Ghost Notes
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Learn How To Play Ghost Notes On Your Drum Set!
In this lesson lesson we are going to talk about ghost notes. In more musical terms, ghost notes are called grace notes. Especially in the piano and classical music worlds. But as drummers we use the term ghost notes. Note because they are scary and hard to play, but because they are very soft and ghostlike. Ghost notes are indicated on sheet music by placing the note in brackets.
A ghost note is played by hitting the drum as softly as you can from as low as you can. You obviously aren't going to play a ghost note from a 45 degree angle. Get down low. I've seen drummers play their ghost notes from the edge of the drum closer to the rim. The sound is much softer near the rim than it is near the middle of the head where you usually play.
The reason for ghost notes is to add some excitement and fill out your beats if need be. My first time hearing ghost notes was on a Yes song called Roundabout. I remember listening to the song and hearing something that I couldn't quite figure out. I thought maybe it was a shaker or something in the background that I couldn't identify. Later when I got the sheet music to the song I found out that he was playing grace notes.
In the examples we take simple rock grooves and add ghost notes to add a little excitement. Be very careful not to get overbearing with your ghost notes. When I first started playing ghost notes I used them all the time and when I first got into a studio, the sound engineer told me to cut it out because the snare drum had to much chatter. So remember, use them flavorfully. That same advice goes for any sort of embellishment.
Learn how to play double stroke roll drum beats in the next drum lesson!
