How hard do you hit'em? Guitarstrings..

ForHerDeadEyes

ForHerDeadEyes

Señor Member
Jan 24, 2011
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How hard do you hit your strings when recording?
With active pickus I don't distort, but with passives I seem to be playing too hard..

I talked to the guy who recorded this (the producer):


He said the used used a 6-string in A-drop and just played the string lightly..
He said the harder you play the more out of tune it, the note you play, gets..
That's true.. though, surely it also has to do with the low drop they made..
But still..
I can guess that some of you really dig into the strings when playing live, but when recording?

This is interesting to know regarding both active and passive pickups..
Just now I lowered my pickups (Duncan Designed AKA. Active HB-105) to the rim.. I'll see if that helps it.. I'm about to change strings to a thicker gauge.. I guess that'll make my problem even worse..
But the next step is to raise the strings at the bridge.. not sure I'm too fond of that idea.. it's at a nice height..
So..
Play softer? Let the amp etc. do the work?
I do play dynamically, the chuggs and more aggressive rythm parts distorts some, but single string playing and solos sounds good..

__________________________
UPDATE:
Thanks for the good replies!

So I had lowered the pups to the rim and I recorded a test (old strings, crap tuning and *insert regular excuse of choice*) to see if I still had a distortion problem..
In the same clip; Neck, then Bridge..
http://min.us/mrWhoWO5S

Hearing the clip and looking at the waveform, the Neck-pup doesn't distort, some clipping here and there, but for metal-chugs it won't matter..
BUT..
The bridge pickup looks like it's been smashed with a limiter.. :S

I record gits with a Jazz-III.. But I'm trying out thicker plectrums and different ones..
 
Last edited by a moderator:
I do a lot of drop tuning in my recordings and I think that changing your playing style should be a last resort when recording. If you play softer you will most likely be impacting the energy and style in which you jam the riff itself. Maybe try a custom string gauge? How heavy is the pick you are using? Some players like the super thick picks. maybe go down a pick gauge.
 
Playing distorted guitar softly sounds like shit. Yes, you will run into major tuning issues when playing hard, especially in drop tunings. This is one among a sea of reasons why guitar as an instrument sucks more balls than can be expressed in a single post.

Just tune the guitar for each riff you're playing. If you're digging hard and playing a lot of fast notes in sequence on lower strings, then detune those strings until your performance is in tune. If you're holding open chords then tune the guitar back up so that it will ring out in tune. Use punch-ins to your advantage, and always tune for the part that you're playing - not just so that the open strings look pretty on your tuner.
 
Thick and fresh strings are your friend. I use a .014-.070 set in B standard tuning and I don't have tuning problems if I dig into the strings. You lose a bit of attack compared to thinner strings but you can make up for it with the way that you pick.
 
Ermz said:
Just tune the guitar for each riff you're playing. If you're digging hard and playing a lot of fast notes in sequence on lower strings, then detune those strings until your performance is in tune. If you're holding open chords then tune the guitar back up so that it will ring out in tune. Use punch-ins to your advantage, and always tune for the part that you're playing - not just so that the open strings look pretty on your tuner.
Click to expand...

This is what I do. I hit the strings hard!!!
 
Well it all depends on what you want. Some of the most agressive players on record aren't picking hard. Like Linkin Park's nu metal riffs f.ex. Look at videos of them playing live/in the studio. It looks like Delson isn't even playing seriously. Still the end result is agressive as hell with a tight noise gate etc.

Personally I think I'm always picking quite hard although I'm not moving my arm a lot. I've found that I can get enough pick attack without losing the string tuning if I do kind of a slapshot (like in ice hockey) with my pick. I angle my pick the other way around.

So the key is to have energy but control. Loose strings = bad!
 
Clark Kent said:
Well it all depends on what you want. Some of the most agressive players on record aren't picking hard. Like Linkin Park's nu metal riffs f.ex. Look at videos of them playing live/in the studio. It looks like Delson isn't even playing seriously. Still the end result is agressive as hell with a tight noise gate etc.

Personally I think I'm always picking quite hard although I'm not moving my arm a lot. I've found that I can get enough pick attack without losing the string tuning if I do kind of a slapshot (like in ice hockey) with my pick. I angle my pick the other way around.

So the key is to have energy but control. Loose strings = bad!
Click to expand...

Hmm.. yeah, I've heard your playing in the matching vids, not that it's a serious recording session, but I understand what you mean, I'm guessing it's with active pickups and you don't get any unwanted distortion?
 
I don't really like active pickups. You need to change your whole playing style for those and IMO it's not as dynamic/responsive to my playing. You might disagree, this is just how I feel. None of the guitar players I look up to use them...
 
have tuning problems? get a longer scale neck= tighter strings, less chance of de-tuning while striking hard.

But Ermz said it, tune the guitar for every part if you're recording with a ass guitar. I recorded the upcoming Feared album on a 25,5" scale and it was pure hell for some songs.
 
I just want to say that this depends on the situation.
You need to think about the dynamics you want to achieve and LISTEN to your playing.
Some riffs (or parts of riffs) need to be played soft and some hard.

Palm muted downstrokes sound much better when played HARD.
chord strumming usually sounds nicer when you hit all of the strings with equal, and a bit softer, force. etc.

Play Master of Puppets first softly and then hard and see for yourself.

I gave a quick listen to the Lambretta song and the guitars are playing stuff that doesn't really need to be played that hard.
So it is a good idea to play softer and have more steady tuning. You'll save time not having to think about how you should tune etc.

If you are getting that sharp note right after the pick attack you should think about how you hold the pick and how it is hitting the strings. A slight angle usually helps quite a bit.

To sum up: Just play so that it SOUNDS good to YOU in the given situation.
 
Ermz said:
Playing distorted guitar softly sounds like shit. Yes, you will run into major tuning issues when playing hard, especially in drop tunings. This is one among a sea of reasons why guitar as an instrument sucks more balls than can be expressed in a single post.

.
Click to expand...

As always you are SPOT ON man!!! haha
 
Haha, yeah.. It seems I can go back to playing harder with the actives..
I opened up my schecter and went through the cables, one by one..
The bridge pickups common/ground cable was loose, but it didn't look like it.. little fucker..
NOW.. It works.. :D
 
It also depends on how hard you fretting hand presses as well since notes tend to sharp as you press. Striking the strings hard really only negatively affects lower registers/open strings though. A well intonated guitar and good player should rarely have a problem.
 
It's about dynamically hitting hard, if the shit needs hard you hit hard. Distorted guitar don't have really much dynamics but when you play dynamic you definetly hear the difference. For example, do fast tremolo shit from the higher strings, it really sounds like you suck at what you're doing if you just go fucking nuts on there, but if you do it lighter it'll sounds sharp and stable. If you play your lower strings hard, that'll sound awesome almost always. Too hard hitting will kill the note also, it's years of work to find the perfect balance on these things...

Edit: but generally i like harder playing style than the average i hear.
 
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