CosmicCharlie24 - Posted - 02/01/2026:  09:58:52

Hey All - I tried a search but couldn’t find anything. Is there a trick to eliminating or reducing the scratching sound when doing a slide on the 4th (would) string? I don’t want to switch to nylon, etc. Thanks.

RB-1 - Posted - 02/01/2026:  10:36:59

Depending on the banjo and your playing style, I'd say yes...

I'm perfectly happy with the sound and playability of the GHS PF-135.

CosmicCharlie24 - Posted - 02/01/2026:  10:52:55

Thanks for taking the time to reply but unfortunately I don’t understand your response.

Jack Baker - Posted - 02/01/2026:  10:56:16

Hi Charlie,

There is no answer to your question and the reason is the the 4th string on a Banjo is a string wound over the inside string. The friction is what you are hearing, even if you put Nylon strings on your banjo....Jack

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Originally posted by CosmicCharlie24

Hey All - I tried a search but couldn’t find anything. Is there a trick to eliminating or reducing the scratching sound when doing a slide on the 4th (would) string? I don’t want to switch to nylon, etc. Thanks.

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RB-1 - Posted - 02/01/2026:  11:01:30

quote:

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Originally posted by CosmicCharlie24

Thanks for taking the time to reply but unfortunately I don’t understand your response.

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This is what happens when only reading a question without noticing the context.

I only saw your question in the Newest Posts column (to the right), clicked and answered....

Clawhammer is a totally different universe to me, as is tenor- or plectrum playing for that matter.

So my answer makes no sense at all from a clawhammer perspective. Apologies!

Rusty - Posted - 02/01/2026:  12:02:53

Record yourself and post it here, I’m not sure what you mean by scratchy.

CosmicCharlie24 - Posted - 02/01/2026:  12:37:14

When I slide up or down on the 4th string, the grooves in the would string creat friction with my finger creating a scratching or hissing sound that competes or overshadows the intended note.

Jack Baker - Posted - 02/01/2026:  13:11:53

This may be the answer to your 4th string problem....Jack Baker

4th String unwound

 

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Originally posted by CosmicCharlie24

When I slide up or down on the 4th string, the grooves in the would string creat friction with my finger creating a scratching or hissing sound that competes or overshadows the intended note.

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Rusty - Posted - 02/01/2026:  13:29:11

Don’t push as hard, or push harder. I’ve never heard this when I’ve played. Ask your teacher, if you don’t have a teacher, then get one. 3-4 lessons makes all the difference.
I’m assuming since you posted here that you play clawhammer style banjo.

Bill Rogers - Posted - 02/01/2026:  14:30:47

Find a flat-wound guitar string of the appropriate size and see if it works. (You probably won't like the sound. )

Edited by - Bill Rogers on 02/01/2026 14:40:36

Jack Baker - Posted - 02/01/2026:  15:26:23

Hi Bill,
Maybe a flat wound 3rd guitar string might work....Jack

CosmicCharlie24 - Posted - 02/01/2026:  16:02:58

Thanks for the responses all. They’re appreciated!

Gar - Posted - 02/02/2026:  05:33:11

You could try a string lubricant like ghs Fast Fret.

Eric A - Posted - 02/02/2026:  07:05:02

Yeah, that little squeegee sound. I know what you are talking about. I guess it just never bothered me.



I once experimented with a wound 3rd, but I eventually discarded the idea for that exact same reason. But never fussed about the 4th. Maybe I just don't slide on the 4th all that often.  I could hardly live without sliding up, down, and around on the 3rd.

Edited by - Eric A on 02/02/2026 07:06:26

kantstandya - Posted - 02/02/2026:  07:38:38

CosmicCharlie24
Idk why when a train goes by I hear an it and it’s a few miles away. My friend lives by some train tracks and it doesn’t bother her, she doesn’t even hear it. As I do my slides I try and avoid the scratching(screeching) sound by pressing harder and try to focus on the note I’m going for. Seems to help me avoid the screech. I guess in my mind. When I focus on the screech I hear it more? Idk, just me, I’ve only been playing under two years but that sound can be annoying. I think it is more annoying to me than to others?

SatCotM - Posted - 02/02/2026:  07:42:13

quote:

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Originally posted by Rusty

Don’t push as hard, or push harder. I’ve never heard this when I’ve played.

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I'm not sure it's possible to eliminate the noise by changing pressure. It must make some difference one way or the other, but whether I'm using feather fingers or clamping down, I've always gotten squeak on a 4th slide.

The unhelpful answer is to just get used to the noise. If you're playing softly enough that the noise is enough to compete with the played note, as you say above, it may be wise to either put more power into it or else choose a different way to shift between those notes.

Another option besides the flat wounds already mentioned are half round (a.k.a. ground wound, flat top). Should create less noise without changing the sound quite as much.

Edited by - SatCotM on 02/02/2026 07:48:03

Mickhammer - Posted - 02/02/2026:  09:03:34

It may be a question of building up the callouses on your fingertips - the callous will give your finger a smoother surface, which may help to eliminate some of the sound.

But that sound is an integral part of this kind of instrument - it's one of the details that make up the sound. So embracing it is not a bad thing to do.

Other things to try: use a different finger for slides on that string. Use a hammer on instead of the slide. Try a shorter slide - a one-fret slide will make less noise but get a similar effect.

Bart Veerman - Posted - 02/02/2026:  10:51:45

Why not take the easy way out: replace them slides with hammer-ons and pull-offs. Chances are your audience will never hear the difference.

CosmicCharlie24 - Posted - 02/02/2026:  12:21:14

Thanks again all. Like a lot of things it may be in my head more than it is in reality. Sometimes when I hear it, it sounds like an atomic bomb going off. For what it’s worth my callouses are pretty thick. And it’s just so much easier sliding from the 2nd fret to the 3rd, 4th or 5th or back down.
I’ll monkey with some of the suggestions.

reubenstump - Posted - 02/02/2026:  14:20:42

As others have mentioned, the issue is at least partially due to the wound nature of the string - one string wound around another, transverse (right angle) to the the direction of your finger as it slides.

I'm just an idiot playing a stick on a drum, but for my 4th string 3-5 slides I've noticed little to none of the scratching/squeaking sound with GHS PF-150 strings, which have a 22 phosphor bronze 4th string. You can probably order a similar string of similar gauge without buying a whole set, but that may not be economical. YMMV and all that.

I will say that I notice similar sounds on many acoustic guitar recordings. And, like you, I don't like it at all.

Bart Veerman - Posted - 02/02/2026:  21:50:59

Also, in general: sliding on old strings usually is way quieter than on new strings.

SatCotM - Posted - 02/03/2026:  09:12:39

quote:

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Originally posted by SatCotM The unhelpful answer is to just get used to the noise.

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I should say my unhelpful answer. I'd agree with others that it probably isn't as prominent as it seems. It's easy to fixate on these things.

LyleK - Posted - 02/03/2026:  11:26:33

There _used_ to be an easy answer to this, which was to use Elixir banjo strings. The wound 4th string had a "polyweb" coating that eliminated the annoying rubbing sound. The original post reminded me that it was time to order a new set. But sadly, I found that Elixir no longer makes banjo strings. Elixir does make acoustic guitar strings both in sets and as single strings that are wound and have "polyweb" coating. It might be possible to find something in the correct gauge (0.022" should work?).

Bart Veerman - Posted - 02/04/2026:  07:09:19

Try sanding the 4th string with fine (600 grit or finer) sandpaper very lightly only on the spots of the 4th string where you do the slides.

Do let us know how you make out.