What do I do?

[franzkafka]

I'm in a prog/math metal. I love the music, it calls for a lot of bass. We only have one guitar, and I relish in playing my ass off (tastefully, I think) to fill out the sound. So, I'm doing stuff that I couldn't imagine doing a year ago. It just keeps getting more complex, too, for better or worse.

Anyway, I'm worried about my tone. I'm playing a Ibanez SR506 (6 string) through a Carvin BX1200 with a compressor and some other misc. effects.

I do quite a few little two hand tapping parts and some chordal stuff, so my action is really low. I get a LOT of clicking, which I hate. It seems to sound sloppy no matter how close I play to the bridge. I'm also getting a little buzzing from the frets too. My set up allows me to be quite light with my fretting hand, but I can't dig in at all. I need that.

Also, I'm having trouble getting some of the notes to sound as fully as the others when tapping. Like, the lower notes sound way louder than most of the higher ones when tapping. I think I'm putting a fairly equal amount of force into each tapped note, I've worked on the parts a lot to ensure this. It seems like an eq problem to me. I've boosted my mids and highs and still it persists.

Long post, sorry. It's my first one. Any suggestions would be appreciated. Thanks.

[tpmiller08]

Originally Posted by franzkafka

I'm in a prog/math metal. I love the music, it calls for a lot of bass. We only have one guitar, and I relish in playing my ass off (tastefully, I think) to fill out the sound. So, I'm doing stuff that I couldn't imagine doing a year ago. It just keeps getting more complex, too, for better or worse.

Anyway, I'm worried about my tone. I'm playing a Ibanez SR506 (6 string) through a Carvin BX1200 with a compressor and some other misc. effects.

I do quite a few little two hand tapping parts and some chordal stuff, so my action is really low. I get a LOT of clicking, which I hate. It seems to sound sloppy no matter how close I play to the bridge. I'm also getting a little buzzing from the frets too. My set up allows me to be quite light with my fretting hand, but I can't dig in at all. I need that.

Also, I'm having trouble getting some of the notes to sound as fully as the others when tapping. Like, the lower notes sound way louder than most of the higher ones when tapping. I think I'm putting a fairly equal amount of force into each tapped note, I've worked on the parts a lot to ensure this. It seems like an eq problem to me. I've boosted my mids and highs and still it persists.

Long post, sorry. It's my first one. Any suggestions would be appreciated. Thanks.

This is a long shot, but its what was wrong with me. I play hard, have high action, and it sounds tight. But all of a sudden I got a wicked click sound everytime I hit a string. I couldnt figure it out for the life of me. Then....I took the cell phone out of my right pocket. Where my bass rests, is right where my cell phone was. Messed with the electronics or pick ups I guess. But if you play righty, and have a cell phone in your right pocket, it might add alot of clicking and popping noises.

Thats probaly not the problem. It could be your saddle is too low, or your playing perpendicular when you pluck / pick a string. Trying playing more pararelle to the pickups and it might help. Or lower your pickups if you think the strings might be hitting off them.

Hope one of those fixes your problem =) Good luck,


-Troy

[franzkafka]

It's not the cell phone, I take it out of my pocket when I play, but that could be a good point. My bass rests pretty high, but I will pay attention to my positioning.

And I wish it was my pickups! They're lower than the fretboard as is. I can see how the parallel/perpendicular thing would be a problem and I'll keep an eye on that too.

I might end up raising the action, but I'm kinda reluctant to do so. It's so easy to fret right now.

Thanks!

[Asher S]

With a 6 string, try the floating thumb technique + a lighter touch:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PPVMBPmrblU

It worked wonders for me after switching from 4 to 5 string, very low action

[franzkafka]

Huh, that is not natural at all to me hahaha

I can see that helping, it'll take some time getting it to feel natural though. Thanks a lot!

[Asher S]

Originally Posted by franzkafka

Huh, that is not natural at all to me hahaha

I can see that helping, it'll take some time getting it to feel natural though. Thanks a lot!

Yes- it will just "click" eventually, and then will become second nature. At the age of 42 it only took me a few days and now I play that way instinctively... it seems my brain is still malleable!

[franzkafka]

Haha I'll keep up with it. I also raised the action on the saddles a little, seemed to help.

I'll have to work out that tapping part at band practice I guess. Thanks for the suggestions guys.