Cannot get the clank sound on new bass

[umefie]

hello, I'm having a problem in getting the clank sound(basically the left hand hitting the strings) for my slap sound. this technique is used for ghost notes in the left hand. the problem is I tried my friends bass and I can get the clank pretty easy on his bass but not on mine. I have to exert too much effort on mine. I also checked the relief on both basses(both 0.008) and check string height(mine is lower). since it's not both of those.
now I'm thinking that this is because of the strings(the thickness of his strings is slightly lower). any thoughts or other recommendations to get the clank sound easy?

the left hand is like slapping the fretboard(that's the technique) for mute sounds.

 

[Killing Floor]

What strings? Bass?

 

[umefie]

What strings? Bass?

I'm not sure if you're familiar but the guitar is a Bacchus bjb-98. I think my strings is daddario(from what the seller told). my friend's is Fernando ibb-101. I'm not sure about brand of strings of my friends(ithink it's stock strings from where he bought it).

 

[umefie]

pics of the strings

 

[Les Fret]

Clank is not the right word. Clank is something else. I think you are referring to a left hand muted hammer-on when slapping? Like hitting the E with your thumb and then make muted a hammer-on with the left hand?

Should work on any bass and any strings. Only if your action is really too low you will get a normal hammer-on instead of a muted one. Also make sure you are doing it with flat fingers instead of curved fingers as you do with a normal hammer-on. Hope this helps.

 

[umefie]

Clank is not the right word. Clank is something else. I think you are referring to a left hand muted hammer-on when slapping? Like hitting the E with your thumb and then make muted a hammer-on with the left hand?

Should work on any bass and any strings. Only if your action is really too low you will get a normal hammer-on instead of a muted one. Also make sure you are doing it with flat fingers instead of curved fingers as you do with a normal hammer-on. Hope this helps.

other threads about this also called it clank. it's when the strings hit the fretboard producing that sound(usually more prominent in e string).

Like hitting the E with your thumb and then make muted a hammer-on with the left hand?

something like this but I have to make sure when I use my left hand to tap the strings, the strings hit the fretboard producing the sound.

 

[umefie]

it's this sound

 

[Bass4ThePublic]

Buy new strings. For clank I like DR Hi Beams

 

[BassBrass]

it's this sound

click click? Warning- 12 minutes of Japanese, no music. Why does his vocal pitch rise and fall 3 octaves?
this is clank, especially when he hits a note hard and the vibration hits the fret.

 

[umefie]

Warning- 12 minutes of Japanese, no music. Why does his vocal pitch rise and fall 3 octaves?

ahh, that's just a tutorial I found demonstrating the sound. I think that's how japanese people usually speak.

 

[umefie]

Buy new strings. For clank I like DR Hi Beams

I might buy if strings are the problem. might go with Dr pure blues, high,fat beams, or Dunlop SB to reduce tension.

 

[Guitalia]

The lighter the strings, the easier it is to get the clank you're looking for. And use roundwound strings rather than flats.

 

[Al Rivera]

Your strings may be too low,raise your action.

 

[umefie]

Your strings may be too low,raise your action.

shouldn't the strings be lower so it hits the frets easily since it's closer?

 

[Levent]

it's this sound

Beats me why any bass wouldn't produce this sound
Is your left hand strong enough to make the strings hit the fret? Than It should be audible through pickups. Maybe pickups are too low and strings are heavier and higher but still I can produce It with high action bsss with flatwounds.

 

[FullumMusic]

What everyone else said, and also, turn the tone all the way open if it's a passive bass and turn the mid/treble up a bit if it's active.

 

[umefie]

Beats me why any bass wouldn't produce this sound

it's not that I can't do it, Its just harder to do it in my bass compared to my friends bass which is no effort and I'm not sure why.(ithink it's the strings tho)

 

[H K]

He's referring to "left hand slap", it's got tons of other names, but thats the one I'm familiar with. Primus's "my name is mud" is a great example of this. To get the 5 "clanks" there, you use your left 2 times to slap down on the strings.

Anyway, to answer your question: use a lower string tension, and set the strings slightly higher on the fretboard. See if that helps. Ofcourse also, roundwound strings, and the neck pickup at max volume. You might also have to move your (RIGHT HAND) slapping abit further away from the pickup, so that you can get an even output from them. The left hand slap will be noticeably lower in volume either way, but these steps will help minimize it.

Oh, and make sure you dont accidentally mute the strings while youre doing it!

Happy slappy.

 

[skycruiser]

it's not that I can't do it, Its just harder to do it in my bass compared to my friends bass which is no effort and I'm not sure why.(ithink it's the strings tho)

My guess is this is related to the string tension, not simply the gauge.

Higher tension might make it harder to do the technique you showed in the video (basically slapping down the strings on the frets with your left hand).

Tension depends on 3 things: Frequency you tune the string to, Length of the string, and Unit Weight (weight per unit length such as inch or centimeter).

In units of Inch-Pound-Hz, this is the equation:
T (Tension) = (UW x (2 x L x F)^2) / 386.4

If you are comparing 2 sets of strings on the scale length with the same tuning, then both Frequency and Length are the same. The only other thing to adjust is the unit weight.

2 strings with the same gauge may not have the same unit weight. This depends on the string materials and construction. It is possible for a larger gauge string to have lower unit weight than a smaller gauge, again, depending on materials and construction. It may be that the strings on your friend's guitar have lower unit weight and lower tension, making it easier to use this technique.

Obviously other setup issues that were mentioned above play into it, namely string height.

 

[umefie]

He's referring to "left hand slap", it's got tons of other names, but thats the one I'm familiar with. Primus's "my name is mud" is a great example of this. To get the 5 "clanks" there, you use your left 2 times to slap down on the strings.

Anyway, to answer your question: use a lower string tension, and set the strings slightly higher on the fretboard. See if that helps. Ofcourse also, roundwound strings, and the neck pickup at max volume. You might also have to move your (RIGHT HAND) slapping abit further away from the pickup, so that you can get an even output from them. The left hand slap will be noticeably lower in volume either way, but these steps will help minimize it.

Oh, and make sure you dont accidentally mute the strings while youre doing it!

Happy slappy.

same question as the guy above, wouldn't raising my action make it harder to make the string hit the metal pieces on the fretboard since it's further away?