You guys are weird. The klings and klongs are supposed to be there! At least when you´re playing with band, if the only stage you're playing at is your livingroom, well then... 
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Fret clank
- Thread starter RAM
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Every once in awhile I'll clank. Especially if I moving around alot. But for the most part I don't clank unless I mean to.
You really like yourself a lot, don't you? So playing gigs makes you special, huh? You sure picked your screen name well, that's all I can say.You guys are weird. The klings and klongs are supposed to be there! At least when you´re playing with band, if the only stage you're playing at is your livingroom, well then...
Funny, but I'm told that a major reason why a lot of bands like to have me on bass is because I DON'T kling and klong when I play. And I gig all the time and I get flown around the world to do it. So don't be so impressed with yourself, and don't judge everyone else by your likes and dislikes. I hate that "I play with a band and you don't so I'm cooler than you" mentality on here. It's the height of arrogance. I'd say there's as many people on here who gig regularly as not, so who cares? If you want to impress me, buy me dinner.
HA! Well unless you want to be like that guy left from Korn, hes quite clanky.
The klangin is annoying to my ears and the people I play with, I had a rehearsal last night and I spent a lot of focus on making sure I am plucking more in parallel with the face of the body of the bass more so then pulling/plucking the strings away from it. Makes such a difference and I realized I have been in a bad habit of doing that.
The klangin is annoying to my ears and the people I play with, I had a rehearsal last night and I spent a lot of focus on making sure I am plucking more in parallel with the face of the body of the bass more so then pulling/plucking the strings away from it. Makes such a difference and I realized I have been in a bad habit of doing that.
+1.
I don't gig anymore but I still hate clank of, really, any type just as much as when I was gigging
.In fact, I got so tired of it I went to fretless a few years ago to get rid of it. Well among other reasons like I just sound much worse on a fretted instrument in general, but the clicky-clacky thing drove me nuts.
It's still possible to click on the fretless but the sound of fingerboard slap is a lot less objectionable to me.
To be honest I wouldn't mind if every amp or cab I had had, like, a 128db per octave low-pass filter starting at 1khz in it. Even with everything in my rig set to dead dead dead - treble off, dead-a$$ flatwounds, tweeters off, etc., I still always feel like I have too much treble, growl or click.
Fretless goes a long way.
Also, as for technique, one way to pluck more horizontally against the string instead of thwapping it on top piano-style is to use the floating thumb and keep the thumb right up near the plucked string. This allows you to curl your fingers around more for a more horizontal strike on the string....
LS
I try to avoid fret clank as a general rule. I am also fairly heavy handed when I play so I set my action higher than most. However, I have been getting into occasionally using my bass as a percussion instrument and I'm not opposed to hearing the clank if it works with the song or if it gives me the sound I'm looking for at that time.
Not sure really, I use it quite often and can avoid it, all depends, too much is terrible, but just enough it adds character in some instances.
Like any technique there's a time and place.
Also I think EQing has alot to do with it, playing in a metal band I dig like crazy and shows and the clanks add to the aggressive character.
However the sound guy a month ago was a dingbat and I sounded like broken glass, all high pitched clank no tone.
It works like fret buzz, though it can add character in small doses it can be the worst thing ever.
Like any technique there's a time and place.
Also I think EQing has alot to do with it, playing in a metal band I dig like crazy and shows and the clanks add to the aggressive character.
However the sound guy a month ago was a dingbat and I sounded like broken glass, all high pitched clank no tone.
It works like fret buzz, though it can add character in small doses it can be the worst thing ever.
Well this thread made me feel somewhat better...been fighting this since I started playing a few months ago. Mine seems to come more from my fretting hand hammering down on the strings. I have been making every effort to play lighter, but its still there. It shows up really bad when I record myself, although I need to mic the amp and record that way and see how it sounds as opposed to going direct in as I'm doing now.
