Sopping the buzz.... (I'm a newbie)

[kemper162]

Trying to teach myself.... just can't get the hang of stopping the noises I don't want.
For example noise when lifting my fingers after fretting and noise from other strings.
Probably just down to lack of experience, but any guidance appreciated.
Thanks, Duane.

[mart]

Yeah, that's a real frustration when you're beginning. I'm afraid that I stop these noises subconsciously, so I'd have to think hard to figure out what I'm doing. But I think some of my technique is simply designed to do this, like resting your right-hand fingers on the other strings than the one you're plucking, and holding your left hand in such a way as to be muting the strings you're not fretting.

Noise when you lift your fretting fingers off can be suppressed by damping the string with your right hand before lifting your left hand off. I think that's how I avoid it mostly, but I guess lifting your fingers off faster will also help, and that will just develop automatically with practice -it's not something you'll need to consciously work on.

Maybe there's a particularly recommended technique for damping, but I'm pretty sure I just developed whatever felt most natural to me, and I'd recommend you just try different things and see what works best.

Edited August 4, 2013 by mart

[mentalextra]

[quote name='kemper162' timestamp='1375627609' post='2163585']
Trying to teach myself.... just can't get the hang of stopping the noises I don't want.
For example noise when lifting my fingers after fretting and noise from other strings.
Probably just down to lack of experience, but any guidance appreciated.
Thanks, Duane.
[/quote]

Dont be too tough on yourself when your learning. Getting a "clean" sound will come after you've been playing a while. Dont try and do it all your head will explode. Try and move up to playing along to music ASAP, and always finish a song once you've started playing, even if you "muffed something"

[Roger2611]

Hi Duane,

That was an excellent question that made me go upstairs and grab a bass to see what I actually do! When playing finger style it will tend to be either my thumb muting the next string if I am heading low to high strings or maybe it will be my second or third finger just stopping the note from ringing. But I think the real answer lies when using a pick, you don't actually need to worry about it....a bassline will tend to be a group of notes played in a certain order in a certain timing, as you get the notes in the right timing correct the fact that you are playing the next note in the sequence will take care of your mute issues of the previous note....

with time the correct muting where needed will just happen, as the other posts have said I am not sure it is something you can really practice

[Oopsdabassist]

If you are playing acoustically, that fret noise seems very loud, but when you are competing against the rest of the band, you really don't notice it as much.

[Maude]

I'll bet a lot of the unwanted noise is something you're worrying too much about, you'd be surprised how much noise some top players make when listening to their isolated bass tracks.
Go on Youtube and find some of Fleas isolated bass tracks, very noisy. I'm picking Flea as he must play with a very low action and a hard attack, and some of that 'clatter' is part of 'his sound' but I reckon you'll still be surprised how much of it there is, it's just hidden by the rest of the band.
As others have said, less noise will come naturally with practice but I wouldn't worry if it doesn't go completely.

[Dandelion]

I clank loads, I can practice with a light touch ensuring that I pluck the strings across the fingerboard and not inadvertantly towards it. Then in a live situation I dig in and clank like two skeletons scrapping in a dustbin. Remember that the pickups mainly react to the movement of the string through the magnetic field, and react less to any mechanical vibration. Some clattering will get through to the amp, but not as much as you might think.

[icastle]

[quote name='Roger2611' timestamp='1375641168' post='2163804']
That was an excellent question that made me go upstairs and grab a bass to see what I actually do! [/quote]

+1

I don't remember doing any 'specific' exercises to dampen strings when I started playing, it's something that you eventually 'just do' without thinking about it.

[Coilte]

A great technique both for muting and for keeping the wrist straight ( having the wrists bent at a severe angle can lead to injury later on) is the "Floating Thumb Technique."


[url="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PPVMBPmrblU"]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PPVMBPmrblU[/url]

[mart]

[quote name='Oopsdabassist' timestamp='1375641793' post='2163825']
If you are playing acoustically, that fret noise seems very loud, but when you are competing against the rest of the band, you really don't notice it as much.
[/quote]
This is a very good point. It's probably best not to worry about the noise at this stage. Maybe later you can work on "cleaning up" your technique so as to eat rid of this noise, but your priority now should be to enjoy playing!

[kemper162]

Huge thanks to everyone... feeling a whole lot better about it now.

[paul_5]

Me too. I have a VERY heavy touch and I clank a lot on fretted basses - fortunately I only use these for rock and metal playing, and it's reduced on my fretless cos it doesn't have, erm, frets.

It's like slapping; you'll be conscious of trying to master the technique and getting a lovely bouncy, fluent feel to your lines and it'll really get you down for a while. Then one day it'll just 'click'.

Days like that are just awesome, so keep going!

[Geek99]

[quote name='kemper162' timestamp='1376578805' post='2176367']
Huge thanks to everyone... feeling a whole lot better about it now.
[/quote]
I was awful for this
Don't worry too much it does get better with time
Maybe lessons would help ?

Edited August 16, 2013 by Geek99

[cytania]

Are you putting your fretting fingers close to/ ontop of the fret or are you fretting on the midpoint between frets?