Help with staccato notes

[kurotenshi]

Hey guys, I've been having some trouble with really fast staccato notes on the B string. While I know technique (which i'm working on) cannot be replaced and the strings and the bass have a lot to do with it (and I am going to change bass in a few weeks) I am looking at some alternatives.
So I see many guitar players use noise suppressors to get a tighter sound with fast palm muted staccato notes, do you think this would work on the bass to?
I've seen the decimator has a lot of good rep and the mxr smart gate has been a bit bad mouthed here on TB, can you elaborate on that?
Thanks

 

[RickenBoogie]

You don't need a noise gate, but a compressor may help some. Ultimately, it's all about your fingers though.

 

[zwkoch]

Here is an out of the box suggestion. Check out the fret wraps made by GRUV Gear. I have one on my 5 string, and it really cleans up faster lines. You can slide it up and down the neck to dampen the open string resonance and extra harmonics that get in the way of fast plucking. I find it very useful. Here is a link: http://www.gruvgear.com/fretwraps

 

[JimmyM]

You can set the threshold on a noise gate to slam shut at a high volume, which would tighten it up, but it's quite noticeable IMHO. And I could never ever be satisfied letting the gear do the dirty work for me. Using it as an effect, however, that's another story. Those types of gates can sound cool at times.

 

[kurotenshi]

Ricken, my problem is the B string is very hard to mute so even when I mute with both my left and right hand sometimes it's vibration does not stop, a compressor would make that worse because it rises the volume of quieter notes and adds sustain. What I need is for the attack to be heard but not the remaining vibration after I mute, hence the gate.

I will of course work on the technique to get it right

 

[zwkoch]

I'm telling you, the fret wraps are the answer to your problem. You adjust the tightness to provide the amount of damping you want.

 

[JimmyM]

Not if he's having to use open strings, though. Well, on second thought maybe that's what he wants. Worth a shot, but you can try it with a Scunci hair tie first to see if it'll work for you.

 

[m0ranwad]

When playing funk, I use a foam mute (it'll cost you $1). I'm still in the early stages of my playing days, so my technique is not what it could be. Anyways, it helps with the staccato notes. Of course, down the road, I'd like my hands to do all the work.

 

[kurotenshi]

Zwkoch, i will check those out but I do need a lot of open notes.
Jimmy, I use that for recording tapping but both the hair tie and the foam will kill the sustain on the open notes.

 

[fivestringgecko]

And I could never ever be satisfied letting the gear do the dirty work for me.

AGREED. Blarg... like AUTO TUNE. Man, whoever invented that should be b!tch slapped. If you can't sing, DON'T SING. lol

I agree with other mentions of technique.

I've tried the Fretwraps for kicks, and while I could see them being a useful tool in some situations, they also seem to kill some of the harmonics or overtones (or whatever the correct term is) of the sound of the strings.

 

[zwkoch]

It doesn't mute your open strings unless you have it really tight. I have my 5 string tuned to A and with the fret wrap, I can play 16th note runs on the open low A string with no problem, buzz, or overtones. Its all about how tight you wrap the sleeve. The way I have mine set up, attack is not touched, only the amount of ring.

 

[fivestringgecko]

The way I have mine set up, attack is not touched, only the amount of ring.

Sounds like the same way I use it... on the extremely rare occasion I do actually use one. Goes back to Jimmy's comment. I'd rather not use one and have complete control, rather than rely on something to do it for me. I've worked long and hard on my technique, so it feels/sounds VERY out of whack when something changes that.

5sg.

 

[InternetAlias]

Maybe your B string isn't tight enough? You can't mute a string that's under low tension, physics don't allow that. Get a higher gauge B string and see if you still have the problem muting it.

 

[zwkoch]

Not to be argumentative, but Gouche, Wooten, and Jamie Lewis all use them, would you say their technique is lacking? Its just a tool that might be an extra option while he works on technique.

 

[fivestringgecko]

Not to be argumentative, but Gouche, Wooten, and Jamie Lewis all use them, would you say their technique is lacking? Its just a tool that might be an extra option while he works on technique.

If you're addressing my comment about fretwraps, Lord no. Those guys are sick and we ALL know it. I even admitted that Fretwraps could be a useful tool. For me at the moment, it's just an issue of getting used to how the Fretwraps change things... I only picked up a set a few months ago and haven't worked with them enough to be used to them yet. That said, I highly doubt that Wooten, Gouche and Lewis rely on the Fretwraps for muting.

IMO, it would be better to get the proper technique under going before using something like a Fretwrap, and then possibly having to unlearn a bad habit later.

Just my $.02.

5sg.

 

[InternetAlias]

People often jump onto the bandwagon of judging people who use dampers, but well, I dare any of these try to mute a 120 gauge B string on a 30" bass... Won't work, the string doesn't have enough tension, it continues to rattle even if you damp it rather tightly. You damp it near the center, overtones continue to ring. You damp it 1/4 the way, overtones ring. You damp it both on the bridge and near the nut, it continues to ring... Physics don't allow you to mute that string!

Everybody mentions technique, but even if someone had perfect technique, there are cases where you can't stop the string. I have had problems muting my 90 gauge E string on my 34" scale bass. The reason? Staccato playing @ 200bpm can't work if you don't have enough tension to quickly stop the string from vibrating, AND the headstock is fender style, meaning it has a ****** angle over both nut and bridge.

To make staccato muting easier, it is the best to:
1) Have proper technique
2) Have moderate gauge strings
3) Have a good angle at neck and bridge
4) Have low action

 

[zwkoch]

No doubt Gecko. I use mine the same way you do. I do really like them when tapping and 90% of the time it sits on the back of the nut out of the way. I was just enjoying a little gear geek conversation.

 

[zwkoch]

This has gotten blown a little out of proportion. In fairness, I said my suggestion was outside of the box. That's all it was...a suggestion. There are a lot of ways to approach a "problem." Isn't that the purpose of a board like this?

 

[InternetAlias]

No doubt Gecko. I use mine the same way you do. I do really like them when tapping and 90% of the time it sits on the back of the nut out of the way. I was just enjoying a little gear geek conversation.

I bought a 15 cent cheap purple Chinese hairband back in 2010... Whaddoyaknow, recommending it to everyone I use it the same way, wrapped behind the nut to kill some sympathetic vibration and then putting it near the first fret when tapping

This has gotten blown a little out of proportion. In fairness, I said my suggestion was outside of the box. That's all it was...a suggestion. There are a lot of ways to approach a "problem." Isn't that the purpose of a board like this?

My post was directed at 'witch burners' who'd fry a lot of gear because it's 'unfair' or 'cheating'. But yeah, I was really not inspired by this thread to make much of that post, but a lot by the general issue of elitist 'witch burning' of gear and certain techniques. I feel offended by people bashing dampers because I use one when doing some serious tapping I also tend to use a compressor and a pick so I get the triple deal of bashing every day.

 

[zwkoch]

I bought a 15 cent cheap purple Chinese hairband back in 2010... Whaddoyaknow, recommending it to everyone I use it the same way, wrapped behind the nut to kill some sympathetic vibration and then putting it near the first fret when tapping



My post was directed at 'witch burners' who'd fry a lot of gear because it's 'unfair' or 'cheating'. But yeah, I was really not inspired by this thread to make much of that post, but a lot by the general issue of elitist 'witch burning' of gear and certain techniques. I feel offended by people bashing dampers because I use one when doing some serious tapping

Word. I'm not really sure who gets to set the rules for art. Certainly not me.