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Topic: String noise |
Jon Voth
From:
Virginia, USA
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Posted 5 Apr 2020 8:30 pm |
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OK, I've been at this for 2 & a half years. I practice an average hour or more a day. Nearly all in my basement with a couple handful of gigs a year.
When I try to do long runs (using the reserve of the volume pedal) I'm increasingly overcome with string noise.
Maybe a harmonic moving up the string being overcome with all the overtones, or moving a chord up or down the neck and the movement of the bar across the strings makes a lot of extra noise (in extended passages).
But I don't hear this in recordings of real music.
Is this something you all hear when you practice but it goes away in a professional studio (I don't have the experience)?
Are there electronics involved that help this? I think my technique is OK, and I only play a GFI EXPO D10.
Thanks-Jon |
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Sandy Inglis
From:
Christchurch New Zealand
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Posted 6 Apr 2020 1:06 am
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Are you damping the strings behind the bar? that can create strange harmonics?
Sandy
_________________
01'Zumsteel D10 9+9; Sho Bud D10 SuperPro; 6 String Lap Steel (Homemade); Peavey Nashville 1000; Fender Deluxe 85;
1968 Gibson SG; Taylor 710 CE; Encore Tele Copy; Peterson Tuner; HIWATT T40 C 40W/20W Combo |
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Ken Metcalf
From:
San Antonio Texas USA
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Posted 6 Apr 2020 4:58 am
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I use a TriBoTone bar to reduce it on the bottom strings of a 12 string.
But now in later years I don't hear it with a BJS bar.
Either my technique has improved or my hearing is completely shot. LOL
_________________
MSA 12 String E9th/B6th Universal.
Little Walter PF-89.
Bunch of stomp boxes
Last edited by Ken Metcalf on 8 Apr 2020 5:36 am; edited 2 times in total |
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Erv Niehaus
From:
Litchfield, MN, USA
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Posted 6 Apr 2020 7:52 am
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If you are using a stainless bar on stainless strings, you will hear string noise.
Try a chrome bar on nickel strings. 
Erv |
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Donny Hinson
From:
Glen Burnie, Md. U.S.A.
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Posted 6 Apr 2020 8:14 am
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| Electronics is not the answer, it'a all in your technique. Picking harder, proper muting, and only barring the necessary strings all help to take care of that problem. |
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Asa Brosius
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Posted 6 Apr 2020 1:27 pm
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| Wound strings will make noise, regardless on your gear. One of the best things about slide instruments, when wanted. As mentioned, picking your intended strings hard will help greatly. In addition to regular right hand blocking- resting your hand on the unplayed wound strings as you move the bar- you can pay attention to the ringing activated unwanted strings and mute them specifically with the right hand fingers on longer slides- Franklin mentions L. Green teaching him that technique years ago. Worth mentioning, some of the ugly string noise I hear in my isolated tracks is imperceptible in a mix. |
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Jon Voth
From:
Virginia, USA
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Posted 6 Apr 2020 6:32 pm
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I use the John Pearse Crryo bar (chrome plated?).
That's what I wondered, that you don't always hear the rub of the wound strings in the whole of things.
And I gather I should pick harder-I do wonder about that. I'm often afraid of being too loud, with the coordination between right foot and right hand. The volume pedal is the hardest part for me.
Thanks all |
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Jon Voth
From:
Virginia, USA
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Posted 6 Apr 2020 7:10 pm
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OK for example, I'm on the Franklin method, and he recently let us get hip to how he does "Together Again". Lots of really long runs, some going down in general.
And I'll work on those (learning to turn up the amp and keep more reserve in the pedal). By the end of a phrase I've got some noise I wish wasn't there. Of course he sounds like one million dollars-on there, on Youtube, and on the Bakersfield album.
