Raspy finger noise

[TBman]

Yeah, its a pain. I play with flesh only and it seems no matter what angle my attack is I get a bit of raspy sound on the wound strings that is only avoided if I use my nails a bit. That's a rabbit hole I'd rather not go down.

Any suggestions? I'm wondering if my stroke isn't quick enough and the flesh is just dragging a bit. There should be a way to technique through this without resorting to nails, either natural or artificial.

It seems my new guitar (Avalon) has a way of exposing my poor technique, much work is needed here to get the best sound from it.

[Wrighty]

I think nails and/or a thumb pick are a game changer in terms of fingerstyle tone.. Well worth the rabbit hole being explored ;-)

[islandguitar]

Barry.....after LOTS of years..........for the wound strings........Blue Chip thumb pick....game changer! The metal band fits great and they never break. ZERO scratch sound coming from strings3, 4,5,6. The blade can be fashioned to suit your taste.

[TBman]

Originally Posted by Wrighty

I think nails and/or a thumb pick are a game changer in terms of fingerstyle tone.. Well worth the rabbit hole being explored ;-)

Uh oh,

Originally Posted by islandguitar

Barry.....after LOTS of years..........for the wound strings........Blue Chip thumb pick....game changer! The metal band fits great and they never break. ZERO scratch sound coming from strings3, 4,5,6. The blade can be fashioned to suit your taste.

So far my thumb isn't the problem its from the i m and a. Probably once I get that solved the thumb will be the problem, lol.

[ljguitar]

Originally Posted by TBman

Yeah, its a pain. I play with flesh only and it seems no matter what angle my attack is I get a bit of raspy sound on the wound strings that is only avoided if I use my nails a bit. That's a rabbit hole I'd rather not go down.

Any suggestions? I'm wondering if my stroke isn't quick enough and the flesh is just dragging a bit. There should be a way to technique through this without resorting to nails, either natural or artificial.

It seems my new guitar (Avalon) has a way of exposing my poor technique, much work is needed here to get the best sound from it.

Hi Barry

I'm an all-flesh guy, and the only time I've encountered your stated issue was with D'Addario EXP (coated) strings, because they coat the outer string with a slightly sticky-surfaced compound, and then wind it onto the core creating a non-skid surface…(and hammer-offs were noisy/awful as were finger slides)

I'd suggest if you cannot change the angle of attack to draw a bit more 'straight-across' the string, consider Elixir Nano-web which wind the entire string and then coat it so it's a 'slick' outer surface. The Nano-web used to be advertised as 4X less thick coating as the Poly-web (which feel like soap to my fingertips).

And unless there is a string issue, I'd also recommend playing the current strings for a week or two and see if you were just being extra-sensitive for a day (I've had that experience too).

I love Elixir Nano Phosphor Bronze because they sound like Pearse Strings after 2 days - and then they last a couple months (whereas Pearse strings sound great for two days and then go south to must-change in under a week).

Hope this adds to the discussion…

[TBman]

Originally Posted by ljguitar

Hi Barry

I'm an all-flesh guy, and the only time I've encountered your stated issue was with D'Addario EXP (coated) strings, because they coat the outer string with a slightly sticky-surfaced compound, and then wind it onto the core creating a non-skid surface…(and hammer-offs were noisy/awful as were finger slides)

I'd suggest if you cannot change the angle of attack to draw a bit more 'straight-across' the string, consider Elixir Nano-web which wind the entire string and then coat it so it's a 'slick' outer surface. The Nano-web used to be advertised as 4X less thick coating as the Poly-web (which feel like soap to my fingertips).

And unless there is a string issue, I'd also recommend playing the current strings for a week or two and see if you were just being extra-sensitive for a day (I've had that experience too).

I love Elixir Nano Phosphor Bronze because they sound like Pearse Strings after 2 days - and then they last a couple months (whereas Pearse strings sound great for two days and then go south to must-change in under a week).

Hope this adds to the discussion…

I'll try that Larry. I did just put on a set of D'addario EXP11 on the guitar. That might be it.

[Trevor B.]

Originally Posted by TBman

Yeah, its a pain. I play with flesh only and it seems no matter what angle my attack is I get a bit of raspy sound on the wound strings that is only avoided if I use my nails a bit. That's a rabbit hole I'd rather not go down.

