The Cloth Trick

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Farno

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Hey

Any of you guys use the cloth trick? It's where you wrap a clothe around the top of the neck and that mutes all unwanted noise when playing a solo. I find it necessary with a lot of delay otherwise I don't need it.

Just a question, will this throw it out of tune?
 
Why wouldn't you just use your hands to mute the unwanted noise? Tying cloth around the neck is ridiculous unless you're that one armed bass playing dude.
 
I thought this was gonna be about draping a loose cloth over the lens when filming Elizabeth Taylor so she looks soft and young.

'Cause I've done that cloth trick.
 
I thought this was gonna be about draping a loose cloth over the lens when filming Elizabeth Taylor so she looks soft and young.

'Cause I've done that cloth trick.

What type of cloth did you use?...canvas?
 
What type of cloth did you use?...canvas?

True story. Okay--it wasn't me. But in her last few movies, as she aged, she always had it in her contract that the camera would be draped with a white cheesecloth for any "well lit" shots. (daytime shots, I guess?).

Pretty low brow by today's digital standards, but it worked.

Anyway--back to the topic at hand. I haven't used a cloth to mute strings, not even a cheesecloth.

I have however, gotten Cheez It residue in my strings.
 
OP, I have resorted to that type of fix or worse when tracking less than accomplished players.
 
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Here's another neat cloth trick; jam that cloth under the strings at the bridge.
"Mrs. Brown you have a lovely daughter!"






Add cheese to taste! :D
 
I don't ever mute the upper neck when playing...but there is an easier way to do that if you must.

Cut a 4" x 1/4" x 1/4" (or whatever works for your guitar and action height) piece of foam...like the gray packing foam you find with a lot of electronic/computer stuff...
...and just slide it under/between the strings and the neck...move it to where you need it. :)


I use the foam pieces on all my hanging acoustic and semi-acoustic guitars that are in my studio...as they will "drone" a bit when I'm playing/singing near them, and could get picked up by the mics.

I also cover my drum kit cymbals with towels and deaden the upper/lower heads with some foam/string...as they will REALLY drone loud if you play almost anything near them. Just yell or slap your hands near a drum kit and you will see. I've even thought about using/miking that reverberation and maybe blending it in on some stuff...the cymbals/heads are acting kinda' like an acoustic plate reverb! :D
 
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