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A ghost note is a note that fits in so well with the logical structure of the melody or harmony of a song and is low enough in volume to make you wonder if you heard it or even if it is in the song at all.
Ghost notes are common in performances by better players. This phenomenon seems to work its way into a performers playing over time--especially if they play an improvisational style and is common in jazz and blues.
There is no need for an exorcist. You play them without thinking about playing them.
Its essentially a very quiet note (near silence), within a series of medium to higher dynamic notes.
Normally, this is notated in percusion instruments, like snare drum. I dont know if i'd use this term for guitar. For melodic intruments, there's usually either a note, or no note. Loud note, soft note. Muted note, etc etc...
I first heard the term from Rock guitar magazines in the 80's. Ghost notes are notes that are held or fingered, but not HEARD. Also "ghost bend" would be like the note you hold but you bend FIRST then pluck, then release the bend, so you dont' hear the true fretted note until you release. The thing Romerito described, they used to call "hammer-on's from nowhere". Not exactly the same as "ghost notes" which you would not hear at all. But nowadays, who knows what terms are used...the important thing is the idea gets conveyed.
i thought ghost notes were notes fretted or held down by the left hand but not played by the right hand.
we probably all play loads of them without realising it, as often we hold whole left hand chord shapes down and play only 2 or 3 strings with the right hand
a sort of example would the be the typical basic remate in solea, when you hold down an E (major) chord shape in first position and play strings 6, 1, 4, 3, 2, 1, so you never hit the B at the 2nd fret of the 5th string....
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