Any suggestions? I'm wondering if my stroke isn't quick enough and the flesh is just dragging a bit. There should be a way to technique through this without resorting to nails, either natural or artificial.

It seems my new guitar (Avalon) has a way of exposing my poor technique, much work is needed here to get the best sound from it.

This is a topic currently at the top of my own "deal with it" list. Playing without nails is out of the question for me because my background is firmly rooted in classical guitar and its attendant technique. That said, what works on nylon strings doesn't on steel strings. And I'm too old to make radical changes so......I've shortened my nails, ramped them a little more (upward left to right) and am now focused on making sure at the onset of every right finger stroke I can really feel the contact point where flesh meets nail on the left side of each fingertip. It is already making a huge difference on the 3rd and 4th strings.
It's interesting to me that your new Avalon guitar is impelling you to address this issue. BTW - the guitar sounds great despite the raspy finger noise. For me it is the addition of an A-Designs MP-2A preamp to my signal chain that is prompting me to get this issue dealt with once and for all. The quality of my recordings has never been better but the raspy finger noise has become even more obvious. Or maybe I was just deluded before. In any case the changes I've made are working out for me, at least so far. Good luck in your quest.

[ljguitar]

Originally Posted by TBman

I'll try that Larry. I did just put on a set of D'addario EXP11 on the guitar. That might be it.

HI Barry…

I'm interested in how you resolve the issue…

As a teacher for over 40 years who has had students show up with 'issues' a lot of them were resolved with non-technique solutions.

[TBman]

Originally Posted by Trevor B.

This is a topic currently at the top of my own "deal with it" list. Playing without nails is out of the question for me because my background is firmly rooted in classical guitar and its attendant technique. That said, what works on nylon strings doesn't on steel strings. And I'm too old to make radical changes so......I've shortened my nails, ramped them a little more (upward left to right) and am now focused on making sure at the onset of every right finger stroke I can really feel the contact point where flesh meets nail on the left side of each fingertip. It is already making a huge difference on the 3rd and 4th strings.
It's interesting to me that your new Avalon guitar is impelling you to address this issue. BTW - the guitar sounds great despite the raspy finger noise. For me it is the addition of an A-Designs MP-2A preamp to my signal chain that is prompting me to get this issue dealt with once and for all. The quality of my recordings has never been better but the raspy finger noise has become even more obvious. Or maybe I was just deluded before. In any case the changes I've made are working out for me, at least so far. Good luck in your quest.

I was experimenting with exactly that, I'll give it more time when I do my Pumping Nylon drills tonight, maybe that's the cure along with trying a different coated string. Sometimes I don't have enough patience and I don't put the time in to develop technique changes to really see the results. I'm making that a priority, thanks.

The Avalon is deeper and wider than the rest of my guitars and as a result is more robust. It shines a light on poor technique.

[MikeB1]

[QUOTE=ljguitar;5801372][size=2]Hi Barry

...consider Elixir Nano-web which wind the entire string and then coat it so it's a 'slick' outer surface. The Nano-web used to be advertised as 4X less thick coating as the Poly-web (which feel like soap to my fingertips).


Larry or anyone else have a similar solution for nylon strings?

[RodB]

Originally Posted by Trevor B.

......I've shortened my nails, ramped them a little more (upward left to right) and am now focused on making sure at the onset of every right finger stroke I can really feel the contact point where flesh meets nail on the left side of each fingertip. It is already making a huge difference on the 3rd and 4th strings........

+1 on this... my initial contact is with flesh, release with a very small amount of ramped nail. The devil is in the detail - worth pursuing, I would say, nail profile and length is critical and requires frequent attention.

I also agree with Peter that it is a rabbit hole worth exploring, and your observation that a responsive guitar demands more attention in this regard.

[Trevor B.]

Originally Posted by ljguitar

Hi Barry

I'm an all-flesh guy, and the only time I've encountered your stated issue was with D'Addario EXP (coated) strings, because they coat the outer string with a slightly sticky-surfaced compound, and then wind it onto the core creating a non-skid surface…(and hammer-offs were noisy/awful as were finger slides)

I'd suggest if you cannot change the angle of attack to draw a bit more 'straight-across' the string, consider Elixir Nano-web which wind the entire string and then coat it so it's a 'slick' outer surface. The Nano-web used to be advertised as 4X less thick coating as the Poly-web (which feel like soap to my fingertips).

