accidental clicking when i play with fingers?

werbo1 · #1 02-19-2005, 06:35 PM

Three years, and bad technique? whenever i play i get a bad clicking noise when using fingerstyle...i think it is from my fretting hand hitting slightly before i pluck, but its something weird...how can i put up soundclips?

Samurai · #2 02-19-2005, 07:39 PM

If your action is set too low there will be lots of clicking, does that sound like it could be it.

werbo1 · #3 02-19-2005, 07:40 PM

nope, my action is pretty high

also, i'm on a fretless

nicoli · #4 02-19-2005, 08:03 PM

Yah, my first thought was that you're knocking the strings against either the p/ups or fretboard as well...

Doesn't look like you can attach soundclips unless you post it as a .zip.

Whafrodamus · #5 02-19-2005, 08:12 PM

It's most likely you hitting the pickups. Yep.

werbo1 · #6 02-19-2005, 08:13 PM

here's a sound clip...its not as bad, i guess i'll "grow" out of it with time

The B · #7 02-19-2005, 08:43 PM

It sounds like you are hitting the fretboard as you pluck the strings. I do that when I tune my bass (4-string) to drop b tuning.

negro_flash · #8 02-20-2005, 02:18 AM

it seems to me that you're wagging your fingers too much and hitting the strings with too much force. the less movement of your picking fingers, the better and the cleaner the sound

Petary791 · #9 02-20-2005, 05:55 PM

Well Steve Harris does that on purpose. He plays finger style and it kinda sounds like a pick, what he does is like tap the string at the same time that he fingers the string, it sounds cool. If you're trying to GET RID of that sound, cut your nails. Sometimes that's the problem.

ArabStrap · #10 02-23-2005, 09:11 AM

I get an annoying clicking sound if my fingernails are even a millimeter longer then they need to be,I cut them as far back as I can because otherwise I'll gnaw them 'til I bleed =/ albeit I've heard it's not really smart to cut them so far back (can cause ingrown nails and other fun issues but it sounds so much better =).

And seeing that your action is pretty high perhaps that's the problem?

bbourgon · #11 02-23-2005, 03:41 PM

On an additional note, if anyone does hit the pickup from time to time, Billy Sheehan suggests clear nail polish over them. I tried it, and it really helps a lot, and no effect on the tone of the pickup either.

Brian

eric atkinson · #12 02-24-2005, 08:42 AM

When i was a young lad i was in a horrible fire and had 3rd degree burns on a good part of my body! including my hads and fingers. Well i noticed after months of heeling that my finger nails melted off and that the tip of my index finger actually grey kind crooked. Just enough that i get a clicking or almost pick sound out of that finger. So after 20 years of playing like this i kinda got it down to a art form f using my middle finger and thumb for most smooth jazz sounds and using my index for accents. Makes for learning steffans stuff from dave mathews really easy because if you have noticed he will get that sound from time to time as well. Kinda a soft slap tone. It works out really nice if you can control it! Embrace anything about youre playing that makes ya sound diff! If you cant stop doing it then learn to control it and use it for when ya need it! Gives ya youre own personal sound! Cant tell you how many times after a show i would have puzzled bassist in the audience come aske me how i did that!