Pick click

[sandcastlefaith]

When I play, I find myself making a lot of pick clicking noise, which I absolutely hate. #And I'm not talking about the pick hitting the fretboard on the extension (which my Rigel doesn't have), I mean the pick on the strings. I don't know if it's my technique or just what I'm using - golden gate picks and Thomastik medium strings. #When I hold the pick tighter, it helps, but it's still present enough to annoy me, and it's hard for me to get used to a tight grip anyways. #I've always been told to keep everything loose. #The pick click is even more evident when I record, and it's driving me to the point of insanity. #HELP!

[250sc]

Is your pick hitting the fingerboard? If so you will have to work on your technique to fix it.

I've found that certain type of plastic picks make a distinct sound when hitting the strings and have ruled out using those picks for the same reason. Try some other picks if this is the case.

Good luck.

[John Flynn]

I agree with 250cc that hitting the fingerboard is an error and if that is the problem, you need to work on your technique. If that is not the problem and you are already using a heavy pick like a GG, one thing to condsider is that a certain amount of pick noise is a natural characteristic of the sound of plectrum instruments. If any player, I don't care who they are, were to mute the strings with thier left hand and continue picking with thier right, you would hear a pick clicking noise. It is always there. You may just be fixating on it.

[sandcastlefaith]

I never hit the fretboard with my pick, it's just the sound of the pick hitting the strings coming up and down, and I can't figure out how to get rid of it. I know that it's inevitable for there to be some pick sound, but I think that there has to be some way to get rid of some of it. When you hear the masters play, they don't get as much pick click. Any other ideas?

[ShaneJ]

Some picks click more than others, at least when I plunk away with them. I am certain I have many technique issues, but some picks are noisier than others.

[glauber]

Try different picks, try finding one that makes a click that you like. I've been using wooden picks now; there's all sorts of different pick shapes and materials out there.

[Jim Rowland]

I had a cheap little Uke once that came with a pressed felt pick. No pick noise. Of course there is a trade off.
Jim

[Chicago]

I haven't tried wood or ivory or any of the more exotic pick materials (yet, but they're on the way!), but I've found the dunlop nylon picks to have a significant reduction in the click noise; much moreso than the plastic fender picks I had been using prior. Just ordered a couple picks of various other materials and looking forward to hearing what kind of tones I can get with them.

- Ben

[Pete Martin]

I believe better players generate more pick speed through the string, so the pick is in contact less with the strings, therefore less noise. However, I have no proof of this other than observation of hundreds of right hand techniques.

Try using a heavier pick (at least 1.2 mm thick),twisting the pick a few degrees (say 5 degrees) to the string and gripping less tightly on the pick. Quite often, this produces much cleaner tone and fuller, woodier sound. Best of luck.

[Mastersound]

I'd go the other way. I use D'Addario or Planet Waves .46mm (.018") or .61mm (.024"). I'm primarily a guitar player so I do tend to have a light touch, and I love the fine neck, narrow string spacing and unison effect of an acoustic mandolin, so for me a light pick is just right. On a 4 string emando I lean towards the .61mm (.024"). At a pinch I'm sure we've all used the tag from a loaf of bread when we can't find a pick! Even playing bass I tend to go for a fairly light pick (.73mm).

I hold my pick with a slightly backward sweeping angle of the pick in my hand, and I grip it just firmly enough to control it. If you were to bump my hand hard enough the pick would fly out. I'm getting into ukulele as well now, so I decided to try a felt pick. Now there's an instrument of the devil! :-)

My final comment.... Listen to some Cat Stevens music... The sound of the pick on the strings on his Ovation Legend is integral to his (to me) great sound!

[Don Christy]

My theory is that you don't hear pick clicks from other musicians because the mando sound is so much stronger in front of the player. You're hearing more pick when playing because you are off the sound board axis.

Nevertheless, I know different picks make more/less sound. I like the Dunlop Ultrex 1.13. They seem relatively quiet.

Don

[aimee]

Yeah, try the Ultex picks.

I think somebody on this board did a pretty exhaustive study of pick sound output as opposed to noise as a part of the now-famous pick tour. The Ultex 1.0 and 1.13 scored well. Plus, I just like 'em.

[Chip Booth]

sandcastlefaith said: "When you hear the masters play, they don't get as much pick click."

Ever here the Marshall/Thile Woodsongs show? Or the new Ricky Skaggs record? #Man those guys hit the fretboard extension like crazy. # I am constantly complaining about my fingerboard extension (plan to have it scooped) and the other day my guitar player played me the new Ricky SKaggs disk and said "see, it's good enough for him!" http://www.mandolincafe.net/iB_html/non-cgi/emoticons/biggrin.gif

[Lee]

Yeah, if thy florida offends thee, chop it off or scoop it out.

[Larry Simonson]

I was just thinking (now that's rare), is the pick itself a sounding board? If the pick excites the string, doesn't the string in-turn excite the pick? If so, we should look for the parameters that deaden a sound board and apply those to making picks. Now that's a new goal for luthiers who have spent every working moment doing just the opposite. I'll knock off on the thinking for a while.

[glauber]

I second the Ultex recommendation. Something else to look at is pick shape: i think pointy picks make less noise than rounded picks.

[mandofiddle]

Hmmm, here's a thought. How are you mic'ing your mando when you're recording? Are you mic'ing the f-hole, or directly above where you're pick makes contact with the strings? You're mic placement might have something to do with the amount of pick click you're hearing in your recordings.