Fret clank is a big part of my sound. I have always played pickstyle and increasing or decreasing the strength of my attack likewise increases clank, volume and grit in general. I liken it to playing a guitar amp with the master vol. cranked, as you pick harder the tubes will distort more, ease up on your picking and it will clean up. I would consider this to be an integral part of 'my sound' and is something I use in a deliberate way.
Hmmm...really? That sounds odd to me. Maybe I'm just the last of a dieing breed that try to play cleanly?
I have little to no clank playing flats.
Hi, I'm a newbie here just weighing in on this topic, as it's been one that bass players will always be talking about.
I do try to minimize noise as much as possible, but keeping in mind that a bit of it may be inevitable, especially with rounds and an active bass for instance. I had a chance to hear some of Lee Sklar's tracks soloed up a while ago (sounded like a P-bass with rounds) and was somewhat surprised, and encouraged to hear at least an average amount of fret noise, similar to what I would get. His groove, however, was impeccable and the noise was not really evident on the mixed tracks, so there you go.
Like many of you, I do a lot of recording at home and at one point minimized fret noise almost completely in my soloed tracks, but at the expense of the necessary high end crispness you need for definition in most mixes. I went back to putting an edge on it and dealing with it.
I just think of fret noise as something to be aware of, especially in recording, but nothing to obsess over. If you're grooving, they can work as ghost notes, adding to the power of your track.
Great forum, looking forward to reading more, thanks!
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http://www.thebonedaddys.com
http://www.conjuntojardin.com
I do try to minimize noise as much as possible, but keeping in mind that a bit of it may be inevitable, especially with rounds and an active bass for instance. I had a chance to hear some of Lee Sklar's tracks soloed up a while ago (sounded like a P-bass with rounds) and was somewhat surprised, and encouraged to hear at least an average amount of fret noise, similar to what I would get. His groove, however, was impeccable and the noise was not really evident on the mixed tracks, so there you go.
Like many of you, I do a lot of recording at home and at one point minimized fret noise almost completely in my soloed tracks, but at the expense of the necessary high end crispness you need for definition in most mixes. I went back to putting an edge on it and dealing with it.
I just think of fret noise as something to be aware of, especially in recording, but nothing to obsess over. If you're grooving, they can work as ghost notes, adding to the power of your track.
Great forum, looking forward to reading more, thanks!
Link Removed
http://www.thebonedaddys.com
http://www.conjuntojardin.com
When I first started playing bass, it used to annoy me, but I eventually got used to it.
However, nowadays, I play with my strings pretty high up off the fretboard, raising the bridge, so generally, I don't get much clanking. However, if I'm playing a particularly heavy song, I can manage to force a clank out of it. Just gives the piece that more full a sound at times. "At times" being the operative!
However, nowadays, I play with my strings pretty high up off the fretboard, raising the bridge, so generally, I don't get much clanking. However, if I'm playing a particularly heavy song, I can manage to force a clank out of it. Just gives the piece that more full a sound at times. "At times" being the operative!
My playing sounds unclean with fret clank because it only appears randomly. Therefore I try to avoid it.
I want the clank only when I want it - not randomly and uncontrollably.
A few things I've read here apply to me: P Bass, flatwounds, vintage (thin wire) frets, controlled digging in with floating thumb technique...
A few things I've read here apply to me: P Bass, flatwounds, vintage (thin wire) frets, controlled digging in with floating thumb technique...
How about Fret Clank's ill mannered cousin, String Noise? This is often a bigger problem for me, especially in the studio with rounds and an active bass.
I've played a lot for many years, so as a result have really hard calluses, especially the entire length of my left index finger. When playing fast passages or sliding it's tough to keep that "whisk" sound out of the track.
Anyone else with the same problem have any suggestions?
I've played a lot for many years, so as a result have really hard calluses, especially the entire length of my left index finger. When playing fast passages or sliding it's tough to keep that "whisk" sound out of the track.
Anyone else with the same problem have any suggestions?
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Fret noise, clank, or buzz, that is.
String slide noise, not so bad (can provide a nice dynamic.)
Fret noise, clank, or buzz, that is.
String slide noise, not so bad (can provide a nice dynamic.)
