附注:
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======ORIGINAL TEXT FROM THE BOOK=======
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Let's look at closed-string muting, or playing ghost
notes. A gohst note is a note's "dead" version, muted
to the point where it is percussive rather than having
an obvious, clear pitch. Ghost notes often do have
discernible pitches, but their musical value is more
rhythmic than melodic or harmonic. Listen to James
Jamerson (Motown), Carol Kaye (Motown, Beach
Boys), Rocco Prestia (Tower Of Power), or Chuck
Rainey (Steely Dan, Aretha), and you'll hear tons of
ghost notes adds momentum and drive to any bass
line. Most important, it works.
If you've had trouble getting your notes to "ghost" like
the pros', you're doing something wrong. But it's not
your fault, teachers and learning materials rarely explain
the ghosting concepts sufficiently. There are two steps
necessary for proper ghosting technique, but
unfortunately, usally only the first is mentioned.
You execute a ghost note by resting a fretting-hand
finger on the string (without pressing it to the fret) and
the plucking. Once you learn to mute and pluck a
string simultaneously, you can play ghost notes. It's a
dascinating and exhilarating experience - you feel like
you are getting deeper into the groove's nucleus. It
starts to feel like you can finally massage the tone right
out of the string. Play Ex 1, which shows a "real" note
followed by a ghost note. You'l hear and feel the
difference.
Now for the important factor that will give your ghost
otes a thumpin', kick-drum-like texture: Harmonics can
ruin ghosts. You can find harmonics all over the
fingerboard (lightly touch the string just over 12th fret
and pluck to hear the most prominent one) - but that's
the subject of another Woodshed entirely. Put one
finger down to ghost over C on the A string. Pluck a
"real" C, followed by a ghosted C. Slide slowly up and
down the neck and continue plucking, uscing this
same technique of "real" followed by "ghost" (Ex. 2).
You will hear a multitude of harmonics that obscure the
intended ghosts. Not acceptable.
To remedy this, rest at least two fingers on the string
you're ghosting. Three are better, and al four fingers
are best. Play Ex. 2 again, only this time rest all four
fingers over the A string's C. You can let the fingers
rest in front of your intended ghost (Roco-style) or
behinf it; which metod works better usally depends on
where you are coming from or where you're going.
Slide slowly up and down the neck, plucking away
"real" and the ghosted otes at each fret. Now your
ghost notes sound like a chromatic conga drum
instead of your front doorbell. I rest my case! Play Ex.
3, and when you're ready to really start grooving with
the concept, try Ex. 4.
This is the beginning of the rest of your life as a bassist
- you can now play with greater rhythmic expression
and totnal nuance. Ghost notes changed my life, and
they'll change yours, too. Do you believe in ghosts? I
do!
