Used Hosiery: Create Slap Bass Effect With Harp

Hosiery is barely mentioned in this article, but it does say: Samantha uses special techniques like...running pantyhose through the strings to achieve a slap bass effect.. Please comment below, if you have tried it on a harp or any other instrument.

I emailed her some questions. Read the remainder of my blog entry to see Samantha's answers. Be sure to check out the other interview questions, by clicking interviews. For more used hosiery ideas, click used. Both topics can also be found in the right column, under Popular Topics.

Which sample pieces on your web site contain that sound? Which parts of the pieces?

I do use pantyhose in my harp to create a muted bass effect, but there's only one song that I use it for, which is a mash-up of David Bowie/Queen's Under Pressure, and Vanilla Ice's Ice Ice Baby. If you can imagine, it's quite effective for the repeating bass line that is one of the signature sounds of the song. Unfortunately, we don't have a recording of that up on our website, largely because we've only done that song in performance. (I'll tell you, though, people sure are inquisitive when I thread the pantyhose through the strings.) However, I wouldn't be surprised if the effect makes it into future songs that we write.

Do different types of hosiery create different sounds?

I don't really know. I use one leg of what used to be a pair of thigh-high stockings, and it works for what I need, so I haven't really experimented.

I'm sorry I can't provide you with any more useful information about the use of hosiery in the harp, but thanks for the e-mail. We always like getting interesting inquiries about our music!