Can you hear that I don't use a pick when I play?

fritsthegirl

fritsthegirl

Taste of home
If you have the time, please can you listen to this short sample of me playing and offer me some advice.



My fingers hitting the strings is ruining the sound. I recently got my first electric guitar and a vamp. I've been playing acoustic til now and I've only really noticed this nail scrape noise since playing the electric. I guess it's always been there and I think I need to learn how to use a pick because it sounds so bad. I don't object to it it, but obviously kicking myself for not learning it sooner.

I know a handful of guitarists that don't use a pick, but they're mostly finger picking kind of stuff. What do you reckon? Is it possible to get a good sound strumming without one? Is it a question of changing my positioning/technique a bit?

Maybe this fingernail slap sound can be lessened by adjusting something, like the tone? It's pretty severe though so I doubt it. Just being naive and hopeful, and lazy. :D

I'll leave myself open to further suggestions on the general recording. I just picked a setting that you could hear the nail thing on really well.

Thanks in advance, sorry for the long post. Hope I made some sense.

Oh maybe I should mention that I have a guitar with 3 I think 'coil pickups' I think they're called? LOL, what a NOOB. I only mention it because the nail noise seems more obvious when I'm on the frets close to the bridge. Figured it might be something to do with which coils I'm using?
 
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Hey,
I guess it's pretty much a technique thing. There's no reason that you can't use a finger nail.
I often use my nails in a kind of back-stroke...Hmm, how to describe.
Like when italians on tv tell some one to go f**k, the do that flick from under their chin? Kinda like that but down the ways. :p

Anyway, the recording sounds like it might be pretty heavily compressed and that can really accentuate pick noises so maybe start there?
 
Are we talking pick/finger attack here or left hand noise? Doesn't sound too bad to me either way. I like to hear the extraneous noises both left and right hand.
 
Sounds fine to me. Picks can make a deal of noise = some of which is desireable some of which isn't. I thought the recording sounded good - I'm more concerned about the string/finger/slide/squeak - but that's a personal thing/
 
It really doesn't matter,it's just a matter of personal preference.I use a pick,my fingers or both depending on the song,there is no wrong or right just what you like.
 
I like playing without a pick just to make the sound to sound softer.
I could not hear that kick-alike sound after the first play, but I could hear it after the second.
I have been having the same thoughts on this subject and that fingernail sound annoys me.
And it annoys me only when I play. Listening to your play it does not sound wrong or annoying.
I wonder if there is a possibility to cut out those frequencies?!

I recorded example:
 
I think the noise you're complaining about is that squeaky scraping sound and that's coming from your left hand when you slide the fingers along the strings as you reposition them.
If so then that won't be affected by using a pick since it's from your left hand technique.
 
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Lt. Bob said:
I think the noise you're complaining about is that sqeaky scaping sound and that's coming from you're left hand when you slide the fingers along the strings as you reposition them.
If so then that won't be affected by using a pick since it's from your left hand technique.
Click to expand...

That was exactly what I thought and I also like to hear that.
 
If you mean the clicky fingernail attack on the plucking hand that's at it's loudest (to me) at around 10-12 seconds on the timer...it's a sharp attack, but I don't think it sounds bad or is very noticeable.
 
I consider using your f-nails as just another plectrum that is available...and I do agree with the others that your string noise is from your left hand.....your "fingernail sound" sounds pretty cool to me.
 
I don't think any of the noise sounds bad especially for the style of playing. I like hearing the noises, it's part of the instrument. And I wouldn't see a pick being any different then your nail, I play with both and I feel that finger nail is a bit softer sounding then a pick. Live shows I use a pick on guitar for recording I usually use my nail. Sounds good though.
 
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Thanks everyone for taking the time to reply, super useful I really appreciate it. I was surprised the nail noise didn't bother you as much as the slide noise, which I hadn't even noticed. Just goes to show how deaf I become when I focus on one thing. I did another take trying to get that noise in control. I think I need to press harder on the strings to avoid it, but I'm not sure. It seems to work.

 
I use the fingernail scrape on the strings as part of the sound on numerous songs. I think it sounds good to hear the contact. I sometimes strum with 2 & 3 fingers following each other to give more scrape sound. Also helps to thicken up the chord sound.

I've actually had a lot of people ask me how I get that sound. I stole it from watching Spanish guitarists, slowed the action down and incorporated it into my picking style.

Embrace it and make it your own. I can't hear a problem with your playing :thumbs up:
 
Mr Clean said:
I use the fingernail scrape on the strings as part of the sound on numerous songs. I think it sounds good to hear the contact. I sometimes strum with 2 & 3 fingers following each other to give more scrape sound. Also helps to thicken up the chord sound.

I've actually had a lot of people ask me how I get that sound. I stole it from watching Spanish guitarists, slowed the action down and incorporated it into my picking style.

Embrace it and make it your own. I can't hear a problem with your playing :thumbs up:
Click to expand...

Coolness, thanks for the tips. :thumbs up:
 
Yo Frits! Try this. Just before recording, soak the tips of the fingers of your left hand in water as hot as you can stand for about 3 minutes. Then apply just a little bit of finger ease to the strings. You will discover that although this will soften your calluses a little, that finger squeak will be massively reduced. I learned this technique from one of the top session guitarists in the U.S.
 
Richard Monroe said:
Yo Frits! Try this. Just before recording, soak the tips of the fingers of your left hand in water as hot as you can stand for about 3 minutes. Then apply just a little bit of finger ease to the strings. You will discover that although this will soften your calluses a little, that finger squeak will be massively reduced. I learned this technique from one of the top session guitarists in the U.S.
Click to expand...

That's funny,I'm the exact opposite.If I'm just out of the shower or I just got done washing dishes I won't play guitar because I want my fingertips to harden up.:D:guitar:

It would probably work,but I put myself in the finger sounds are cool camp.I've heard of people micing the hands of electric guitarists just to add a little of that sound to the mix,I think it was Buddy Holly or something like that.
 
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