Loud ghost notes (still ghost notes?)

Duracell

Senior Member
I would still call them ghosts. They augment the back beat. They are clearly a different volume than the back beat, and they are used as ghost notes are used. So yea, IMO they fall under the heading ghost notes.
 
I'd still call those examples ghostnotes.

However, things don't have to be so black and white. As your playing progresses, you can move beyond thinking of dynamics as just "accents and non-accents."

Between the loudest accents and the quietest non-accents, there's an infinite range of dynamics, textures and tones to be had. It's all about finding out what you want to say and how you want to say it.

Of course, don't let this become an excuse for sloppy playing. Generally speaking, you're correct that ghostnoes should be freakin' gentle and when learning grooves, executing rudiments etc they should be practised as such.
 
The snare drum in that recording sounds somewhat compressed, and the hihat is low in the mix. That being said, they are certainly ghost notes.
 
Would these still be called ghost notes? I thought ghost notes should be almost inaudible. Anyone have any comments?

Well, I call it filler, and it should be whatever volume you necessary for what you want to convey musically. "Ghost notes" is just a name somebody made up to describe something that good players were already doing: playing filler notes softly. They're not supposed to be soft because they're called ghost notes, they're supposed to be soft because it usually sounds better. I would beware of doing anything almost inaudibly (rather than just softly)-- I'd be asking myself if that stuff is necessary, and if I'm not just cluttering up the texture with noise.
 
I usually class any beat quieter than the main backbeat as a ghost. Certain volume of ghost notes just work on certain styles. You have to play them louder in some music or they really WILL be a ghost note, not there at all.
 
Not really, a ghost note is specifically a low volume note. Otherwise they're just a normal hit that isn't a rimshot, accented or marcato note.

Don't forget that you have a number of dynamic ranges - PP, P, MP, MF, F, FF being the basic six - and anything MP and above really isn't 'ghosted' anymore. Even relatively to playing at what I would consider FF volumes, my ghost notes still stay right down the bottom because of the role they still play in creating the right sound. As soon as I start increasing the volume, the sound texture changes completely.
 
Thanks for clearing things up guys. I once read a book on the history of funk music. Apparently some people used to call them " chatter notes " which I think is a better description...
 
they don't always have to be borderline inaudible as long as they enhance what is being played and add contrast to the accents
 
Well, I call it filler, and it should be whatever volume you necessary for what you want to convey musically. "Ghost notes" is just a name somebody made up to describe something that good players were already doing: playing filler notes softly. They're not supposed to be soft because they're called ghost notes, they're supposed to be soft because it usually sounds better. I would beware of doing anything almost inaudibly (rather than just softly)-- I'd be asking myself if that stuff is necessary, and if I'm not just cluttering up the texture with noise.

Yeah tottally, especially when tracking with acoustic guitars, ghost notes clash like hell unless its spot on. Dont just play them cause you can.
 
Maybe we should call them zombie notes.
 
Those were 16th notes (as in all 4) with his L hand. First time I have ever seen anyone play that and with so much feel.
 
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