I'm going mad (Guitarist is 'hearing' something)

[iceshaft07]

Hey everyone. My guitarist and I play a bunch of songs. For a while, this happened with just one song, but we wrote a new one last night, and it happens with that one.

He insists that he is hearing something. Me being a computer repair person (not quite a technitian yet), I have been trying diagnose what he is describing.

He can't describe it anymore than it sounds different. He also says that it is always with the E, F, and F# on the D string (frets 2, 3, 4).

With both songs, the notes I play are whole notes.

It is not note bending, I hooked it up to my tuner. I would really have to try to bend the note for him to notice it.

It is not fret buzz. (I purposly played causing fret buzz).

The intonation appears to be within reason.

I thought I might be plucking the note before I actually fret it, but that would not make sense because there are other long notes in the song. This happens when I switch from A on the A string (fret 0) to E, and when I switch from E to F# on the D string.

He says he hears it with my finger picking, but not plucking with a pick.

This one is really interesting. If I play D on the A string (5th fret) then E on the D string (2nd Fret) then F# on the D string (4th fret); he hears it on F#. On the other song, I play C on the A string (3rd fret), A on the A string (fret 0), and then E on the D string (2nd fret). This tells me I am not having problems switching between strings.

song 1
|--------
|---2~4~
|5~------
|---------
Hears it on F#

song 2
|-------
|-----2~
|3~0~--
|--------
Hears it on E

Could someone please recommend something? This is driving me crazy!

[chroma601]

Your guitarist needs to be more specific on just what it is that he is hearing!

[Deacon_Blues]

A weak guess, but could it be you have a dead spot on your bass on the 2-4 fret on the D string?

Perhaps the eq and bass amp / cabinet / room size have something to do with it?


+1 to chroma's comment.

[Chebass88]

Originally Posted by iceshaft07

Could someone please recommend something? This is driving me crazy!

What is he hearing?

Angelic voices? Demonic voices? a slight beeping noise? A bird chirping? A howling wolf? A mexican mariachi band?

[hunta]

Originally Posted by Chebass88

What is he hearing?
A mexican mariachi band?

OMG, if that's an option for "voices in your head" I want it.

[jsingles]

Originally Posted by hunta

OMG, if that's an option for "voices in your head" I want it.

O_O +1

[svtb15]

Does anyone really care what a guitarist thinks he hears.? Can they actually hear at all?

[MooseLumps]

Sounds like a dead spot to me. Fat Finger, anyone?

[RONQUITO]

Guitarist????

You must have meant to say GUITARD

[Lalabadie]

Originally Posted by Chebass88

What is he hearing?

Angelic voices? Demonic voices? a slight beeping noise? A bird chirping? A howling wolf? A mexican mariachi band?

Howling wolf. He's accidentally playing Sonata Arctica outros.

[jsingles]

look man, I say if its not interfering with the mix, tell your guitard to shut his face hole

try using another bass tho, it will probably go away

[jschwalls]

sounds like he is hearing "IT" on the last note... are you sure you are muting the prior note... it could be causing some issues.... if you are muting correctly then i diagnose the problem as "guitaritus".. I have dealt with 100's of arrogant guitarist and they all seem to have issues.
Screw 'em.

[Jaco D]

What kind of bass do you have? If it's a common looking one, try borrowing a similar looking copy and a three foot long lead pipe. Play the axe it in front of the guitard. If he still hears something, whack the lead pipe on his noggin.

[Beta]

Originally Posted by jschwalls

sounds like he is hearing "IT" on the last note... are you sure you are muting the prior note... it could be causing some issues....

I don't see how muting the prior note is the problem in the first example. One note is on the second fret, the next is on the fourth fret of the same string. It's impossible for it to continue to sound.

[Gubna]

Originally Posted by Chebass88

What is he hearing?

Angelic voices? Demonic voices? a slight beeping noise? A bird chirping? A howling wolf? A mexican mariachi band?


OMG, if that's an option for "voices in your head" I want it.

I vote you add a poll!

[RiddimKing]

He's hearing his cellphone through his amp head...

[Rattlehead]

Very interesting.

I'd say try different basses and different amps out just to see if its really your bass.

The one thing that comes to mind is that certain bass frequencies cause other objects in the room to vibrate. For example snare drums are prone to rattle if you hit the right note (this depends, of course, on a whole list of variables).

Might try recording it so we can listen?

[Lon86]

Tell him its his guitar...

And ask him if he can still hear it in the mix.

[dirtgroove]

More info??? any descriptions for what he's hearing?

[FireArm]

Maybe a deadspot? although hitting it with a pick and fingers i dont think would make much difference to the dead spot it would sound dead and rattly whatever you hit it with it... He could just be dropping hints that he wants you to always use a pick though.. why i have no idea..