I picked up my first bass (a used P-Bass) about a week ago and am currently 4 days into Josh’s modules. I’ve got a weird issue that I can’t seem to find any answers for, probably because I’m doing a bad job of describing it in my Googling efforts. All the advice I’m finding has to do with fret buzz which appears to be a different problem than what I’m dealing with.
Whenever I press a string down to the fret I get a sound almost like I’m plucking the string lightly (see below video link). I get a similar sound at every fret for all four strings, whether I press in the middle of the fret or right next to the fret wire. Looking from the side, there’s clearance between all the strings and all the fret wires even when I’m pressing the string into the fret, so it’s not a matter of the strings getting plucked by fret wires or anything like that.
Thanks in advance!
EDIT: Didn’t realize until I hit “create topic” that we can’t add links to posts in here. I tried putting the link in a PDF then uploading it, but turns out that new members can’t upload attachments. If anyone needs the video and knows another way I can share it on here, please let me know.
Second, if I’m understanding you correctly, I don’t think what you’re experiencing is in unexpected or indicative of something wrong with your technique or instrument. In fact, that very phenomenon is important for hammer-ons where you’re voicing the string percussively at the fret rather than plucking or slapping by the pickups.
If it bothers you, you could consider turning down your tone a bit, or working on a lighter touch with fretting. As you progress, the synchronization between your plucking and fretting will get better too (along with your muting), and you’ll have less unintentional ringing from strings as you play.
Others here could probably direct you better than I, but that was my first thought.
Would love to see that video.
I don’t know what the wait time is for your permission to upload, but that will help tons.
Is the bass plugged in?
Are you playing and listening to the sound of the bass coming from the speakers (or headphones) or are you playing not plugged in and hearing a buzz or sound when you fret?
If it’s not coming through the speaker, it doesn’t matter.
It’s very possible that @Phenn diagnosed it perfectly. I agree with everything he said, and am only holding out in case you can link us to the video.
It’s a certain number of posts. I don’t remember what the minimum is, but it’s there to prevent spambots from signing up and blasting the forum. It is fairly low so if OP hits up the introduce yourself / show us your bases types of threads, that should do it.
I agree with @Phenn and @Gio. If you are new to bass, it’s likely an issue with hand synchronization and if it isn’t in the speaker it’s much less of a problem.
From a guitar mechanics, “amateur set-up guy” point of view, the first fret has it’s own thing going on with intonation because the string height in that area relies so heavily on the nut rather than the bridge. From what you’ve described I don’t think it’s that issue, but if we see the vid later we’ll know better
Thanks for the advice. Definitely not putting me off – it’s just a slight annoyance but I guess it has the positive effect of teaching me not to hit the fret until a millisecond before I’m plucking a string.
@faydout@Gio@Phenn thanks for your input as well. I’ll see if I can post the video once I’m past the initial waiting period. For a little more clarifying detail, this happens when I have the bass plugged in and I don’t hear any sort of buzz or sound when I’m not touching it. I can have it sitting on the bed and push one finger down on any string at any fret, and when the string contacts the neck I get a distinct sound through the amp – almost like I’m doing a very faint pluck on the string.
It really sounds like the sound you get doing a hammer on. This is for guitar but you can hear what a hammer on is and sounds like. Is this what you’re talking about?
Thanks for that video. What I’m getting is similar to that hammer note, but without me plucking a string at all beforehand.
It looks like I just got out of my probationary status and can now upload files and send PMs, so when I get back to my computer I will see if I can share my video.
You don’t have to pluck first to get a hammer on, though it will typically be louder if you do. Just hammering onto a fret will ring out, especially with electric instruments.
Still looks like normal behavior to me. The pickups may be a little hot, given that you’re getting a decent amount of volume out of what appears to be a fairly light touch. But again, that behavior is what makes hammer-ons possible.
Others will be able to chime in with more input. If it is indeed the pickups, lowering them a tad could help with the volume, but I wouldn’t worry about it myself.
Think of it as a feature. The more you notice that fretting noise, the more you will out of necessity get some great practice coordinating your right/left hand movements to keep them in sync.
This might also be a good trigger for learning and committing to fretting with minimum viable pressure.
I think you might be going through what I went through for a while - muting issues. I watched one of Josh’s videos about muting and focused more on my muting techniques, and the next thing I knew, the problem disappeared and I don’t even think about it anymore.
That is 100% normal, acceptable and desirable behavior from an electric bass.
Anything that moves the strings will activate sound.
If you want it to be cleaner and louder, it’s about coordinating the plucking/picking/slapping hand with the fretting hand.
But there are plenty of techniques out there that will utilize the bass’s sensitivity and get notes and sounds just by tapping the string (and holding it, usually, not just a light tap like you’re doing in the video) against the frets.
In playing and performing, there are zero times where the music will have you pressing down strings against frets without there being an intended sound or note. The scenario you’re displaying in the video is a non-applicable scenario for performing music on the electric bass.
If you find that you’re fretting the string without plucking the string, I’d want to know why.
It may be, as @fsugirl58 said, a muting issue. If you’re not playing a note, the fretting hand shouldn’t be pressing anything down. It should be resting lightly, like a damp, sound-muffling blanket on the open strings (contact but not pressure).
The is one thing you may try. I had a similar thing happen to me. A guy at the music store said my pickups were to close. So we were fixing them when i notice my bridge ground was broke. I installed a new wire and it stopped unless you are wanting to make a hammering note. This may not be your problem but it sure fixed mine.
