muting unwanted string noise

[bball_1523]

Does anyone have techniques to mute unwated string noise, like when doing legato, alternate picking and especially string skipping.

Also I have a problem muting the 12th fret noise. I was do an alternate picking pattern that goes to the next string, and the note on the other string rings on the 12th fret as a harmonic. How am I supposed to take my fretting finger off lightly by stopping the harmonic?

I try to go slow to stop the noise, but when I speed up a little bit, the noise comes back.

It feels like when I try to mute the string, my fretting fingers get stuck to the strings and when I pull of my fingers they make the string ring. It's like my fingers stick to the strings.

 

[weenur]

This is probably the hardest thing to master, in my opinion. I use my index finger to mute one string above where I'm currently playing, and all the strings below where I'm playing. Whatever is left on top is muted by my palm. Any harmonic location on the neck is going to be a problem. The best I can tell you is to do what feels comfortable. I use a combo of my index and my palm for harmonic frettings. It's a pain in the ass, but it works for the most part. I don't think there is any perfect way to remove all noise. Hope it helps you figure out what works for you.

 

[bball_1523]

how long does it take for you to learn how to mute those unwanted noises? I have been trying ways to reduce noise for a while and can't find a way to stop excess string noise.

 

[weenur]

I'm sure it's a different amount of time for each person. I still get random noises, but I find a lot of that is due to my picking hand being lazy. It's just something that takes a lot of practice. I don't know if there's a quick remedy. If anyone knows of one, I'll buy.

The best advice I can offer is to practice and be aware of what both hands are doing. You may even want to video tape, or record the audio to see if you are making any improvement. Progress is a hard thing to measure if you have no beginning point of reference. I take vocal lessons and every lesson is taped so I can hear what I'm doing afterward, and try to improve. It's painful(to my ego), but it is tremendously helpful.

 

[!Aviso!]

In my experience, muting the unwanted noise happens naturally the more you practice. My guitar students ask me about this all the time... they'll see me demonstrating something, and then they ask me how I do it without getting all the excess noise. 90% of the time, I'm not even aware that some stray finger or thumb is muting the unwanted noise.

So for me, it happens subconsciously. You just play so much that eventually your mind figures out ways to eliminate the bad noise without your even being aware of what's happening.

Similar idea for certain hand positioning... One of my students is constantly obsessing over exactly what his hand should look like as he plays. So eventually I just had to tell him "I don't care how you do it. Just practice it any way you can play it for a week." Sure enough, a week later, his hand had automatically chosen the most economical way of playing that particular technique.

So the moral of the story is: more often than not, the more you practice, the more you do things the correct way naturally.

 

[bball_1523]

I guess you can say that's true aviso, but I notice a huge problem where my fingers get literally stuck to the strings as I'm pulling my fingers off the fretted notes. It's odd and It annoys me.

 

[the_satanic_rabbit]

In the studio, there are quite a few players who use a different "technique" to mute unwanted string noise. As long as you are playing above the first fret you can use it. It's called...a SOCK! Tie a sock around the first fret loose enough so it just mutes the string and not so it changes the pitch. Alternatively, you can use a piece of tape or get a string dampner. Michael angelo uses string dampners on his doublenecks. No reason why you can't use it on a regular guitar.

Of course, you should practice muting with just your hands too. You can mute with both your fretting hand and your non-fretting hand. It does take a lot of practice, but it is necessary. It would look kinda silly if you had to tie a sock on your guitar during a live set.

 

[bball_1523]

what in the world....a sock? lol

 

[SyXified]

what in the world....a sock? lol

Actually, he's dead on for studio recording. For example, if you have the Alien Love Secrets dvd in the huge legato section of Tender Surrender, Vai takes his right hand and grips the guitar around the first fret. This is just to reduce string noise in a legato section. sticking a sock or a cloth there really does help immensly because it keeps those open strings from vibrating for long if you nick em.

Wiping out string noise is horrifyingly difficult and really is somthing that just happens subconciously over time. The best way to get there is simply to be AWARE of string noise rather than ignoring it. If you listen for it you'll start to figure out hand placements and muting styles that wipe it out. It varies a ton from situation to situation so only experience will get it to go away.

Of course, keep in mind that even most of the pros get string noise and if you start to feel bad remember:
1. Studios use noise reducers, EQ and other effects to wipe that shit out. Not to mention you have infinite takes to get the least noisy of the bunch
2. Playing live = you hear EVERY stupid noise you make. Listening live = you just hear the song how you want to hear it, save a glaringly horrid error.
3. When you have the money to buy gorgeous amps and have your pickups tweeked you'll sound better too.

Just watch MJR and Petrucci. Those are the two I think keep it to the smallest degree. Steal any ideas you can from them.

 

[bball_1523]

does reverb, delay, wah, and other effects hide a lot of unwanted string noise? I'm not saying I want to resort to those to save face, but just wondering.

 

[!Aviso!]

Reverb and delay will make the problem worse. Honestly, it just boils down to practice.

 

[lasse78]

fill out your guitar with toilet paper. If you fill out all the holes in your guitar, you will reduce feedback, ampliftcation of stringnoise and alot of other unwanted sounds from you guitar. It have helped me ALOT, and I know that steve vai uses that trick on his Evo, so give it a try.