Funky Dunky Posted February 18, 2014 Share Posted February 18, 2014 (edited) I have bother with what I think is sympathetic overtones - specifically when I slap, I get a harmonic ringing, whenever I slap an open string.. I've made various adjustments to my technique and of course tried slapping at numerous different positions over the fretboard, at the edge, further back etc etc but still these pesky blighters continue to ring out on slapped notes. Is my technique that far wrong (The slapped notes sound like they ought to apart from the addition of these damn harmonics) or should I invest in a Gruvgear Fretwrap or something? This is seriously doing me fookin tights in! Edited February 18, 2014 by Funky Dunky Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Bilbo Posted February 19, 2014 Share Posted February 19, 2014 Some people put a wrist size sweat band around the neck to dampen the strings (have seen Kevin Glasgow do this with his six string bass and Reggie Wooten on guitar) but I think most peopel just find a way to dampen the strings with either hand. It is an irritant, though, I agree. PS. I never slap on a gig, only for my own amusement and never for more than a few minutes a decade Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jazzyvee Posted February 19, 2014 Share Posted February 19, 2014 From my own experience of slapping, you have to carefully observe what you are doing so that you can locate wherever the extraneous sounds are coming from when you are belting the strings. I'm not a great slapper by any means I just do what is needed for a song so for example when I was learning to play marcus millers version of What is Hip? I realised that there was a really high pitched harmonic, very much like pinched harmonics that guitarists do, pinging away all the time. I tracked it down to my slapping thumb resting momentarily on the string underneath the one hit before the upstroke and causing that string to lightly touch the top of the fret resulting in the high pitched sound . So I slowed things down until I could consistently get the right movement that didn't cause any noise. My bass is very resonant so for other types of slapping I've also taught myself to stop the lower pitched strings ringing by touching them very lightly with the tip of my fretting finger as i play. The rest is down to accuracy especially if you have a narrow string spacing. I hope you find a way to tame that sound. Jazzyvee Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Bilbo Posted February 19, 2014 Share Posted February 19, 2014 The stray harmonics are usually because your left hand is stopping the strings over the 5th or 7th fret and the harmonic is ringing sympathetically. If you are able to use more of your left hand to stop the string (i.e. more than one finger width), that often reduces extraneous noise. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
HowieBass Posted February 19, 2014 Share Posted February 19, 2014 I bought a pack of these (from Asda rather than eBay) http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/Velcro-Straps-Cable-Ties-250mm-x-12mm-Multi-Coloured-Re-usable-10-Pack-New-/231161116516?pt=UK_DIY_Material_Nails_Fixing_MJ&hash=item35d246b764 and they work well enough as a fretwrap (they should go around the neck at the nut about twice). You could try one just behind the nut to see if that helps supress unwanted vibrations/harmonics. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Funky Dunky Posted February 19, 2014 Author Share Posted February 19, 2014 Thanks for all the input guys.....the hairband idea does appeal, but I'm still kinda of the opinion that something is wrong with my thumb! As far as the 5th/7th fret theory is concerned - I get the sympathetic harmonics even when there is no left hand fretting or muting involved :-( Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
51m0n Posted February 21, 2014 Share Posted February 21, 2014 Does you thumb come to rest against the string after you strike it initially? Sort of hit the string bounce off then come back to just touch the string. That can cause a harmoinic to ring.... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Funky Dunky Posted February 22, 2014 Author Share Posted February 22, 2014 Hmmmm.........interesting point 51m0n. I will sit down with my bass later and have a close look at that. It may be the case. Will post my findings tonight, but I feel you may be onto something with that theory. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ambient Posted February 22, 2014 Share Posted February 22, 2014 A quick and simple string mute is tie a sock around the end of the bass neck. The hair band things usually lose their elasticity by the time you're stretched them over the tuner and the head stock. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ML94 Posted February 22, 2014 Share Posted February 22, 2014 The way I slap is I use a combination of - Right hand & Forearm (to mute E) Left hand muting It takes a lot of practice and looking at your hands for a while until it comes naturally. For the harmonic problem, try not to put your finger on the fret line and rather in the middle of the fret so you won't be fretting a harmonic. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Funky Dunky Posted February 22, 2014 Author Share Posted February 22, 2014 [quote name='ML94' timestamp='1393097012' post='2376224'] try not to put your finger on the fret line and rather in the middle of the fret so you won't be fretting a harmonic. [/quote] It's there when I slap an open string, I can slap the E with my left hand in my pocket and I still get "BONG!! *hoooooo*" Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Funky Dunky Posted February 22, 2014 Author Share Posted February 22, 2014 [quote name='51m0n' timestamp='1393005387' post='2375230'] Does you thumb come to rest against the string after you strike it initially? Sort of hit the string bounce off then come back to just touch the string. That can cause a harmoinic to ring.... [/quote] This. This is totally the problem. I sat down and slapped as I normally slap, paid close attention and lo and behold, there it is. When I was quite deliberate in making absolutely certain that my thumb did not return to rest on the string I had just slapped, the harmonic did not sound. When I slapped slightly more haphazardly, as I normally would....."BUNG!! *hoooooo*" This is brilliant as I have identified the problem, but also kinda gutting as I now have to go back and alter my thumb attack so that the harmonic doesn't sound. In other words my slapping is back to square one and will be very very slow. Nonethless, thanks all for your feedback and advice. I have some work ahead now! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ML94 Posted February 23, 2014 Share Posted February 23, 2014 [quote name='Funky Dunky' timestamp='1393106949' post='2376364'] This. This is totally the problem. I sat down and slapped as I normally slap, paid close attention and lo and behold, there it is. When I was quite deliberate in making absolutely certain that my thumb did not return to rest on the string I had just slapped, the harmonic did not sound. When I slapped slightly more haphazardly, as I normally would....."BUNG!! *hoooooo*" This is brilliant as I have identified the problem, but also kinda gutting as I now have to go back and alter my thumb attack so that the harmonic doesn't sound. In other words my slapping is back to square one and will be very very slow. Nonethless, thanks all for your feedback and advice. I have some work ahead now! [/quote] Just get your thumb to bounce back off the string and don't over do it remember economy of motion as Victor calls it. Also when you've done that , double thumbing next Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
51m0n Posted February 23, 2014 Share Posted February 23, 2014 Ithankyewverymuchlittlepaperboy.... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Funky Dunky Posted February 24, 2014 Author Share Posted February 24, 2014 [quote name='51m0n' timestamp='1393150827' post='2376610'] Ithankyewverymuchlittlepaperboy.... [/quote] Eerie Indiana? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Funky Dunky Posted February 24, 2014 Author Share Posted February 24, 2014 [quote name='ML94' timestamp='1393146764' post='2376542'] Just get your thumb to bounce back off the string and don't over do it remember economy of motion as Victor calls it. Also when you've done that , double thumbing next [/quote] This technique will quite possibly be what pushes me to meltdown! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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