 (edited) Billy Sheehan does a lot of his in one of his instructional vids, if you can get over the hair and clothes long enough to stop laughing and watch the playing (he's interviewed by the most annoying c*ck rock wanna-be throughout - its a dreadful vid) Always called it tapped harmonics myself, one of those techniques that really comes to life with a nice bit of compression and plenty of bridge pickup with sparkly new strings Alex - surprised you'd ever noticed it Alex Edited January 14, 2009 by 51m0n Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mr. Foxen Posted January 15, 2009 Share Posted January 15, 2009 I recall a vid of a guy with a many stringed bass talking about 'precussive harmonics' which he'd apparently invented, pretty sure it was doing that. I do it where guitarist would do a pinch harmonic. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
cheddatom Posted January 15, 2009 Author Share Posted January 15, 2009 Interesting stuff - thanks! I'll look up some videos. I like to do it when playing chords on my acoustic bass, as in tapping 3 or 4 strings at the same time. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Merton Posted January 15, 2009 Share Posted January 15, 2009 [quote name='alexclaber' post='380529' date='Jan 14 2009, 06:28 PM']I believe it's a tapped artificial harmonic. Alex[/quote] That's what I call it, do it just for fun here and there Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
phil_the_bassist Posted January 15, 2009 Share Posted January 15, 2009 [quote name='alexclaber' post='380529' date='Jan 14 2009, 06:28 PM']I believe it's a tapped artificial harmonic. Alex[/quote] I've heard 'em called false harmonics too...The Ox talks about (avoiding) 'em in his DVD, when he explains his 'keyboard technique' good dvd, shame its a digitized rip of the VCR film. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
alexclaber Posted January 16, 2009 Share Posted January 16, 2009 [quote name='51m0n' post='380667' date='Jan 14 2009, 08:40 PM']Always called it tapped harmonics myself, one of those techniques that really comes to life with a nice bit of compression and plenty of bridge pickup with sparkly new strings Alex - surprised you'd ever noticed it Alex [/quote] 36" scale, wenge neck/board, stainless steel frets, Q-Tuners... Don't need sparkly new strings to get harmonics when there's already all that stuff going on! Alex Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
d-basser Posted January 19, 2009 Share Posted January 19, 2009 SIMON, there it is now named seriously though I would refer to them a artificial harmonics Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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