Mechanical Noise Dampeners Do you use them ?
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metropolis_4
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I stick foam under the strings at the bridge on my P bass if that counts 
Occasionally I’ll do the thing where I reach over with my picking hand and mute the strings behind my fretting hand while playing legato.
I sometimes see where it would be useful to have a mute, but I don’t see how I could use one without it always being in the way. And I don’t have enough times when it would be useful to make it worth bothering with.
Occasionally I’ll do the thing where I reach over with my picking hand and mute the strings behind my fretting hand while playing legato.
I sometimes see where it would be useful to have a mute, but I don’t see how I could use one without it always being in the way. And I don’t have enough times when it would be useful to make it worth bothering with.
TSJMajesty
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Nope.
I'm always muting strings not being played, which is sometimes tricky.
It's another one of those things I wished I'd focused on when I was learning, so things like:
I'm always muting strings not being played, which is sometimes tricky.
It's another one of those things I wished I'd focused on when I was learning, so things like:
- Doing a pull-off that doesn't have my finger flying off into the air, and making the adjacent string sound,
- Lifting my finger off the string just enough to make it stop producing a note,
- Keeping my fret-hand fingers draped across the strings, although at certain locations (12th fret) it can still be hard to not get natural harmonics, produced by the note I'm playing.
- Leaving a finger resting on a string for just a little longer, until I can shift my palm to take over muting that string
TSJMajesty
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Here's an example, that may help:
When this part comes up, and he drops to the open low B (it's on a 7 string), it's this riff:
This is the tab:
When I pick that final open B, (1st beat of measure 32) as I'm hammering on to the 10 and 12, my picking hand is now free to rest my middle finger against the 6th (low E) string, right about at the 15th fret, so that when I do the 12-0 pull-off, there's no way the low E can ring out, and my finger is in place to do the 15 tap.
Actually, I just checked myself, and what I do is rest my middle finger so it mutes the 5th and 6th strings, my ring finger gets the next 2, and my pinky gets the top 2. So nothing can ring out as I do that hammer-on/pull-off. I practiced it to the point where it's 2nd nature.
If playing clean is your goal, you have to figure out these kinds of movements, and there's no "1 way works for everything."
When this part comes up, and he drops to the open low B (it's on a 7 string), it's this riff:
This is the tab:
When I pick that final open B, (1st beat of measure 32) as I'm hammering on to the 10 and 12, my picking hand is now free to rest my middle finger against the 6th (low E) string, right about at the 15th fret, so that when I do the 12-0 pull-off, there's no way the low E can ring out, and my finger is in place to do the 15 tap.
Actually, I just checked myself, and what I do is rest my middle finger so it mutes the 5th and 6th strings, my ring finger gets the next 2, and my pinky gets the top 2. So nothing can ring out as I do that hammer-on/pull-off. I practiced it to the point where it's 2nd nature.
If playing clean is your goal, you have to figure out these kinds of movements, and there's no "1 way works for everything."
TSJMajesty
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Here's another example (of which Matt is doing exactly what I'm talking about in the clip!)
The Handler by Muse
When I play this, my pick is resting against the A string along with my 1st finger touching it, the edge of my thumb is on top of the low E, and my last 3 fingers are up against the 3 high strings, respectively. The only string that can ring is the D.
The Handler by Muse
When I play this, my pick is resting against the A string along with my 1st finger touching it, the edge of my thumb is on top of the low E, and my last 3 fingers are up against the 3 high strings, respectively. The only string that can ring is the D.
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They are pretty much standard fare for certain types of music in a sterile and isolated recording environment.
They are cheap, aren't going to hurt anything.... and won't put you out of tune.
I also doubt you are asking about one to cover up poor technique either, but that's just my take.
They won't work for that!
For use in recording they serve a different purpose (generally) than muting with our hands to deaden strings.
They are cheap, aren't going to hurt anything.... and won't put you out of tune.
I also doubt you are asking about one to cover up poor technique either, but that's just my take.
They won't work for that!
For use in recording they serve a different purpose (generally) than muting with our hands to deaden strings.
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TSJMajesty
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Oh shit. I think I feel triggered...They are pretty much standard fare for certain types of music in a sterile and isolated recording environment.
They are cheap, aren't going to hurt anything.... and won't put you out of tune.
I also doubt you are asking about one to cover uppoorundeveloped? technique either, but that's just my take.
They won't work for that!
For use in recording they serve a different purpose (generally) than muting with our hands to deaden strings.
I don't use the fretwraps or anything like that, but I stuff some foam behind the nut on everything and behind the springs on my Strat - I heard the strings behind the nut ringing out one day on something I was recording and couldn't unhear it ever again. I've got one bass in particular where the strings behind the nut ring pretty loudly.
eggpl@nt
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I use foam or tape to mute string noise at the nut. I 3D printed sleeves to mute tremolo spring noise.
The noise from these spots sticks out to me so much so that I can’t stand playing without them.
Edit: I think I misunderstood the question. I don’t use any sort of string muting on the fretboard.
The noise from these spots sticks out to me so much so that I can’t stand playing without them.
Edit: I think I misunderstood the question. I don’t use any sort of string muting on the fretboard.
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Ed DeGenaro
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Absolutely when recording.
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I never do these days but my buddy who used to record me made me do it all the time and it drove me nuts because if I'm recording leads I have no clue what strings I'm going to play until I'm actually playing them. You can see the tape appear at the 1st fret in this video and at some point we bicker over it. 
