How to eliminate that harsh clanky pick sound.

[ROON]

Hi, thanks for reading.

I play with a pick about 80% of the time, I play metal also, fast paced stuff that I cant play with my fingers. When I play really speedy bits I get a horrid clanking sound. I'm not talking about the actual tone you get as a result of playing with a pick, but the string is vibrating all over the place and giving off a fair bit of noise. I'm pretty sure this sound doesn't come out of the amp also (I cant really do a recording and check because I just jam at home). I'm thinking this is a problem with my technique, or could it be the guage of pick I use? One thing I have noticed is that when I play the speedy bits my picking arm is very tense and mechanical-like. I tend to move my whole arm rather than being able to splay fastly with minimal movement of my arm and just using my wrist. This isn't a problem with my bass or how it is set up, I have changed to a heavier set of strings and I've noticed a fair bit of noise reduction when I play fast, but It's still there. Fiddling around with the EQ (cutting the treble and boosting bass) does not change this at all.

Any guidance?

[jenderfazz]

Try picking more softly. Also, try picking closer to the bridge.

[ROON]

Thanks for the reply JenderFazz,

I have noticed picking closer to the fretboard allows the string to move more freely, I'm trying to get my mind to naturally move my hand closer to the bridge whenever a fast section comes up. I hold my pick very VERY tightly too. I'm thinking this may be a major cause to this sound I'm getting. I'm also trying to get into the habbit of letting my fingers loosen up, and alow the pick to roll off the string a bit more, rather than have the string snap back. I'm ALSO trying to make my downstroke not so agressive. Oh man, so many faults in my technique.

Anyone else have any input?

[Chriso21]

hey buddy,
I play similar stuff myself - when you get to a certain speed of picking, those harsh clanks are all too common - especially when doing the quick downstrokes. Every pro metal bassist uses a compressor to even them out - bar none. I came to this realisation quite recently myself, so son't worry about it. I got an aphex one - bit ****** really, but does the job for now. I hear the dbx is a pretty good one too.
party on.
Chris

[ROON]

I figured that may be the case. I could never seem to understand how some metal bassists (such as Sharlee D'Angelo from Arch Enemy) could play Drop C on a 4-Stringer and not get those annoying clanks!

[basey]

I used to have the same problem. I still speed pick with my whole arm, but I've changed to a nylon pick. It makes a huge difference in making the notes even. I also use compression to normalize everything. It was kinda weird at first, but after getting used to it, I learned to relax more while picking, which make you faster and more accurate.
In some parts, I still want the 'clankyness' to pop out on certain notes. You can get the same sounds by tilting you pick slightly, or slapping the string down on the frets with your pick.

[ROON]

Originally Posted by basey

I used to have the same problem. I still speed pick with my whole arm, but I've changed to a nylon pick. It makes a huge difference in making the notes even. I also use compression to normalize everything. It was kinda weird at first, but after getting used to it, I learned to relax more while picking, which make you faster and more accurate.
In some parts, I still want the 'clankyness' to pop out on certain notes. You can get the same sounds by tilting you pick slightly, or slapping the string down on the frets with your pick.

Very useful info! Thankyou!

I currently use Jim Dunlop Gel picks, medium (see link below). What is a nylon pick, and how do they differ from the gel picks I use? My Nan gave me my deceased Grandfather's nylon pick that is almost 35 years old. I dont really want to go thrashing on that thing, it's kind of a family relic, y'know.

Here is the link to the picks I use:
http://www.jimdunlop.com/index.php?p...products/picks

[basey]

These are the ones I've been using.
The difference is that they bend easier, reducing the force on the string, so the compresser has less work to do.
I used to use the "stuby" brand picks. I also used to break a string about every two weeks. I haven't broke a string since.

Glad to help, I wish someone would have told me sooner.
It would have saved me alot of money on strings, and experimenting with gear.

[ROON]

By the way peoples, when I say "speedy" I am meaning something around the tempo of the fast bits in this song.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LTR-tePa0Bg

Enjoy the clip too, amazing concert.

[ROON]

Originally Posted by basey

These are the ones I've been using.
The difference is that they bend easier, reducing the force on the string, so the compresser has less work to do.
I used to use the "stuby" brand picks. I also used to break a string about every two weeks. I haven't broke a string since.

Glad to help, I wish someone would have told me sooner.
It would have saved me alot of money on strings, and experimenting with gear.

Thankyou Basey, you've been a great help.
I actually found one of those in my pick box (you've gotta keep a box for your picks! ). It's 1mm thick (typo?), exactly the same brand. I'll give it a go in a few hours, gotta wait till the neighbourhood wakes up so I can play.

EDIT: I guess "1mm" actually means 1.0mm.

[Sarbecue Boss]

Basey- you used to break strings with stubbies, the thick tapered purple guys? In my experience, the stubbies give better tone than thin picks if you play with a lighter touch. Just as a drummer uses his ankles or wrist to play fast, try straying away from using your arm to pick and try using your wrist for fast passages.

