Who in here knows how to play "Portrait of Tracy?"
GENOMEMAN
learn this. I was wondering in here who has been there, done that.
In "Portrait of Tracy," that freakin 5 fret stretch (hold down B on the A
string, hit the harmonic on the Eb with your pinky) is NASTY. I never even
conceived that harmonics can be played like this...basically, they are on a
sliding scale, where you can hold down the note as if your finger was the
nut...same idea on the last notes of the song while holding down a double
stop on the E/B (on the G and D strings) and hitting the Ab/Eb 5 frets up
the neck as harmonics, all while playing the open E string). It's tough to
learn how to hold down notes with one finger, while doing polyphonic
harmonics with the other half of your hand. Still, coming along nicely, and
I feel like I am actually learning something once again.
Next challenge, Donna Lee, although it sounds a little too "random" to me.
Kurt Kurosawa
"GENOMEMAN" <genetically_engineered_bassist@DNA_Helix.com> wrote in message
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>
> In "Portrait of Tracy," that freakin 5 fret stretch (hold down B on the A
> string, hit the harmonic on the Eb with your pinky) is NASTY.
Try your thumb? That's what I'd do if I had a long stretch. Or I'd find
different spots. The bass has the same harmonics in a zillion places.
> I never even conceived that harmonics can be played like this...basically,
> they are on a sliding scale, where you can hold down the note as if your
> finger was the nut...
Yeah, my junior high band teacher used to play fiddle tunes like that (the
bow really facilitates making decent noises). Steel players have been doing
this for years (of course, having the bar stop the note, then being able to
slide it around is a lot cleaner than sliding a plucked fretted note).
GENOMEMAN
"Kurt Kurosawa" <kurt-k...@cox.net> wrote in message
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>
> "GENOMEMAN" <genetically_engineered_bassist@DNA_Helix.com> wrote in
message
> news:Vq95b.127380$yg.36...@news4.srv.hcvlny.cv.net...
> >
> > In "Portrait of Tracy," that freakin 5 fret stretch (hold down B on the
A
> > string, hit the harmonic on the Eb with your pinky) is NASTY.
>
> Try your thumb? That's what I'd do if I had a long stretch. Or I'd find
> different spots. The bass has the same harmonics in a zillion places.
No can do...can't wrap my thumb over the neck to hit the B on the A string,
and that would actually hinder your reach even more...also, this harmonic
happens so fast, there is no time to play it higher and then jump back
down...
Kurt Kurosawa
"GENOMEMAN" <genetically_engineered_bassist@DNA_Helix.com> wrote in message
>
> > > In "Portrait of Tracy," that freakin 5 fret stretch (hold down B on
the
> A
> > > string, hit the harmonic on the Eb with your pinky) is NASTY.
> >
> > Try your thumb? That's what I'd do if I had a long stretch. Or I'd find
> > different spots. The bass has the same harmonics in a zillion places.
>
> No can do...can't wrap my thumb over the neck to hit the B on the A
string,
> and that would actually hinder your reach even more...also, this harmonic
> happens so fast, there is no time to play it higher and then jump back
> down...
Oh. I actually meant putting the thumb on the note from the underside of the
neck. I guess that would be even worse for speed.
That combination is the only way to get that particular note?
GENOMEMAN
I think so...it is fairly easy to do, but it happens 5 or 6 times in the
song and it starts hurting after awhile...lol...and you can't just stretch
to the Eb itself, you have to reach the fret on the bridge side of the Eb,
so reach from the B (hold it down) to the 6th fret.
Zev Weiss
2003-09-02 04:09 PM, GENOMEMAN at
genetically_engineered_bassist@DNA_Helix.com made this strange noise:
I dunno if there's any thing technically "wrong" with this or not, but I
play it with an artificial harmonic (fret the Eb on sixth fret of D string,
touch harmonic node with right thumb and pluck with index). On my Spector,
the node is right at the neck end of the neck pickup, if you know what I
mean. Makes it much easier for me, especially on a 35" scale bass! What I
have most trouble with is muting the B string, actually. I usually just
stick something under it to mute it (ball of kleenex or similar), so I don't
have to worry about it.
-Zev
http://www.wayeri.com
Remove the obvious to reply.
DOGGIE104
>From: "GENOMEMAN" genetically_engineered_bassist@DNA_Helix.com
>Date: 9/2/2003 6:51 PM Central Daylight Time
>Message-id: <b2a5b.127642$yg.36...@news4.srv.hcvlny.cv.net>
Excuse me, but I don't quite understand....couldn't you pluck the string with
your right index finger while hitting the harmonic Eb with your right thumb?
later, ron
Kurt Kurosawa
"DOGGIE104" <dogg...@aol.com> wrote in message
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>
> Excuse me, but I don't quite understand....couldn't you pluck the string
with
> your right index finger while hitting the harmonic Eb with your right
thumb?
That's a good idea, I remember seeing a guitarist holding a pick with middle
finger and thumb and touching the node with index finger.
Jeremey Poparad
I've got smaller hands so the stretch for that harmonic is just impossible.
I just fret the B on the 2nd fret of the A string with my left hand, then
using my right index finger I touch the harmonic and pluck the string with
my thumb (backwards digit-wise from the previous mention of this)
"Kurt Kurosawa" <kurt-k...@cox.net> wrote in message
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NoSpamF...@twelvethree.com
Neil.N
Do you ever play false harmonics a la "Birdland"?
lightly stop the string 12 frets above the fretted note with your thumb,
and finger the note . Jaco does this for first one octave, then 2 8ves
higher on the track.
