Attack of the Guitar Picks

[dachay2tnr]

Don't know if this belongs in the guitar forum, recording forum, or here. But since it's already recorded, I'll try here.

How can I lessen the sound of the guitar pick? In other words, I want to hear the note without the very first millisecond where the pick plucks the string. Is this something I can do with compression? Enlighten me oh wise ones.

 

[James Argo]

Dear Dachay...
Do you mean you want to reduce the guitar picking attack sound ? sometimes sounds are "too percussive" to our ears. To dull out the attack you would want to use a compressor with low ratio (like 3:1) and a soft knee to affect the slope of the transient sound. It is often helpful to increase the release time to between 10 and 25 ms, which makes the "processing" you are doing with the compressor less obvious. Try a slightly higher amount of gain reduction, say 10 dB...
Hope this help.

 

[James Argo]

Oops, I forget to mention...

Set the Attack times in your compressor very close to 0 ms and less than 5 ms. It tends to bring down the percussive transients of the audio (like your picking attack sound...)

 

[pglewis]

Strumming or picking individual notes? If the latter, why not try using your fingers instead. Or maybe try one of those felt picks.

Other than that, mic position would probably be a good place to start, though I've never tried to minimize pick attack since, well, I really like the sound of pick attack .

 

[littledog]

I'm on Argo's team on this one. (Does that make me an Argonaut?)

Here's my variation:

Use the shortest attack and release times you can dial in, at least a 5:1 ratio, and then start lowering the threshold until your pick transients disappear. It's like magic!

 

[Henri Devill]

Heavy pick turned sideways and "choke up" on the grip..Unless you've already tracked..[edit] you already tracked it..compress away..

Don

 

[dachay2tnr]

Thanks for the suggestions, men. I'll try 'em out today.

pg and henri - it's already tracked and I'm looking to avoid retracking.

 

[Uladine]

Maybe I have an overactive imagination, but when I saw the title of this thread for a split second I envisioned giant guitar pics ravaging a city and eating people.

Heh.

 

[amt7565]

I have had the same problems.....pick noises and other horrible noises associated with the frets and strings. I got an RNC compressor which has substantially reduced the noise.