[billbern]

Check out the Bobby Vega video of bassplayer tv. I know it's not the type of music you're talking about. But, notice his technque. For lack of a better discription, his pick hand flows with the music. I think that technique, with a very firm pick, reduces the sound of the pick. Basically, I let my hand flex and flow, not the pick. I use very heavy (2.0MM) picks. I used to be 100% pick, but in the last 15 years or so I've added more fingerstyle, still about 75% pick though. Unless I want the pick sound to cut through by scraping the string, most people can't tell by the sound that I'm using a pick.

Bill

[Chriso21]

I play domination in my current warm up routine - good choice! a compressor will sort your uneven clank sound mate. I use tolex picks - they wear out quick, but feel sooo grippy when they are new. Thrash is where its at bro - check how even the notes are on holy wars in this vid - its with the aphex. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ButS80rzitw

[ROON]

Originally Posted by Chriso21

I play domination in my current warm up routine - good choice! a compressor will sort your uneven clank sound mate. I use tolex picks - they wear out quick, but feel sooo grippy when they are new. Thrash is where its at bro - check how even the notes are on holy wars in this vid - its with the aphex. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ButS80rzitw

Holy **** dude, that was awesome. That's exactly how I want to be playing in a few years time. How long have you been playing? I notice that you played that whole song with your wrist, your arm barely moved. I guess that takes lots of practive huh? Also, how thick are your picks, you seem to be picking fairly effortlessly. As for Domination (Do I see a Moscow Monsters of Rock poster on your wall?), I can play the open E speed part, no probs, a few clanks here and there but a compressor can handle that. The part I have trouble playing is the intro:

|-------------
|-------------
|-----757-----
|--00-----00--

That is purely just getting my down/up/down/up picking right, and changing strings at fast speeds. I've discovered doing this is easier when you move your wrist, not your whole arm! lol. I am practicing a fair few Pantera basslines to try and improve. Lines such as this,

Intro to Shedding Skin:
g---------------------------------------------------
d-----------2-2-------------------------------------
a-------2-3-----3-2----2-2---1-1---1-1---1-1---0-0--
e-0-0-3-------------3------3-----3-----3-----2-----1-

Verse for A New Level:
G|-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
D|-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
A|-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
D|-0-0-00-0-0-00-0---0-0-00-0-0-00-0---0-0-00-0-0-00-0---0-0-00-0-12-12-12-12-12-12-12-12-


Just having some fun mucking about.

[Akami]

I prefer heavy picks too, both for tone, and control.

[ROON]

The hunt for a compressor begins.

I see there are two types, pedals and rack units. At the moment I am only using a 30w Ashdown (Yep, with a Stingray. And yes, it is blowing the crap out of the poor little speaker). I'll probably be upgrading to a nice mini-rig in the next half year to year. I dont want a cheapo little thing that doesn't really get the job done. But at the same time I dont want something that is just far too good for a bedroom bassist.
I'm looking at something around the $200 AUD mark, money is a bit of an issue at the moment. For around 200, you can get what seems to be a good pedal like so,

http://www.venuemusic.com.au/Products.asp?ProdID=427

Or you can get a rack unit which has all sorts of features,

http://www.venuemusic.com.au/Products.asp?ProdID=257

Would the pedal suit me more seeing as I only play in my bedroom? (for now).

[Akami]

EBS Multicomp is hard to beat for a pedal type compressor.

[Chriso21]

Thanks buddy,
been playin on and off for ten years, but religiously for the last three or so. yeah I lowered my strap a couple of years ago to the level where my right arm is pretty much relaxed and straight, so my wrist does most of the movement. Rex Brown and David Ellefson seem to have theirs pretty low and whats good enough for them...
my fav picks are .80 tolex. - I wanted to see what worked best for me so I bought three of every size tolex did and just used them all until they were smooth. the .80 ones seemed to have a nice mix of hardness and bendyness if that makes sense.
as for domination, I'll try and record a vid of me playing for you - i do it every day anyway... the most tricky part of it is playing quickly between the e string and the a string. the part you were talking about involves two quick downstrokes on the e and then downstroking the a with a hammer on afterwards. it will come with time - just a bit each day. this song is good for a kind of two string sweep, where you do a kind of firm triplet on the e and then sweep onto the a.
I wouldn't recomend the aphex by the way - i think the input jacks are really flimsy - have t oshake it to get it to work sometimes, allthough when it does, it sounds great.
chris

[Depth_Charge]

Soundmen can usually nip those issues in the butt so I just bash away

[Chriso21]

here is a domination vid I just recorded - its a bit rough during the solo as I didn't have time to warm up properly (finals time!) but you get the idea. Again, using a compressor really help to get it all even.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cud1wR3A_iY