Unwanted Noise!!!

[jay_1_2_3_]

when im playin, and i have to move down the neck, all you can hear is my finger on the strings and it sounds sh1t, im new and have had no lesson or any material to follow, but i can play sum stuff, im just followin the motive that you need to make the least amount of unwanted noise possible and that it should sound how it sounds on the song (when im playin song tabs) can anyone tell me what to do to minimise the noise between my finger and the strings and what i may be doing wrong? cheers

[EADG mx]

new strings will have more noise. wait until they die

Excessive high mids and treble can increase it

Using minimal hand-string contact can decrease it

using flatwounds can decrease it.

[pretaanluxis]

I have the same problem. You must concentrate on your fingers and make sure they are as accurate and relaxed as possible. Also plucking the strings harder will make the string noise seem quieter in comparison to the attack of the actual note

[Nyarlathotep]

Flats FTW. Plus they sound better than rounds IMO. And sound better as they age. I've had them on my SX Jazz 5 for as long as I've had it (IIRC 2 years)

[jenich CZ]

Omg...Flats or Hi-cuts...what is up with you guys?!

its da fingerzzzzz

I give sometimes my students a chance to have a free lesson: Play absolutely clear and precise octaves from C (on the third fret of A string) to next octave (on A string again) skipping by thirds. If you can do it - you got yourself a free lesson.

Thats very hard....i fight with this problem all the time...I play percussively on an acoustic bass with piezo - thats the worst combination...

You got to focus on each note and find out the way how to move over the fretboard without making a sound.... next step is to automatize this...

good luck

[fearceol]

Originally Posted by jenich CZ

You got to focus on each note and find out the way how to move over the fretboard without making a sound....

Yes we know that. The OP ( I'm interested myself ) wants to know is there a way to do this ?

I think this was the point of the thread.

[staindbass]

ewww, bad advice ! never switch equipment to cover technique. the trick is to relax the fingers when you slide. notice the lighter you touch the strings, the less loud the noise is. touch them only light enough to mute them from ringing. so u have to shift from clamping down hard while playing a note, to a butterflys touch when shifting position back and forth at lightning speeds. yes, as everyone says, playing bass is easy. to play it better than other people is another matter. its small hidden skills like this that no one will ever notice that may win you a gig. i am impressed you are concerned with such a small detail. thats what differentiates someone who plays the bass from an actual bassist. johnny a

[pretaanluxis]

Originally Posted by staindbass

never switch equipment to cover technique.

I agree, but if your getting to much scrape noise when sliding to another note on the same string there's only so much you can do.

Using a different part(softer part?) of your finger against the string helps a little, and holding down the string just enough so that the sound of the slide comes out minimizes extraneous noise...but other than that?

[jay_1_2_3_]

thanks for the advice, its actually helped.......and yerr i do pay attention to this kinda stuff because even though im fairly new.....im already awesome .......no seriously though, its helped.......thanx

[lexxmexx]

I get noises too but they are clacking noises of the strings hitting against the frets, although there were no fret buzzes. Anyone knows how to over this?

[JimmyM]

Originally Posted by staindbass

ewww, bad advice ! never switch equipment to cover technique. the trick is to relax the fingers when you slide. notice the lighter you touch the strings, the less loud the noise is. touch them only light enough to mute them from ringing. so u have to shift from clamping down hard while playing a note, to a butterflys touch when shifting position back and forth at lightning speeds. yes, as everyone says, playing bass is easy. to play it better than other people is another matter. its small hidden skills like this that no one will ever notice that may win you a gig. i am impressed you are concerned with such a small detail. thats what differentiates someone who plays the bass from an actual bassist. johnny a

Johnny A has the correct answer, anyone who disagrees with him is wrong. Yes, you CAN get rid of a lot of noises with EQing, but it's the wrong way to do it. That's what someone who owns a bass does to reduce noise. An actual bassist works at it with technique.

Bear in mind that you're never going to completely get rid of noises. It's just a noisy instrument in general. But the goal is to minimize them as much as possible, and not by EQing.

[jay_1_2_3_]

i know what ya mean by noise from hittin against the fret when u push down, i'd like to know what people do to minimise it, all i know is to go right to the edge of the fret and use the flat part of your finger rather than the tip..........any other suggestions?