The missing sound

[Kenneth R.]

When bands record guitars, and also bass, they mic the amp (or just do a line from a rack or whatever they are using). What you get is not what you hear though, because the sound of the player actually hitting the strings with the pick is lost. or in the bassist's case, fingers moving. there is of course hand movement sounds if they are rapid enough, but the picking interaction is totally lost.

why then do people not mic this sound as well and add it to the mix for a more realistic tone? since as a musician, i hear the pick when i play. it adds definition and seperates strokes with clarity, but then upon checking out the recording, some of that is lost. i think (and on my record i shall) bands should take this often ignored, lost sound into account...

i can see it being subtle/trivial but i find it could really improve the sound.

 

[all_sins_undone]

Nah

 

[JoeVice]

i have recorded some stuff from my amp while accidently picking up some actual picking sounds. i was too close to the mic...and i must say, it sounded quite shitty. it was a very thin, and annoying click sound...it sounded like an acoustic simulator or something. but, i suppose that actually taking the time to incorporate that sound into the mix could be neat.

 

[Tubbs]

My friend recorded an entire song with an electric guitar through a microphone, and OH BOY did it sound like shit. All I could hear was CLAP CLAP CLAP from the damn strings because he uses a small pick and is too stupid to realize that he's holding the pick the wrong way.

I don't think it would be bad as long as they don't pick TOO HARD. That can get very, very annoying.

 

[Manbient]

Pain Of Salvation did this on One Hour By The Concrete Lake.

 

[Ermz]

It's a shitty annoying sound. It isn't musical, and the pickups themselves get enough pick attack from the strings. There's absolutely no need to hear a plastic 'slap, slap, slap' constantly.

 

[Kenneth R.]

i'm not talking having it extremely loud, nor amplified, just present. and obviously not the 'shitty' 'plastic' sound you guys are talking about. do you people strum wrong or something?

 

[magicelf]

They don't do it because it would sound terrible.

 

[Kenneth R.]

at the person who told me to make this thread, and then me replying: they will not get it, they're all going to say funny/stupid things. instead i get "omgz you sux". whatever.

 

[Tubbs]

I gave you a reasonable statement, Kenneth. Your attitude has turned to poo lately.

 

[JoeVice]

i suppose a lot of it would have to do with the pick. i have heard of a pick made my a special wood that is supposed to bring out a lot in your tone.

 

[MasterOLightning]

You can still make out the fretboard sliding on a lot of recordings.

 

[BurningSky]

This isn't a bad idea but only for a mellow sounding section i would say. Like if i could barely hear the pick while mikael plays that amazing bend in the windowpane solo (the slow one), that would be kinda cool. But i would say the only meaningful time to record picking is if you're playing acoustically. It's amazing hearing nick drake's fingers as im listening.

 

[Ermz]

You can still make out the fretboard sliding on a lot of recordings.

Exactly. The pickups themselves catch enough playing noise.

 

[Rødt_Og_Svart]

When you play live, the people aren't hearing that sound either. Only you or someone right next to you is hearing it, and I think it sounds pretty annoying whenever I do a home recording and it shows up. As a bassist, I try to get an extremely smooth, round tone most of the time, and unless I'm playing metal that warrants it, fretboard noise is innaproptiate and sounds pretty amateur. Listen to the bassline to The Drapery Falls real closely, all you'll hear is a pure, punchy and warm sound, and I think that's perfect.

-ros

 

[Kenneth R.]

You can still make out the fretboard sliding on a lot of recordings.

i said this. i am not talking about that part, since its a vibrational thing and would come out in the magnetic resonance of the pickups.

i guess i was unclear, because it seems that nobody gets it. i am talking about the sound of an electric guitar being played, unplugged. not sliding hands on a fretboard, not the pick itself, the sound you would hear without plugging in. that sound.

to a degree this is done with piezo. i guess if you had a piezo pickup you could run a second channel at low volume, totally dry and achieve it that way instead of using a mic.

 

[N-MAYH]

because he uses a small pick and is too stupid to realize that he's holding the pick the wrong way.COLOR]

lmao.. now thats a retard

yeah, actually i think in older, like morningrise and orchid ive heard some pick sounds, they didnt interfere with anytghing though,iunno.. its good to not hear it, yet at the same time it is good to here

 

[AbsentFriend]

It's the most anoying thing when playing.... not only hearing the amplified sound but also the damn pick hitting the strings.. I hate that so I always wanna play louder then my neighbours would want me to

 

[JoeVice]

to a degree this is done with piezo. i guess if you had a piezo pickup you could run a second channel at low volume, totally dry and achieve it that way instead of using a mic.

my next guitar is going to have a piezo pickup. i'm going to get a goddin multiac nylon. i love the feel of a classical guitar, and i like finger picking better. my ultimate goal is to find a tone that has a smooth and clear distortion, plus the dynamics and purity of an acoustic guitar.

 

[Kenneth R.]

my next guitar is going to have a piezo pickup. i'm going to get a goddin multiac nylon. i love the feel of a classical guitar, and i like finger picking better. my ultimate goal is to find a tone that has a smooth and clear distortion, plus the dynamics and purity of an acoustic guitar.

this is what i meant when i made this thread...