Do NOT worry too much about fret buzz
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- Опубліковано 7 вер 2024
- When you plug where it needs to be plugged, the fret buzz WILL go away, and you will sound amazing. Set up the bass in a way that is more comfortable for you. Electric pickups on instruments will capture frequencies and transform them into electric signals; they are not microphones.
In the worst-case scenario, you will lose sustain, but that's also OK.
• Excellent demo, great idea switching between the recorded audio and the room mic.
• I definitely agree, a little fret buzz is no problem, and can add a bit to an aggressive tone, if that's what you're going for.
• If you want really low action, but the cost is a little sustain, that's not a big issue if you don't ever need to let notes ring out.
• I love that bass! Sounds fantastic and looks beautiful!!
Thank you very much! I agree a lot with all the bullets you mentioned! Thanks for watching!
Something I have learned in years of playing live and now setting my own instruments is that in a live context (and recording) you barely hear any fret buzz in a mix unless you play really really hard and there is a moment where the bass is completely alone, just listen to Alice in Chains and Type O Negative, A LOT OF FRET BUZZ but you barely notice it overall in a mix
Perfect!!!
I learned to setup my basses and thru the years leaned into James Jamerson's style, with .052 flats and high strings. So i never actually have the buzz problem. But here i am watching content about buzz, great video! Lot's of knowledge shared.
Knowledge is always usefull.
Good stuff! Thanks Beca!
Great video! I have a little bit of buzz on my bass, it helps add to that growl.
It’s true, unplugged vs amplified can be like day and night.
Thanks for the demonstration.
Thanks for watching! 😊
video you don't know you need when beginning! really good idea to switch between the mics to show your point thanks a lot
Thanks a lot for watching it! :)
I suggest lowering the action and not worrying too much about fret buzz, because guitar pickups capture frequencies and transform into electrical signals, they are not microphones! So they will continue doing their thing even with fret buzz. What you may lose is a bit of sustain, but I also realized that lacking a bit on sustain is interesting to bring that "Paul McCartney on the Hofner" tone! The thing is that extreme fret buzz will do that inconsistently across the fretboard. My recommendation is to tune the instrument on the most comfortable way possible to bring you agility! Cheers!
This was a cool vid, and works for folks who tend to use a warmer, more mellowed tone, but some of us use a much brighter, more articulate tone at times with hi-end pickups, and active pre/EQ systems that make use of the higher frequencies where fret buzz, string noise and such are more readily audible, and as such, fret buzz is a much bigger issue. To negate that, while still retaining low, fast action requires a much cleaner technique, lots of muting, and a far softer touch, most of the time. Also, it should be noted that there is a difference between growl and buzz.
Interesting approach! Indeed on active preamps and open tone on a humbucker it may be more of a disturbance in the force! That’s why I kept the “(too much)” in the video title 🥹
what os the difference between buzz and growl ? how do you make your tone more growly
@@eneribackwards Buzz happens when your action is too low or your frets are worn, or uneven, or when the neck relief is incorrect, and it happens no matter how hard or soft you play. Sometimes it's just on certain notes. Normally, it is something you want to adjust out of your tone.
Growl is similar to buzz, but if your neck is adjusted just right, and especially with new strings, you can control it consistently, usually by digging into your notes. If your action is high, you won't get growl. It has to be set just high enough that when you use a light to medium touch, your tone is clean. When you dig in your notes should get some growl to them.
To best capture the growl, as I said, use fresh strings, do not dial out your high end, and play cleanly, especially coming out of notes. If your action is low enough to correctly growl, coming out of notes sloppily will put little buzzes on the ends, so they end up farting out instead of definitely ending.
Growl is something best used sparingly, but can be super expressive, especially as a contrast for clean tones.
It's not easy, takes really learning how to set up your instrument/s, requires practice, and depending on your instrument's sensitivity to temperature and humidity, usually frequent adjustment.
Good luck, be careful to not adjust your truss more than 1/4 turn every 20 minutes, and try not to strip the truss nut.
