Muting with hands busy clapping

[mambo4]

We have a song where there is a cliche/awsome "music stops and everybody claps and sings" part.
One by one the band comes back in, but I'm the last to come back.

The problem: as the band comes back in, my strings begin to vibrate sympathetically
and actually start to sort of feedback, getting louder and louder...
kinda cool, but not what we want. and live, it might get even worse with the PA adding to it...

would a foam or felt mute stop the sympathetic vibrations? anyone have experience with this live?

[251]

Originally Posted by mambo4

We have a song where there is a cliche/awsome "music stops and everybody claps and sings" part.
One by one the band comes back in, but I'm the last to come back.

The problem: as the band comes back in, my strings begin to vibrate sympathetically
and actually start to sort of feedback, getting louder and louder...
kinda cool, but not what we want. and live, it might get even worse with the PA adding to it...

would a foam or felt mute stop the sympathetic vibrations? anyone have experience with this live?

Have you considered clapping hand to string instead of hand & hand? You can get a nice percussive sound that could add to the other clapping.

Alternately, wrap your fretting arm over the top of your strings, to mute, then clap the back of your fretting hand.

[JimmyM]

turn down the volume knob.

[CaptainWampum]

Turn on your tuner.

[puddin tame]

have you considered turning the volume down.....?

[hoshbrown41]

Originally Posted by puddin tame

have you considered turning the volume down.....?

Originally Posted by CaptainWampum

Turn on your tuner.

Originally Posted by JimmyM

turn down the volume knob.

+1 to all of you
i thought this was a pretty obvious solution...

[varunkapahi]

hit the mute on the tuner pedal or turn down the volume knob on your bass

[mambo4]

obvious yes..but i have to keep clapping right up to the downbeat where I come in
no time for knob turning
and depending on the situation i may not have a mute pedal
...and if in the moment I *forget* to unmute when i need to quickly come back in, it will be a terrible loss of awsome.
I realize that "don't f*ck that part up up" is the real solution

...but I was just wondering if something could be done to stop the feedback/sympathetic vibration while still leaving the bass "on"

[FretGrinder]

then why not just clap with your hands below the level of your strings, with your right forearm muting them?

[Febs]

Originally Posted by mambo4

obvious yes..but i have to keep clapping right up to the downbeat where I come in

Still seems like a pedal tuner is the obvious solution.

[zenrad]

Originally Posted by mambo4

obvious yes..but i have to keep clapping right up to the downbeat where I come in
no time for knob turning
and depending on the situation i may not have a mute pedal
...and if in the moment I *forget* to unmute when i need to quickly come back in, it will be a terrible loss of awsome.
I realize that "don't f*ck that part up up" is the real solution

...but I was just wondering if something could be done to stop the feedback/sympathetic vibration while still leaving the bass "on"

Sacrifice the last clap and head for the volume knob or buy a volume pedal. I don't think either one would be too hard to coordinate.

[JimmyM]

Originally Posted by mambo4

obvious yes..but i have to keep clapping right up to the downbeat where I come in
no time for knob turning
and depending on the situation i may not have a mute pedal
...and if in the moment I *forget* to unmute when i need to quickly come back in, it will be a terrible loss of awsome.
I realize that "don't f*ck that part up up" is the real solution

...but I was just wondering if something could be done to stop the feedback/sympathetic vibration while still leaving the bass "on"

not unless you stand still as a statue.

[BigOldHarry]

I swing my left arm over my neck and mute with the backside of my arm (triceps). If you have to come in playing RIGHT when the clapping stop, just stop clapping a beat or two before the other cats.

[LaklandMike]

Originally Posted by BigOldHarry

I swing my left arm over my neck and mute with the backside of my arm (triceps). If you have to come in playing RIGHT when the clapping stop, just stop clapping a beat or two before the other cats.

My thoughts exactly.

[mambo4]

Originally Posted by BigOldHarry

I swing my left arm over my neck and mute with the backside of my arm (triceps).

I'll give that a try.

thanks for the replies everyone
I suppose in the long run I just need to get some discipline with the mute pedal.