Getting clean open-to-open string notes?

[larrysb]

Let's say playing in F, root at the 1st fret fourth string.

The run is

b7 b7 6 3 R

(flat-7, flat-7, 6th, 3rd, root)

The 6th and 3rd are the open second string and open third string. It's a fairly fast tempo run.

I'm trying to get clear annunciation of each note, but I'm finding it hard to get the 6th (open second string) to fully mute while trying to play the 3rd (open third string) cleanly and then back to the root at the 1st fret-fourth string.

Best I can wing it at full tempo is to make the 3rd a ghost note. It kind of works that way, the ear tends to expect it. But would really like to sound each note cleanly, singly, at tempo, for full duration of the note.

Haven't conjured up the right combination of left-hand and right-hand technique.

 

[Aloe]

1. you can play your A and/or your D on the 5th fret, it might sound cleaner this way
2. generally if you want to mute a note on a higher string that you're playing now, it's your left hand

 

[Groove Doctor]

Try playing it on the A string -
Eb (6th fret) x2, D (5th fret) then A (open).
Or A (E string 5th fret).

Otherwise mute the D string with a combination of your 2/3/4th fingers fretting hand and/or plucking hand. This leaves index fingers free to play the A then the F.

 

[Wasnex]

I assume the notes are not short/staccato.

After years of practice, this happens automatically. I have to really concentrate to observe what I actually do.

I assume eighth notes starting on beat 3. The line lands on the down beat of the next measure.

| __ __ Eb,Eb,D,A | F_ __ Eb,Eb,D,A|F_ __ Eb,Eb,D,A|F_ __ Eb,Eb,D,A|F_ __ Eb,Eb,D,A| etc.

Mute the open D with your index finger when you play the open A.

Mute the open A with the index finger when you play the F. You fret the F with the index finger and simultaneously mute the A.

Mute the F with the index finger. This is done by releasing just enough pressure so the string lifts off the fret. If necessary, you can also mute the F with your plucking hand.

 

[JonathanPDX]

Best I can wing it at full tempo is to make the 3rd a ghost note. It kind of works that way, the ear tends to expect it. But would really like to sound each note cleanly, singly, at tempo, for full duration of the note.

Haven't conjured up the right combination of left-hand and right-hand technique.

Can you post a video of you playing? It's a lot easier to give technique advice when we can see exactly what's going on.

 

[FullumMusic]

If it's an option tonally, play those open string notes with your right hand closer to the bridge to make them a bit tighter.

With your left hand you have options.

- The position you're playing the run really only needs your index finger for the b7, and then the 1. As you're moving your index finger from the b7 to the 1, and right after you play the 6, let any of your other fingers touch the D string to mute it.

- Instead of playing it with just your index finger, play the b7 with your middle or ring finger that can finger the note, and then release to play the 6, and it's already right there to mute the open string while you' hit the open 3 and finger the 1 with your index.

- Quickly change positions so you can play the run starting on the A string's 6th fret.

It really depends on what you're playing before this as to which might be easier. I'd probably just change positions and use option 3.
But whichever is easiest for you is the right answer.

 

[HolmeBass]

I think if at all possible playing the Eb’s and D on the A string, then open A allowing a position shift down to the low F would be the way to go. Otherwise you might have to accept some sonic compromises. I find muting open strings down there to be tough to completely mute the open note - some of that open D will bleed onto the A, and some of that open A will bleed onto the F, at least at first. This might just be acceptable though; don’t let perfect be the enemy of good, hand-made music, etc.

 

[Killing Floor]

This isn’t exactly what you are asking. But the further down the neck you move, the more mass is moving because the string is longer. Combine that with the nut generally being a clean witness point and open strings can sound different. Sometimes that’s good. Sometimes you want more even output. I’ll echo that playing the note on the lower string at the 5 may be the trick.

As you gain experience you’ll improve muting with both hands.

 

[larrysb]

I'm not really setup to take and edit a video...

The run is supposed to be almost staccato, each note clean and distinct in a 16th-note run, ending in that F at string 4 1st fret.

b7 b7 6 3 | R
4 ee & ah | 1

Tempo about 75-80 bpm, with a funk feel, hence really wanting to hit the beats.

I tried playing it in two positions, but moving the hand position so quickly from 5th to 1st fret wasn't getting it.

The two approaches I've come up with so far:

The first being let the open A play as a dead note, works OK as the major third sort of gets implied as long as there's a thump there. Keeps the beat anyway, but doesn't quite support the tonality of the chord.

