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======ORIGINAL TEXT FROM THE BOOK=======
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Let's look at closed-string muting, or playing ghost 
notes. A gohst note is a note's "dead" version, muted 
to the point where it is percussive rather than having 
an obvious, clear pitch. Ghost notes often do have 
discernible pitches, but their musical value is more 
rhythmic than melodic or harmonic. Listen to James 
Jamerson (Motown), Carol Kaye (Motown, Beach 
Boys), Rocco Prestia (Tower Of Power), or Chuck 
Rainey (Steely Dan, Aretha), and you'll hear tons of 
ghost notes adds momentum and drive to any bass 
line. Most important, it works.
If you've had trouble getting your notes to "ghost" like 
the pros', you're doing something wrong. But it's not 
your fault, teachers and learning materials rarely explain 
the ghosting concepts sufficiently. There are two steps 
necessary for proper ghosting technique, but 
unfortunately, usally only the first is mentioned.
You execute a ghost note by resting a fretting-hand 
finger on the string (without pressing it to the fret) and 
the plucking. Once you learn to mute and pluck a 
string simultaneously, you can play ghost notes. It's a 
dascinating and exhilarating experience - you feel like 
you are getting deeper into the groove's nucleus. It 
starts to feel like you can finally massage the tone right 
out of the string. Play Ex 1, which shows a "real" note 
followed by a ghost note. You'l hear and feel the 
difference.
Now for the important factor that will give your ghost 
otes a thumpin', kick-drum-like texture: Harmonics can 
ruin ghosts. You can find harmonics all over the 
fingerboard (lightly touch the string just over 12th fret 
and pluck to hear the most prominent one) - but that's 
the subject of another Woodshed entirely. Put one 
finger down to ghost over C on the A string. Pluck a 
"real" C, followed by a ghosted C. Slide slowly up and 
down the neck and continue plucking, uscing this 
same technique of "real" followed by "ghost" (Ex. 2). 
You will hear a multitude of harmonics that obscure the 
intended ghosts. Not acceptable.
To remedy this, rest at least two fingers on the string 
you're ghosting. Three are better, and al four fingers 
are best. Play Ex. 2 again, only this time rest all four 
fingers over the A string's C. You can let the fingers 
rest in front of your intended ghost (Roco-style) or 
behinf it; which metod works better usally depends on 
where you are coming from or where you're going. 
Slide slowly up and down the neck, plucking away 
"real" and the ghosted otes at each fret. Now your 
ghost notes sound like a chromatic conga drum 
instead of your front doorbell. I rest my case! Play Ex. 
3, and when you're ready to really start grooving with 
the concept, try Ex. 4.
This is the beginning of the rest of your life as a bassist 
- you can now play with greater rhythmic expression 
and totnal nuance. Ghost notes changed my life, and 
they'll change yours, too. Do you believe in ghosts? I 
do!