I’ve noticed an annoying sound when I play that sounds like an overtone with a buzz.
After paying careful attention, I realize that it’s the sound made by the metal finger pick contacting the string while it’s still vibrating from being picked just before. It’s most noticeable on the first and second strings.
My banjo does have unusually long sustain and I imagine that contributes to the problem, but I’d guess that technique is the real issue here. Plus, I like the sustain.
Any ideas on technique changes to try?
Keep the picks away from strings that are still vibrating. Don't bring them close to previously picked strings until you're going to pick them again. Don't do it half-way. No slow attack with touch then follow-through. Pick with intention. Quick and clean attack. Fast enough not to create any audible buzz.
What Ken says, but you’re always going to get a little bit of that and it gets worse as you pick closer to the neck and at slower speeds. Have your pick strike the string closer to the tip, and with a “snap” action.
When I was writing my post originally, I wasn’t sure I was descriptive enough and I was right!
It’s not a case of the pick inadvertently contacting a vibrating string; I am deliberately picking the string, it’s just that it’s still vibrating from the last time it was being picked.
This usually happens when I’m picking fast (or at least trying to). And, I think I’m picking deliberately.
It does occur to me that the pick is not making contact right at the tip, but farther up in the wider part of the pick, so the buzzing may be happening as the pick slides against the string before the string finally reaches the tip of the pick.
Even realizing this, I’m not sure how to correct it. Any suggestions are welcome.
I’m wondering if putting a small hook in the end of the pick would help me “feel” the proper contact point as I develop better technique.
I don’t know if this is germane or not…
I don’t use picks when I play fingerstyle guitar; just fingernails. No matter how I try, I just can’t get used to fingerpicks when playing guitar. Conversely, I can’t play banjo with just fingernails. Could it be that this dissonance in my digits is causing me to have the wrong angle of attack on the banjo? I do plant my pinkie on the head when playing banjo, so that should influence the angle of attack. My ring finger does feel lost when playing banjo as it plays a prominent role when playing fingerstyle guitar.
Again, any wisdom is appreciated.
Quickstep, any chance it's not technique? Is the same buzz there when you play a different banjo?
[I get some buzz on the third string of my MM ... IF it's there on my GoldTone, I don't hear it.]
Too late to edit ^^ ... the MM buzz isn't from a single pluck , it's from the pick re-striking the string.
This is the kind of thing you work on with a good teacher who sees what you’re doing and hears what you’re hearing. Absent that it’s kinda trial and error.
When picking banjo, fingerstyle guitarists tend to mirror the relationship in distance from strings and in general attack of fingers to strings as it pertains to their guitar playing. I have noticed this from experience. Through experimentation I found that wearing my fingerpicks high and bending the blade until it roughly mirrors the curvature of my fingertips is helpful in taming buzz. I also found Sammy Shelor fingerpicks to be the most comfortable and adaptable for this position. It's my belief that heavier gauge fingerpicks will not buzz as much because they are quick to dampen strings.
When observing videos of banjo players one will see that there is no set way to wear picks. Trial and error is what it takes.
youtube.com/watch?app=desktop&...isJ3Fbb-Y
Edited by - Pick-A-Lick on 11/06/2024 10:09:28
Did my best with my guess.
You may be correct that contacting the string high up on the pick before following through could be providing enough time to create the buzz.
It's also possible I do this. But I tend to play without wearing my hearing aids and my high-end hearing has become so poor that I might not hear a buzz even if I were there. When I do wear my hearing aids while playing, it tends to over-emphasize buzzes that may be inconsequential.
Have to agree with Laurence that a teacher or experienced player friend could watch you play and with luck see what's happening.
for me (but i ask no agreement)--it is the string vibrating from an earlier note touching against the incoming pick this creates a transverse wave straight down the steel string--the speed and arrival the head --is much faster than the longitudinal wave caused by the pluck's string displacement--
--it can be the pick getting hit by the string as it comes in --it can be the pick grating as it slides on the string or even the left hand scraping a wound string --anything that can travel down that steel string --
so those recommendations help--but I sometimes still try for a slower attack for the extra control it gives me --and mark it off as an unpaid percussion ha ha--I do a lot of buffing and cleaning my picks and strings with alcohol
I get unwanted chatter from the picks when playing close to the neck for a warmer, more sustainful(?) sound. I tried medium gauge strings and the extra tension helped but I didn't like the tone. Switching from standard dunlop fingerpicks to propiks actually made a huge difference for me. So maybe try different finger picks?
Well, I might be onto something…
I tried a pair of brass picks and the noise is much less pronounced. It’s an apples to oranges comparison though.
The one set are ProPik stainless whereas the brass ones are Dunlops.
Any additional pick suggestions?
If your picks are striking the strings squarely, try this: Rotate the picks just a bit on your finger so the blade no longer strikes squarely. You have reduced the surface area coming into contact with the vibrating string, so the pick noise is reduced.
In truth you will never eliminate it. Even the best get pick noise. It’s kinda part of what a banjo sounds like.
Edited by - NNYJoe on 11/08/2024 06:35:08
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