The second approach that I've come up with is to play the b7 to 6th (open D) as a pull off while sweeping the plucking-hand index finger coming off the b7 to the 3rd (open A), allowing plucking-hand middle finger to mute the open D and simultaneously moving index finger to the root F (first fret, fourth string), allowing the A to sound, then mute as the fretting finger reaches the first fret.

It's a lot of interesting, coordinated motion between both hands and multiple fingers.

In simple terms, the plucking hand index finger sweeps from 2-3-4 strings, with the ring finger coming behind it to mute the third string. The fretting hand executes the pull off on the 2nd string fret-1 to open, then is in motion to 4th string fret 1. Fretting fourth string fret 1 allows muting the open A just as the 4th string is plucked.

I think it will take some practice, but after several runs, it actually feels more relaxed than it sounds.

 

[Wasnex]

The run is supposed to be almost staccato, each note clean and distinct in a 16th-note run, ending in that F at string 4 1st fret.

b7 b7 6 3 | R
4 ee & ah | 1

Tempo about 75-80 bpm, with a funk feel, hence really wanting to hit the beats.

I don't think it makes sense to play the line higher on the neck unless you have B string. I only tried it on 4 string, although my #1 is actually a 6 string. I did try it up an octave on the 4, and it works fine fingered 22122. Playing across multiple strings with the same finger involves barring the finger across strings. Muting involves rocking the finger to release pressure on one string while pressing the other string all the way to the fret to sound the note.

With the fingering I suggested in in post #4, . I can play the line cleanly at 125BPM, although accuracy is starting to fall in the cracks.

Muting takes time to develop. It took me a year or two to expand and automate when I transitioned to 6 string.


I suggest doing two things:

1. Start slow and work it up. You may find that the muting approach that works best for slow is not best for fast. I.E. the technique you ultimately use may evolve as you work it up.
2. Break the line down in shorter bites. Figure out how to ply Eb,Eb at tempo. Then extend to Eb,Eb,D. Extend to Eb,Eb,D,A and finally the whole line Eb,Eb,D,A,F. You could also work on any two or three note combination in the line. The idea is to focus on the part that needs the most work.

 

[JonathanPDX]

Is this a song you are learning or just an exercise you are working on?

The obvious answer is to make changes so it sounds good, for example, playing higher on the fretboard and using a high F instead of a low one in order to make each note clean.

As a technical exercise in the position described, my instinct is to pluck 1, 2, 1 and on that third note (open D) my first finger is raking across all three strings while my second finger is trailing behind to mute the D and then A strings directly behind it. I also find the muting is cleaner if I fret the low F with my left thumb so my other fingers are free and in position to assist with immediately muting those open strings.

 

[larrysb]

It's a snippet of a song to perform, and it was just one that I found interesting because it wasn't coming out as well as I like, and felt like I needed to work on the technique.

So it is just plain old 4-string bass, standard tuning, not super fast, but really need to hit those 16th notes on the beat to keep the feel pumping. In context, the major third supports the rest of the ensemble.

When I first ran into it, realized, wasn't nailing it the way I wanted to.

In the moment, my solution was just to dead-note the open A, which works. Get a nice thump right there and everyone is shaking their booty on schedule.

After a little work on it, I arrived at the coordinated muting between plucking and fretting hand as I described later in the thread.

It is similar to what Jonathan just suggested, raking the 2, 3, 4 strings followed by muting with the trailing plucking finger.

Thumbing the root feels a little awkward to me. Letting the fretting finger mute the open-A while fretting the F-root note works.

It will take some practice to smooth it out and make it sound out nice and steady, but the combined left and right hand muting feels natural and unhurried.

Another good workaround would be to tune the bass differently so as to eliminate the open strings in the riff. But that's kinda cheating and ain't nobody got time for retuning on stage. Studio though, might be a way to nail a take quicker.

 

[Whousedtoplay]

The 6th and 3rd are the open second string and open third string. It's a fairly fast tempo run.

I'm trying to get clear annunciation of each note, but I'm finding it hard to get the 6th (open second string) to fully mute while trying to play the 3rd (open third string) cleanly and then back to the root at the 1st fret-fourth string.

I'm playing that "run" per your instructed fingering at 80 bpm. No big issues.
Only one left hand finger (fretting) - INDEX 1 - is involved.
When I play Open D, my right hand finger is muting the Open A string (and waiting to play open A.) My left hand finger does not touch the D string.
Next.
When I play the Open A string, my left/fretting hand finger - Index 1 - is muting/kind of resting the D string, let's say, on the first fret of the D sting.

After open A string, my left hand Index finger plays F on the E sting.