removing the "click"?

[the_fonz]

ok, i've been playing for a little bit now, and i've removed most bad habits from my technique, but i can't figure out how to get rid of one problem.

when i play (this is fingerpicking) i get a loud clicking noise from each pick. i think it may be the strings hitting the pickups. any advice on how to avoid this noise?

[Crazyeelboy]

Try a lighter touch.

[the_fonz]

good idea, thank you for your help. also, i've seen my brother playing with tape over his pickups and he said something about click. not sure what he said about it, but could that be a solution?

[mimaz]

Could it be a right hand technique issue where you are pressing the string down towards the body (and pickups) as opposed to plucking to set the string in motion parallel to the body? I've seen this more than once with some of my new students, just requires some attention to the RH technique until it becomes natural.

[slackerdefined]

could be that your nails are hitting the string, this is what causes the clicking for me most of the time

If they're even a little bit too long, try trimming them. If that's not the case, it could be the angle that your finger is hitting the strings. Experiment.

Also, I'm not sure tape wouldn't do anything but kill the tone. It would be the equivalent of turning down the tone knob. Could be wrong though.

[JimmyM]

Fonz, your brother was doing a studio trick that some guys do to keep the polepieces from clacking from the strings, but that's not why your bass is clacking. The clacking is a technique thing. Lighten up a little and play closer to the bridge. That takes care of it.

[the_fonz]

ok, i figured it out, i was pushing the strings into the pickups, thanks guys