so much racket anytime i fret or defret a string

[lazytech]

much racket anytime i fret or defret a string

it just seems just so much racket anytime i fret or defret, im just not sur eif its totally me or setup or both.

Just lookin for ideas as to what needs to happen.

Tanks for any tips

Todd

[olaff421]

I take it you think there's too much racket when you fret and defret your strings. Are you pulling your fingers straight up or dragging them on the string? Is your treble cranked? Are your strings really high or really low? There could be many reasons for it.

[lazytech]

well i think im doing all of the above to be honest with you.

wel treble is definitely cranked (on the bass), amp not os much so.

I as far as my plucking goes, im thinking alot of it is that, cause its even obnoxious when im playing with no amp (not terribly, but not as clean as id prefer).

[TOOL460002]

improper timing (even just a bit off) can add to string clack. one tiny bit off and you may be hitting the string hard when its slightly defretted.

as suggested, check your action. i like mine pretty darn low, but i also slap with zero problems. i want it as low as possible with no first fret buzz (obviously none on open strings either).

do you get buzz playing over the pickup? i mostly play over the neck, which gives a ton of buzz. i dont care. i like the style, and it works for me, so i just eq it out later (eq on on bass is at 9 o'clock, no exceptions).

it seems to me that the closer you pluck to the fretted note, the more buzz you get. experiment around with that. however, if you get a lot of buzz while playing over the pickup, and fretting far down the neck, your setup probably needs to be adjusted. also, try playing both lighter and more forceful. hopefully some combination of the above will solve the issue, or provide more info for someone more qualified than i to fix.

[chaosMK]

Sounds like a treble issue.

If you want more presence at the right frequencies, I highly recommend something along the lines of Sansamp BDDI or Hartke VXL (way cheaper than Sansamp).

Maybe try nickel strings if you want to mellow out more too.

I cut the highest frequency a good bit on my parametric EQ (not even sure what it is... 8k-ish).

[Bassorama57]

Originally Posted by chaosMK

Sounds like a treble issue.

+1

[JimmyM]

+2. Plus bass is a noisy instrument by nature. Some of those noises just can't be helped, and some actually add to the coolness of the bass sound. But they can be minimized by not doing any extreme treble boosting and watching your technique...for example, stopping the note with your right hand before you lift off the fret.

[lazytech]

Thanks guys.

IOm pretty sure alot of it is timing, (cause i do it when im not plugged in)

when plugged i have been boosting the trebel too much too so it magnifies it of course.

I think somwhere in the back of my mind, i imagine a totally perfect playing with no clicks or anything, im starting to think thats not realistic at all.

[JimmyM]

Originally Posted by lazytech

I think somwhere in the back of my mind, i imagine a totally perfect playing with no clicks or anything, im starting to think thats not realistic at all.

It's a little unrealistic to expect to get rid of every single clack. I used to take lessons off Dave LaRue and even he would clack and have fret noises occasionally. However, he knows how to minimize them and keep them from being annoying. So don't just give up on it. Just realize which ones can be helped and which ones can't.

[a707780]

it's probably a technique issue mostly. do you do a lot of right hand muting? (assuming your right is your plucking hand) I used to get a lot of clack when I would mute aggressively with my plucking hand. a lot of noise went away when I began muting with my fretting hand. try altering your muting and get a good set up that works with your playing style. higher action ain't a sin, just ask Jamerson. Good luck.

[xzzy]

A lot of the clatter will get lost in the mix when you play with other people. Dig up some of those Rush tracks with the bass extracted. Geddy beats the hell out of his instrument, but you'll never hear it while the band is playing.

This isn't to say you shouldn't work on your technique, just that you shouldn't let it hold you back.

[tpmiller08]

[quote=JimmyM;7419976] I used to take lessons off Dave LaRue and even he would clack and have fret noises occasionally. [quote]

Dave LaRue does my laundry! Ok, probaly not the same Dave

Higher action fixed this for me. And just try playing softer. Make sure your plucking paralelle (sp?) to the body, and not pushing the string towards the body and neck when you pluck.

Higher action for the win, but you might want to play on a low action just to get your technique down first.

Good luck man!

-Troy

[Bootzilla]

If all the above doesn't help try to minimize the amount of left hand movement. What I mean by that is that you should be very economic with your left hand and keep your fingers close to the fretboard at all times. This way your fingers have less distance to travel and can hit the frets at a lower speed.

There is a good chance that you are already doing this but I thought I'd post it anyway.

[v-grooves]

Originally Posted by lazytech

much racket anytime i fret or defret a string

it just seems just so much racket anytime i fret or defret, im just not sur eif its totally me or setup or both.

Just lookin for ideas as to what needs to happen.

Tanks for any tips

Todd

I have found that this is more noticeable on a bass with a maple fretboard versus a rosewood board (just my own set of ears....YMMV). The rosewood board seems to warm up the sound and reduce the percussive fretting noises a fair amount.

I have a 75 jazz with a maple board and you can hear all the action (noise) going on all over the fretboard. On my Lakland 55-94 rosewood, I hear harmonic content and very little percussive extras coming from the fretboard.

Vince