Now THAT’S a comment! Love it, thanks!
Been playing for nearly 25 years and never did this comparison on a recording. You will always hear it in person but wonderful to know it will never make it through to recording or FOH. Thank you, sir!
Glad you enjoyed it! Many thanks for watching!
More than fine, actually. I like that buzzy sound, especially when slapping. BTW, you can always play with a light touch but, when your fingers hit it hard, you can generate a more aggressive sound. In one word, a bit of buzz (of course, due to a careful setting) may add expressivity to your sound and intention. Well done mate, i just discovered your tiny channel but you already put the focus on one of the most important things. A well deserved subscription!👍
Yeah, I agree! I think the buzz sound brings up that "crusty and good cholesterol" to the tone, haha, it's like a thick bacon cut :D
I love low action and low gauge strings, especially after realizing people like Victor Wooten plays that way too. Thanks a lot for watching and the subscription, means a lot to me!!
I thought it was common sense so it’s good you made a video about it.
Every time I setup a bass, as a last step, I record about a minute of extensive playing on the neck (direct to interface) and then hear the recording back with headphones while moving the EQ around to detect unwanted noise or buzz.
If it’s not heard in the recording then it doesn’t bother me. And 80% of the time there’s still audible buzz while unplugged
That’s a good trick! I would say it’s a good threshold to see when the fret buzz becomes unacceptable! If it shows in a recording, then it’s a no!
Point well illustrated. Thank you.
You're very welcome! Glad you liked it. Thanks for watching!
Omg thank you so much for this I've had so much anxiety about my first set up because of my fret buzz ❤❤
Glad I could help! Do the test by recording yourself and you will see, the fret buzz is less likely to be captured. Thanks for watching!
Thanks for the clearing it out! Cheers!
Happy to help! Thanks for watching ☺️
Rhett Shull has a great video on this topic. The set up guy at the shop Rhett filmed it literally had a brand new Suhr he had recently set up and it had a bit of fret buzz. Typically guitarist and bassists like low action and to get low action you will get buzz. Remember that these instruments aren’t perfect.
Yeah! I personally prefer comfort when playing and don’t mind too much about this buzz. As long as the neck is straight, it’s all good! Thanks for watching!
I've been playing piano for almost 20 years now and have since tried my hand at violin and sax. I love them all and a few weeks ago I was gifted a 6 string bass. I haven't gotten around to really playing it yet but properly setting it up was first on my list. Any suggestion on a good video for something like that?
Yes! Search for MusicNomad guides! They also sell tools and rulers that come with handy cheat sheets! Thanks for watching!
I play upright and dang I hate that fret buzz I get (wink)
That's a very good illustration. I play a p bass for years with action just as high to not lose the tone when i do halftone bends from 12th fret and upwards. One particular thing disturbed me - the string stopped from swinging at small halftone bends and it felt like its losing its swinging energy a lot more. Now i really got used to it combined with older strings and the "high" action doesn't disturb my playing. the fretboard is still fast and slinky.
Now I bought a Jazz bass with really low action (plus thinner and new strings) and it's so disturbing and confusing to me this buzz all the time. But I have to give it a chance i suppose. I will put on 110 strings and then the neck action should adjust itself a bit so I'm curious how it is gonna be. Great coincidence that I get your video recommended. That's kinda scary because I talked about it with no one :-D
Can you tell which DI you are using? Or is it an amp with speaker?
Haha, crazy coincidence! I am using the Origin Effects BassRig Super Vintage (Blue) pedal and a compressor before it, from Effectrode! Thanks for watching!
Do you use a thin pick?
For this one I am using a thin pick, yeah! Interesting you asked, yesterday I recorded a video showing different picks and how they affect tone! I'll publish it soon! Thanks for watching!
I don't even consider that fret buzz
Thanks for watching! 😊
Just sounds like very fresh strings to me
Problem buzz would be reducing the sustain, this seems fine
@@347Jimmy Yep
@@347Jimmyagree!