Pop Question

[RonJohnTom]

Now I've been playing bass for only about a year now so it possible my technique is still bad. But with slapping and popping is there some unwritten rule that says you shouldn't pop an open string. I ask this because that other day I was popping and I accidently popped the open D string, and it made a nasty buzz noise. Now if I frett the first note on the D string it goes away. If I play the string normally not popping it the sound does not come up. So as my question states should you just not pop an open string?

[fcleff]

I pop 'em. I just have to pop 'em with a slightly lighter touch.

[user101]

shouldn't be a problem. Just remember to mute them after

[RonJohnTom]

Hmmm, well I figure you guys know what your doing, I just cant seem to get it to sound good not to metion I havent really seen anyone pop and open string. Now if I mute it right away I can get a decent sound. On the other hand if I let it ring out it makes the nasty buzzing.

[Rattlehead]

The more force you use when you pluck, the more likely it is that you'll get fret buzz. That's why when you pop it you get that buzz and play it fingerstyle you don't.

There are two possible solutions, and it depends on your situation.

It might be your technique. Are your pops about as loud as your slaps? If not, then you're likely poping too hard (or slapping too soft maybe).

If its not technique, maybe its the bass. Search these forums for "fret buzz" and "setup", there's tons of stuff here.

[RonJohnTom]

I don't think it fret buzz, the buzz actually comes from the bridge. This also get types of buzz from the bridge when I play my A-string to hard. I have a Fender Mex-Jazz Bass. So I don't the type of buzz goes away as soon as I fret a noted.

[doctorjazz]

I pop open strings every now and then, I'm just real careful to mute them immediately afterward so it's not that noticeably different from a fretted note.