As for in general pick click, is it as noticable when you really drive the mandolin? Do you have such a light touch that the tone isn't coming out in front of the click? I've been using Wegen bluegrass flatpicks that I absolutely love. They're really thick, and have the beveled edges so it seems to glide easier over the strings. I don't tend to notice a lot of pick click with that pick.

[John Craton]

As has been stated, some amount of click it indigenous to the instrument, though of course it is more noticeable with a hard pick. Some of the plastic ones I've used are almost too much. You might want to try a German Wolle pick. They're somewhat flexible and rubbery and take some getting used to, but you won't get any click. They are available from Plucked Strings.

[sandcastlefaith]

I try to mic the soundhole as opposed to above the strings, but I still get quite a bit of pick click. Has anyone used golden gate picks, then switched to wooden ones and experienced less pick click with the wood? I'm thinking of trying one of the John Sarod picks.

[8strings]

I own a wonderful Heiden mandolin, which does not have a fingerboard extension. Do you really require these frets down there or are you just hanging on to an old tradition? No criticism here to tradionalists but this mandolin feature should really be looked at with less emotion and a sense of practicality. Rather than looking at felt covered picks, etc, why not cut this useless 'appendix' off?http://www.mandolincafe.net/iB_html/non-cgi/emoticons/rock.gif

[John Craton]

Do you really require these frets down there or are you just hanging on to an old tradition?
It depends on what you're wanting to play. Probably 90% or more of "traditional" mandolin music can be played with 16 frets, but some of the more advanced works will take you into the stratosphere of the fretboard. It's the difference between owning a standard "modern" violin and a baroque violin, which had a shorter fingerboard. You can certainly play all of Biber, Bach, Vivaldi, Leclair, et al. on the baroque instrument, but you'd be hard-pressed to play the Romantic or contemporary concertos on such a short amount of available space.

[sandcastlefaith]

In the beginning of the topic, I said that I wasn't talking about the click of the pick on the fretboard extension, but the pick on the strings.

[250sc]

Have you tried some other picks yet?

[sandcastlefaith]

No, I'm still trying to scrounge some money from my parents. Has anyone tried these Sarod picks? I know there was a topic about them recently, have you experienced and less pick click?

[John Craton]

Has anyone tried these Sarod picks? #
There was a recent thread on sarod picks here (http://www.mandolincafe.net/cgi-bin/ikonboard.cgi?act=ST;f=8;t=20141;hl=sarod).

[glauber]

I don't get much click with the Sarods. I'm not sure if it's the material or the shape (they're pointy). Yesterday i was practicing scales with a Dunlop Ultex, and i thought that even though it had a click, it was a pleasant sound.

[Steve Farling]

Sandcastlefaith, Have you found "the" pick yet? If not, try a regular shaped Heavy Gibson pick! I've went through a couple of $20.00 Tortis's and numerous others, and have found the Gibson is alot quieter. I give .50 cents each for them. I can't believe there aren't more people using them. Elderly, has the larger rounded triangle Gibsons for about 3.00 a dozen in Thin, Medium, and Heavy. I personaly like the regular shape the best cause I can use the sharper point for a brighter/louder sound, or the rounded corner for tremolo.
Steve http://www.mandolincafe.net/iB_html/non-cgi/emoticons/smile.gif

[Dolamon]

Pick click - Nathaniel, that kind of comes with the territory ... you pick, you click. That said, the recommendation to try the Ultex picks from Dunlop (or the Ultem version(s)from Clayton) gave me a really good experience. Unlike 98% of the picks on the market, the Ultex(m) picks seem to be moulded rather than punched out of a sheet of plastic.

Consequently, the matrix of the pick feels different to start with - the percussive attack in playing seems almost soundless. I personally like a 'rounded' bevel on the playing edge and normally polish the pick with 360 to 600 grit sand paper and will often finish the edge off with 4/0 steel wool or some fine MicroMesh pads. What I found with the Ultex material, finished this way is the pick always glides over the strings rather than hanging up. I've had limited experience with the Wegens but the edges just seem too rough and - ah 'brittle' for my type of playing.

Mandohack got me started with these and the only other pick which has the same - silky percussive - feel are real Ivory or real tortoise. The Ultems are a really inexpensive alternative and could really be an option for you (if you can find them). I'd contact Ted (JazzMando.com) and ask for a small assortment. I don't know of many stores which stock them - and they do come in a large variety of shapes and thicknesses. With Elderly or FQMS - you need to purchase a dozen of one size at a time ... which is fine if you know what you need.

The preceding is just my experience in search of the Holy Grail of the plectrum sort. Hope this helps - Dion

[glauber]

I personally like a 'rounded' bevel on the playing edge and normally polish the pick with 360 to 600 grit sand paper and will often finish the edge off with 4/0 steel wool or some fine MicroMesh pads.
I should try that.

Mandohack has both shapes of Ultex; they sell in packs of 6. Elderly has them too, as a backup.

[WireBoy]

I too have been a recent convert to the Ultex 1.14 triangle ( Thanks Ted!). #They seem to have less pick noise and the material of the pick helps me control the attack better. #Here's a bit of my experience #FWIW:

as for the attack, that's where the click is coming from. #to maximize the click, strike the string with the pick and string being parrallel and hold the pick very firmly so that when the two meet only the string gives way and have a rigid wrist stroke on the downward (and Upward) strum stoke.

to minimize the click, hold the pick lightly, on the strum stroke, brush the top of the strings. #the light grip will allow the pick to gently strike the strings like a paint brush. #grip tighter for a louder stroke. and rather than a parrallel strike, dig in just an edge. #the sharper the pick point, the hard the tone. a more round pick point, softer tone.

you just have to experiment with grip, strokes and picks (and strings) to find the magic formula that says, "here's my style."