And unless there is a string issue, I'd also recommend playing the current strings for a week or two and see if you were just being extra-sensitive for a day (I've had that experience too).

I love Elixir Nano Phosphor Bronze because they sound like Pearse Strings after 2 days - and then they last a couple months (whereas Pearse strings sound great for two days and then go south to must-change in under a week).

Hope this adds to the discussion…

Hey Larry,
Your comments re: Elixir Nano Phosphor Bronze vs. D'Addario EXP Coated Phosphor Bronze are really interesting. A couple of (few?) years ago I compared those same Elixir strings with D'Addario and elected to go with D'Addario because I preferred the tone from them. Based on your info I may revisit the comparison but with the emphasis on string noise this time.
Thanks.

Originally Posted by TBman

I was experimenting with exactly that, I'll give it more time when I do my Pumping Nylon drills tonight, maybe that's the cure along with trying a different coated string. Sometimes I don't have enough patience and I don't put the time in to develop technique changes to really see the results. I'm making that a priority, thanks.

The Avalon is deeper and wider than the rest of my guitars and as a result is more robust. It shines a light on poor technique.

Hello Barry,
I find sharing ideas with others confronting the same guitar goblins helps me to be more patient. So I'll continue to check in on this thread over the next while and keep you posted as to my progress. Please keep us posted on yours. I haven't recorded anything since making the changes mentioned earlier but will try to do so soon.
Re: your Avalon - I've been really impressed by the sound of pretty much all of the Avalon guitars that have crossed my path lately. They're in the same league as McIlroy and Lowden guitars IMHO with that same characteristic Irish chimney tone. They strike me as ideal Celtic fingerstyle instruments.

[121]

Originally Posted by TBman

Yeah, its a pain. I play with flesh only and it seems no matter what angle my attack is I get a bit of raspy sound on the wound strings that is only avoided if I use my nails a bit. That's a rabbit hole I'd rather not go down.

Any suggestions? I'm wondering if my stroke isn't quick enough and the flesh is just dragging a bit. There should be a way to technique through this without resorting to nails, either natural or artificial.

It seems my new guitar (Avalon) has a way of exposing my poor technique, much work is needed here to get the best sound from it.

If this raspy finger noise is only a problem on the round wound strings and not the smooth plain strings, have you tried flat wound strings?

Galli has flat wound bronze 80/20, whose surface is smoother than round wound or half round strings.

However, about one year ago, I did notice when using the Galli Light and Medium string sets the G string in both sets, did not have as smooth a surface as the other flat wound strings in those sets. In the Extra Light string set, the G string's flat wound surface was smoother, just like the other flat wound strings in that set. I informed Galli, but I'm unsure if anything has been addressed.



I would have suggest Thomastik-Infeld Plectrum Bronze Acoustic guitar strings, because they are very popular, but not all the wound strings in Plectrum string sets are flat wound.

[ljguitar]

Originally Posted by Trevor B.

Hey Larry,
Your comments re: Elixir Nano Phosphor Bronze vs. D'Addario EXP Coated Phosphor Bronze are really interesting. A couple of (few?) years ago I compared those same Elixir strings with D'Addario and elected to go with D'Addario because I preferred the tone from them. Based on your info I may revisit the comparison but with the emphasis on string noise this time.
Thanks.

Hi Trevor B

I misspoke (not intentionally) when I said "…the tone of the Elixir Nano PB are like Pearse after two days".

I should have said [I]"On my guitars…with me playing them…Elixir Nano PB string's tone is like Pearse strings after 2 days…"

Tone as it relates to acoustic guitars is such an individual thing, and I don't find universal/uniform results from player to player at all.

My gigging partner is a hybrid player and flat picker and I'm all flesh. He moves his picking/strumming hand a lot from the sound hole to the bridge, while my right hand most of the time resides with my fingertips about ⅓ of the way down from the neck over the sound hole…except for special effect.

He varies his tone tremendously depending on the pick in his hand at the time. I can shape tone by moving from my main picking/plucking hand position, but don't move it far from 'home' very often.

[TBman]

Originally Posted by ljguitar

HI Barry…

I'm interested in how you resolve the issue…

As a teacher for over 40 years who has had students show up with 'issues' a lot of them were resolved with non-technique solutions.

I'll let you know Larry. I'll get a set of the Elixirs next weekend. During the meantime I'm going to work on right hand attack technique.