Unwanted Harmonics with finger picking

[Hargy]

Hi guys,

Here's the lowdown: Ive been playing bass for nearly 4 years now, and I'm just starting to get into fingerstyle after all this time relying on a plectrum. The only problem I'm having is that whenever I hit a string with my finger, yeah, it'll ring out, but I get this gay harmonic aswell. Could it be the action is too low on my bass or it needs setting up? or could it be my technique?
Like I said, I'm a newcomer when it comes to fingerstyle so I dunno. Any help would be great. Cheers!

Hargy

 

[pacojas]

turn off your inter-web machine and go,... practice, Practice, PRACTICE!!!
(you'll be fine, gl)

ps: harmonics are not GAY!!!

 

[Stick_Player]

OP:

I get this gay harmonic

There's your problem - happy-hamonics.

 

[JamcoPasamerson]

First off, harmonics are sounds and therefor not capable of having a sexual preference. So a good place to start would be not to use bigoted adjectives in your question. Try re-wording it and I am sure you will find TBers will be more responsive.

 

[fingertap]

Well, are you plucking over the fretboard, such at at a nodal point? Try plucking between the pickups or at least closer to the bridge. I'm guessing that this is a question of technique. As stated above, practice, practice. practice. You will figure it out.

~

 

[wemmick]

Check your fingernail length. If mine aren't clipped super short, I get a bit more buzz.

...but I'm new to bass and maybe with more practice and/or better technique, the nails wouldn't be an issue.

 

[mambo4]

Its probably Technique and not setup.

I'd pay close attention to what your right hand is doing.

The location of your plucking hand influences how likely harmonics are to ring.
as mentioned, move you right hand around and see what changes.

If you didn't get harmonics with a pick, I'd guess that your right hand was resting against the strings enough to damp them. now that you are plucking, your right hand is off the strings so they keep ringing. In that case, string damping is what needs to happen, either with the right hand or the left...eventually you should be able to damp with both.

alternately, some part of your right hand or 'unused' fingers may be accidentally touching the string at a harmonic node...are you unused fingers out of the way?

another thing to ask is Are the harmonics from the strings you pluck, or are other strings simply ringing sympathetically? again, damping is the solution there.

I typically use my left had to damp strings I'm not plucking and one of my 'unused' right hand fingers to damp anything I Just plucked or am about to pluck.