Ghost note

For other uses, see Ghost note (disambiguation).
Illustration of dead note in standard notation and guitar tablature
Illustration of dead note in musical notation and guitar tablature

In music, notably in jazz,[1] a ghost note (or a dead, muted, silenced or false note) is a musical note with a rhythmic value, but no discernible pitch when played. In musical notation, this is represented by an "X" for a note head instead of an oval, or parentheses around the note head.[2] It should not be confused with the X-shaped notation (double sharp) that raises a note to a double sharp.

On stringed instruments, this is played by sounding a muted string. "Muted to the point where it is more percussive sounding than obvious and clear in pitch. There is a pitch, to be sure, but its musical value is more rhythmic than melodic or harmonic...they add momentum and drive to any bass line."[3] Occurring in a rhythmic figure, they are purposely deemphasized, often to the point of near silence. In popular music drumming, ghost notes are ones played "very softly between the 'main' notes," (off the beat on the sixteenth notes) most often on the snare drum in a drum kit.[4] Ghost notes are often used by electric bass players and double bass players in a range of popular music and traditional music styles. In vocal music, this style of notation represents words that are spoken in rhythm rather than sung.

  1. ^ "Jazz Glossary: ghost note". ccnmtl.columbia.edu. Retrieved 30 April 2023.
  2. ^ " False note", OnMusic Dictionary.
  3. ^ Cite error: The named reference Stuff was invoked but never defined (see the help page).
  4. ^ Mattingly, Rick (2006). All About Drums, p.61. Hal Leonard. ISBN 1-4234-0818-7.