Fret-hand muting

lunchmeat317 · #1 02-06-2007, 08:36 PM

I used to play guitar, still do (kinda...eh) and I love it. However, one technique I used to use on guitar really does bad things on bass, and that's fret-hand muting.

On a guitar, you can strike a chord, and then loosen your fret hand to mute the strings. It's a natural technique with me. Works wonders on guitar. However, on bass, it falls far short from spectacular; I always get fret buzz, or I'll get the annoying harmonics on the first 5 frets. (Maybe I should start using my tone knob.) Best case scenario, none of that happens but the mute is never clean.

Does anyone use this technique at all? If so, how do you get it to work well? Has anyone had to untrain themselves from this habit? It looks as though it's gonna be a chore if I have to untrain myself...and furthermore, it's gonna be difficult trying to use it only on guitar and not bass. Mixing habits can be weird. I've been trying to mute with my right hand fingers, by preloading a finger to mute the current note and play the next one. It's not natural for me yet, though.

All opinions are welcome.

GaryM · #2 02-06-2007, 08:59 PM

I play stacatto notes by playing the note then quickly reducing the fretting pressure. Sounds fine to me.

ric1312 · #3 02-06-2007, 10:41 PM

On bass, that's a muted note. If done right it sounds like a stiff knock on the door, too light and you get a harmonic instead, to hard you get fret buzz. You also should check your set up, some set up's make muted notes hard to play.

JimmyM · #4 02-06-2007, 10:53 PM

I've had that problem with left hand muting but it's never an issue unless I'm recording. In the studio I never lift off the strings to mute them. You can get away with it on guitar because the strings aren't as thick so they don't make as big of a rattle.

RAT TAT TAT · #5 02-06-2007, 10:54 PM

If you're muting with just one finger, it will create a harmonic and using more than one will just make a thump while blocking the harmonic. I usually use all 4 fingers to ensure that no harmonic or unwanted noise comes through.

TheDarkReaver · #6 02-07-2007, 09:11 AM

i never actually thought about doing it, release the pressure slightly and don't think too much about it. i think when you're in the flow of a piece it'll eventually come naturally.

lunchmeat317 · #7 02-07-2007, 05:46 PM

That's the problem - it's completely natural for me, and it sounds horrible. Perhaps it is the bass - I hate blaming my instruments, but if setup makes a difference, then I may very well be doing fine.

I just don't like the tone I get from it - when i do it, the note cuts off very harshly. By harsh, I mean there's like, a wolf tone right when I release pressure. Maybe I am doing it wrong, I dunno. As you said, JimmyM, the strings are larger so they rattle a lot more.

Or maybe I'm fretting too hard in the first place...

lunchmeat317 · #8 02-08-2007, 08:39 AM

The problem was with my tone controls.

I read the EQ thread and found a lot of good info in there; I was inspired to set my EQ controls completely flat, and redefine my tone. I'm now even more inspired to play than I was.

The main problem was that I'd boosted the high frequencies a lot so I could get that metallic sound; as such, every little nuance or mistake would shine through my playing. Upside, it made me a little better, from trying to be cleaner. Maybe. I'd also been getting a lot of string noise, and fret noise, and fret buzz at the slightest fret-hand mute. Not so much anymore.

Downside; now my bass sounds kinda flat...I'll see if I can rework my bass setup to achieve a fuller tone.