I'm not Paul, and my GFI is not a Franklin, but man it is a bit frustrating-I want to sound like that. |
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Asa Brosius
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Posted 7 Apr 2020 4:16 am
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| Me too John! Helpful reminder for me is- he's arguably the best player in the world, that is an extemely tricky phrase, and Franklin knows his gear thoroughly. |
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Dick Wood
From:
Springtown Texas, USA
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Posted 7 Apr 2020 5:26 pm
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Unfortunately you can't even begin to attempt to try and compare your playing to Paul's. You're into it now around 2.5 years and Paul was born in a studio and cut a hit record right after the cord was cut.
Ok maybe not that quick but you get the picture.
Reread what Donny posted above. It's a lot of time in the saddle and tons of repetition to hone your technique.
I've been at it professionally for 41 years and still wonder if I really play all that well or not so don't expect it all to fall into place overnight.
Stay home and away from others,practice,wash your hands and you'll start to sound good before long.
_________________
Cops aren't paid much so I steel at night. |
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Kevin Fix
From:
Michigan, USA
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Posted 7 Apr 2020 6:37 pm
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| Same thing as Sandy. Fingers behind the bar have to mute the strings. |
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John Drury
From:
Gallatin, Tn USA
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Posted 7 Apr 2020 6:41 pm
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| Jon Voth wrote: |
I use the John Pearse Crryo bar (chrome plated?).
That's what I wondered, that you don't always hear the rub of the wound strings in the whole of things.
And I gather I should pick harder-I do wonder about that. I'm often afraid of being too loud, with the coordination between right foot and right hand. The volume pedal is the hardest part for me.
Thanks all |
The John Pearse T.C. bars are carved out of 440 stainless steel, I own two of them, no chrome plating. They are heat treated to 60 Rockwell, then cryogenically frozen to minus 300o for a length of time then brought back to ambient on their own according to the ad. i use them with stainless and nickel strings, never had any noise issues.
_________________
John Drury
NTSGA #3
"Practice cures most tone issues" ~ John Suhr
Last edited by John Drury on 7 Apr 2020 6:51 pm; edited 1 time in total |
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John McClung
From:
Olympia WA, USA
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Posted 7 Apr 2020 6:44 pm
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To clean up in a session where the wound low end strings start to come alive in a long slide, I'll sometimes lay right hand fingers across all offending lower strings. Works great on single note harmonics, too.
Basically anything that will work I'll try.
Still it's best to work on your bar technique to clean things up.
_________________
E9 INSTRUCTION
▪️ If you want to have an ongoing discussion, please email me, don't use the Forum messaging which I detest! steelguitarlessons@earthlink.net |
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John McClung
From:
Olympia WA, USA
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Posted 7 Apr 2020 6:45 pm
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To clean up in a session where the wound low end strings start to come alive in a long slide, I'll sometimes lay right hand fingers across all offending lower strings. Works great on single note harmonics, too.
Basically anything that will work I'll try.
Still it's best to work on our bar technique to clean things up.
_________________
E9 INSTRUCTION
▪️ If you want to have an ongoing discussion, please email me, don't use the Forum messaging which I detest! steelguitarlessons@earthlink.net |
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Georg Sørtun
From:
Mandal, Agder, Norway
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Posted 8 Apr 2020 12:42 am
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| John McClung wrote: |
| To clean up in a session where the wound low end strings start to come alive in a long slide, I'll sometimes lay right hand fingers across all offending lower strings. |
That is when I use my bar-hand thumb on/off to dampen low strings in front of the bar. More of a reflex than anything, same as using the side of my picking-thumb to the same effect. Works well for me, but depends on how one (has learned to) shape and use bar-hand and picking-hand.
Of course; with my very personal "extended E major" tuning, noisy low strings is rarely ever a problem even on long, slow, slides, as they are all octave-strings down there and act and sound more as in-tune drone notes that fatten up the sound of higher strings. An effect I often make the most out of by letting those low notes ring unhindered to (quite literally) "support" the sound of the higher strings.
Not much good "support" from low strings on E9 tuned steels, especially not on GFI steels that sustain well but at a much lower level than for instance a Dekley or MSA. Thus, on my GFI I dampen lower strings more. |
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