I set the action on my p-bass strings really low and I get clacking when digging in. It's the sound created by the string hitting the pickup. I don't mind this as it reminds me to keep my touch light and when playing with the band, the clacking gets lost in the mix with the drummer. Now for recording, I slightly raise the action to avoid the clack and pop.
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How to avoid the annoying "clack" sound?
- Thread starter JuanDPradoG
- Start date
I used to do this, and every now and then I still get a clack, and sometimes I like that sound! When I attacked, I had a tendency to pluck (pull) in more of an upward motion (perpendicular to the fingerboard), and the strings would hit the frets (or pickups) on the release. My normal playing is more parallel. I practiced a lot to get a softer, more even motion, turned up my amp (letting it do the work), and learned to use my thumb and four fingers on my five string (I'm an old guitar fingerpicker, so that came easy), though most of my playing is with the index and middle fingers . . . practice!
Just ran through a 45 minute practice set with the added relief to my "new" bass and it was waaay gooderer. Ha! Now it does what I want when I dig in and no clacking unless I want it. It is not the pickups but the frets, at least that's what it was on my bass. I have two gigs this weekend and I am gonna take this new one (with a backup!). Can't wait.
This phenomenon is the cause of the vast majority of clack -- it is not coming from the string you are plucking, but from the string your finger comes to rest upon after the pluck. This can happen even when the action is set high at the bridge. The reason the clacks sound at seemingly random times is because you get the most clack when the rest string (the string lower than the one you just plucked) has been fretted first (and presumably plucked), and you haven't lifted the fretting finger up off the rest string completely before playing the next note on the higher string -- this causes the rest string to be closer to the frets at the time the note on the higher string is being plucked, thus being prone to clack from the force of the finger coming to rest upon it. Paying attention to lifting fretting fingers after playing will help. If you get the clack from playing a note when the rest string is open (not fretted), then your nut slot is probably too low.
Some of ur strings are probably clacking the pickup poles.Hello!
This days I've been facing an awkward situation with my bandmates. While playing normal speed section the sound of my bass is pretty good, but when we go into a fast part, my bass starting doing a "clack" sound that makes the other notes confusing for everyone. When I'm playing 16ths it sounds like 3 and a clack, other 3 notes and a clack. I know they know it, because in that cases they all start snicking and looking to each other, and this last rehearsal one guy told me: Your bass got a cold, huh? It hurted.
I don't know what's going on. I played fast bass lines before with a sweet sound, you could actually hear every single note. But now it's embarrassing for me.
I came up with different conclusiones:
- Something's wrong with my technique, when I hit the strings.
- The strings were improperly installed, maybe their quite near to the pickups, or something.
- My amplifier it's not doing good.
I'm now desperate, because I need my fast clean bass sound as soon as possible. Jams are near.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bf6LKsSbJpc This is the example of how I used to sound, it's not me, but the sound is similar.
I'd really appreciate any kind of help. Thanks to all of you guys! Happy New Year
PD: Sorry if something it's not right, english it's my mother tongue.
Maybe you're not pressing enough the frets when playing the fast parts. Try doing grip exercises with your fretting hand so you develop enough strength in your fingers. Make sure your plucking fingers are 100% synchronized with your fretting fingers. Also, you can check if during this winter the neck of your bass has been warped to a point where the action is too high for you and you didn't even noticed.
Mine Was the opposite way round to your situation. When I was learning the double thumbing technique I got this annoying squeaky click sound that only happened when I was going rapidly. Eventually I started playing slowly then faster till it started and I realised it was on the down stroke. I was playing through the A-string which resulted in my thumb resting on the D-string pushing the string against the fret, not enough to sound a note but enough to make the click sound. Eventually I managed to modify my technique so that I have more control of my thumb and there is no more noise.
As for the annoying clack sound JuanDPradoG, many extraneous noises that appear during playing can be overcome by slowing down what you are doing to analyse what is happening then modifying your technique to eliminate or minimise the noise. Sometimes the ergonomics of a particular instrument can exacerbate a problem as I found with one of my basses that has a narrower string spacing. I've developed a different method for playing on that instrument.
I hope you find a solution.
I know this is an old thread, but I was having this problem and also researched here. So I'll post my solution to help the next guy. A lot of people must not be understanding the original post. You say it was quiet, but over time developed fret noise. Chances are the neck changed due to humidity or temperature. This is normal. For me, the sound was coming from the fret behind the one being fretted. The neck may be too flat, or bowed the wrong direction. Try loosening the truss rod. Go maybe 1/8 turn and try it again. You are allowing the strings to exert more pressure on the neck, and due to the new angle, the clanking fret is no longer in the line of fire . I'll bet this helps, or solves the issue.
