Ghost Notes On Bass (6 ‘Levels’)

Ghost notes on bass can propel a groove forward like almost nothing else.

Whether you’re playing anything from hard rock to smooth walking bass lines, ghost notes are an incredible way to add spice and flavor – and they just sound cool!

They can add a ton of rhythm, they can make your bass line stand out a bit more – they can literally take a bass line to the next level when you use them the right way.

And that’s exactly what you’ll learn in today’s video. Specifically, I’ll show you:

• Two ways to play ghost notes (and how it’s best to combine them)
• The ‘harmonic’ problem that ghost notes create (and how to fix it)
• Six different ‘levels’ of a bass line that uses ghost notes

And of course, Arnie makes his most egregious cameo to date in this video.

Check out the lesson here:

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As far as how much you use ghost notes, that’s entirely up to you. You might get to the 3rd or 4th level and say, “That’s enough ghost notes for me. Any more is too much!”

You might be the opposite! You get to Level 6 and say, “That’s it? Let’s keep going all the way to Level 42!”

Like I say in the video, that’s all a matter of personal preference and taste. What’s too much for you may not be enough for someone else and vice versa. 

In either case, using ghost notes on bass to propel just about any groove forward can make any song feel amazing.

As always, if you have questions about ghost notes or anything else bass-related, I’m more than happy to answer them for you. Just leave a comment down below and I’ll do my best to help out.

Good luck with the lesson and happy playing!

Cheers,