Now back to "Tracy" ....that 4th partial ( or harmonic) exists on more than
one place on that string... when i fret the B on the Astring, another one
lands right on the edge of the bridge side of my neck pickup on my Fender
Jazz. So , lightly place thumb there , pluck the string, Le voila!!!
Harmonic secrets of the Gods , revealed.
Now I am no Jaco scholar, but that seems a rather easy way to play that
harmonic, and fits right in with technique i know he used , so i would be
willing to bet that was how "the man" actually played it, not with some
crazy uncomfortable stretch that some guitar playing tune lifting dude
thought up......
Cheers, and no charge, but all rights reserved.....
NeilN
--
And if you play too high or fast all the other musicians shall say "Wow"
Tony Levin
"GENOMEMAN" <genetically_engineered_bassist@DNA_Helix.com> wrote in message
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stb74
> string, hit the harmonic on the Eb with your pinky) is NASTY.
Try holding the Eb on the D string and playing an artificial harmonic where
the 25th fret would be. Some of my students have dificulties with the
initial stretch, so this is a decent alternative, and means your plucking
doesn't need to move too far...
> ...same idea on the last notes of the song while holding down a double
> stop on the E/B (on the G and D strings) and hitting the Ab/Eb 5 frets up
> the neck as harmonics, all while playing the open E string).
Try adding the A string as well! Thats the whole chord! I think it's an E
maj7 #11 chord.
GENOMEMAN
"stb74" <st...@optusnet.com.au> wrote in message
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stb74
the stretch no probs!
"Neil.N" <n.num...@spamrogers.com> wrote in message
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jazzman
"GENOMEMAN" <genetically_engineered_bassist@DNA_Helix.com> wrote in message
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>
RE: Donna Lee
Find the Miles Davis/Charlie Parker version of Donna Lee and it will take on
more melodic structure. That worked for me. Jaco got pretty abstract with
that one! Wooten also has a version on his 'Bass Extremes' release.
Jim
Neil.N
stretch seems logical.... man, i can see why I've left this one alone up to
now, pretty serious technical piece...
NeilN
--
And if you play too high or fast all the other musicians shall say "Wow"
Tony Levin
"Neil.N" <n.num...@spamrogers.com> wrote in message
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Boom
>the stretch no probs!
Link us, please!
stb74
"Boom" <m...@nnn.com> wrote in message
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Heinz
"GENOMEMAN" <genetically_engineered_bassist@DNA_Helix.com> wrote in message
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>
>
What exactly do you mean by "random" ?
Cheers
Heinz
GENOMEMAN
"Heinz" <lullu...@yahoo.com> wrote in message
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As a bassist for 23 years, listening to all kinds of music, that piece is
tough for me to make sense, both melody and arrangement wise.
>
> Cheers
> Heinz
>
>
Nil
<genetically_engineered_bassist@DNA_Helix.com> wrote in
news:mll5b.146102$yg.40...@news4.srv.hcvlny.cv.net:
(re. Donna Lee)
> As a bassist for 23 years, listening to all kinds of music, that
> piece is tough for me to make sense, both melody and arrangement
> wise.
You should listen to the Charlie Parker original for a while to get
familiar with the melody and changes. I don't think Jaco strictly
follows the changes in his version, so it's easy to get lost. I think
he may lose the downbeat in a couple of spots, too, but I've never
tried to keep time through it all to see for sure.
Sam W.
fret) if i recall correctly.
as for the strength i sometimes bring my thumb underneath and use it to hold
the 2nd fret and do the stretch that way and it works.
just practice it so that it fits the phrase
Sam
"GENOMEMAN" <genetically_engineered_bassist@DNA_Helix.com> wrote in message
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Heinz
"GENOMEMAN" <genetically_engineered_bassist@DNA_Helix.com> wrote in message
playing along the intro.
Before that it was just a bunch of notes played very fast. It still makes
more sense when listening to the Charly Parker version although this is not
my type of music.
Still I have no clue what is going on musicaly it just sounds good and is an
excelent excercise for learning to play fretless.
Cheers
Heinz
nobody
> to me.
Remember that the melody, at least, is based on the changes
to "Back Home Again in Indiana", aka "Indiana".
rob kloka
>
> In "Portrait of Tracy," that freakin 5 fret stretch (hold down B on the A
> string, hit the harmonic on the Eb with your pinky) is NASTY.
I have to take the thumb off the back of the neck, then I can pivot
enough to reach it. When I set my broken pinky last year, I angled a
little, to give me a tad more reach. Now it's easier. Actually, I
didn't mean for that, but I ain't complaining. :-)
>
> Next challenge, Donna Lee, although it sounds a little too "random" to me.
Took me 2-3 years to find the pattern in Teen Town, forget Donna Lee.
r.
Bassbaba
Wrote
>> Next challenge, Donna Lee, although it sounds a little too "random" to me.
Peter,
Playing Donna Lee on bass is worth the challenge. You will play fingering's
that you didn't think were possible. However, if you really want a music
lesson...Analyze the melody against the chord changes. Then you will hear the
genius of bird (or Miles, who claimed to have wrote it). Too many people
disregard it for just a chop buster but it's really a beautiful melody!
B