A ghost note is the opposite of an accent. It is a note played softer than other notes. A ghost note is indicated by brackets placed either side of the note as shown below. The amount of "ghosting" is up to the individual player. A ghost note can be anything from about half the volume of unghosted notes right down to barely audible.
In the following examples, some ghost notes occur on the beat while others occur off the beat. Where and how you use ghost notes can make a big difference to the feel of the music. Listen to the CD to hear the effects produced by the use of ghost notes in various musical situations.
As with other expressions and articulations, it is a good idea to practice ghost notes with your scales and arpeggios. This example demonstrates the G Blues scale using ghost notes on the beat.
Here is a musical line which makes use of ghost notes on the beat.
This example demonstrates the E Blues scale played with ghost notes off the beat. Listen to the different effect produced by using ghost notes off the beat instead of on the beat.
The ghost note in this example gives momentum to the notes which follow it.