Clicky plectrum! How can I stop it?

[Colin Lindsay]

Hi y’all! I’ve just noticed that my plectrum is annoyingly clicky on some of my recordings.
I’ve uploaded a video of it; I record in front of the computer whilst surfing, so don’t worry about the tune - it just came to me and needs refinement and polishing before I decide to use it in the future... or not. The important thing is that when I played the recording back today - I have dozens such recordings of little tunes and songs and often leave them for a while then replay them to see what strikes me or what gets binned - the plectrum sounds annoyingly clicky.
Is it just a case of needing a heavier plectrum, or a different type of plectrum material, or a whole new technique by yours truly?
What do you think?


http://youtu.be/eCAbUh_sGdk

[JeffJones]

What type of pick are you currently using?

Your recording setup (a webcam with the built in mic it sounds like?) may be giving your recording a thin/tinny/trebley tone, emphasizing any clickiness in your playing. So the clickiness may not be quite so noticeable in person.

If you are using a medium to light pick (less then about 0.8mm or so) I would consider going to a heavier pick. You might also consider using a more rounded pick.

Beyond that you would probably need to start tweaking your picking technique.

[Manfred Hacker]

How thick/thin is your pick? If you use a thin pick, the strings slap your pick and not the other way round.
The great late John McGann demonstrates this on his DVD Sound Fundamentals. He says that some IT players love thin picks for the triplets and for the seemingly louder tone. And he proves that the the tone is better/louder with a thicker pick.

Or maybe you are just using a pick that is prone to producing pick noise.
Just a thought. YMMV

[spufman]

Try a variety of pick materials and shapes, to see what works best for you. They all really do sound different. Thick, beveled and expensive works for me! Now that you're aware, you can't help but concentrate on picking technique, of course.

[xiledscot]

As spufman says "Thick and expensive" (sounds like my girlfriend) but yes.......works for me!

[clobflute]

Yes it's there on the recording..


Have you tried a rubber Wedgie?

http://www.bouldercreekguitars.com/wedgie-guitar-picks

They are massively thick - about 5.0mm. They aren't my favourite pick at all but they do away with all the click clack clickety clack.

[Colin Lindsay]

What type of pick are you currently using?

Your recording setup (a webcam with the built in mic it sounds like?) may be giving your recording a thin/tinny/trebley tone, emphasizing any clickiness in your playing. So the clickiness may not be quite so noticeable in person.

AHA! That’s a good point. When I record properly i.e. with a proper mic through my input device (I’m using an M-audio Profire firewire device with a professional mic) there isn’t any, or it’s not as noticeable…. I never thought of the Apple mic being the problem! When performing I never notice it but began to think recently it was because I’m behind the instrument and maybe can’t hear it, while the audience is thinking “what’s with all the clicking…?”
Recordings sound like this short sample:
http://www.voiceofthebann.com/Jigs-%...o%20Astros.m4a
That’s a Williams Gazuki through the built-in pickup playing one of my own jigs called “The Shelter jig”. No clicking… so Jeff may have a good point.
A heavier plectrum may remove the clicking but it may also remove a lot of the fingertip flexibility.

[Shelagh Moore]

As well as a slightly heavier pick you could also try angling the pick slightly relative to the strings (so that it is not parallel to the strings when it strikes) and "pushing" it through the strings. I'm not sure how to better describe the action. This requires technique adjustment but can change the sound dynamics and tone markedly.

[Bertram Henze]

The difference between the youtube clip and the other recording lies only in spectrum - the Apple mic is losing all the lower frequencies and thereby pronouncing wide-band noises (pick noise, amongst others). Apart from that, I think it's exactly what a zouk is supposed to sound like: rhythm noise with the chords, YMMV.

P.S. This is not criticizing the Apple mic as such - I suppose it is a webcam mic optimized for speech, not music, i.e. you want to hear what your communication partner says, not the rumble from his stomach.

[John Kelly]

I agree totally with what Richard says above re angling the pick. Get the leading edge of your pick striking the strings just ahead of the rest of the pick. This eorks too for up strokes as the same angle of attack is used, the leading edge on up strokes being the "other" edge of the pick. This is hard to put into words, but if you do not already use this technique I can thoroughly recommend it.

The recording sound will cause you to hear the clicks more through your Apple set-up, as Bertram and others have said.

[Ted Eschliman]

John Reischman gives this same advice in his clinics. Angle the pick slightly so you aren't "slapping" the string. (You get more string fundamental, less attack the steeper the angle.)

[JeffJones]

That’s a Williams Gazuki through the built-in pickup playing one of my own jigs called “The Shelter jig”. No clicking… so Jeff may have a good point.
A heavier plectrum may remove the clicking but it may also remove a lot of the fingertip flexibility.

Not sure about this, as I have not done much recording direct from a pickup, but I suspect a pickup will not pickup the clicking sound you are talking about very well. I think that is something a mic would have a better chance of picking up.

I wouldn't say that moving to a heavier pick would "remove a lot of the fingertip flexibility" but I think it would put more of the control over the way the pick moves across the strings into your fingers and out of the pick.

[Marc Ferry]

Experiment with different grips on the pick. Try holding it looser, for example. Maybe if you hold it loose enough that it gives when making contact with strings, the clickiness will stop.

[Ivan Kelsall]

A thicker pick plus 'angling' the pick so that the edge hits the string, is usually the way to go to reduce pick 'noise'.However,i've tried thicker picks + 'angling' them, & usually it results in the edge of the pick sliding over the strings 'like ice on ice', with very little of the pick power pushing the strings. If for whatever reason,i decide to use a thicker pick (Dawg / Golden Gate), i file the bevels almost totally off & use it that way. At least i transfer some 'pick energy' to the strings rather than sliding over them. It's for that reason i use thinner picks with not much bevel on them & try to hit the strings almost 'flat on' to transfer as much 'pick energy' to the strings as possible. It works for me. Currently the picks i'm using are the new Dunlop 'Primetone' 1.3mm thick ones. they pick smoothly without any pick noise & also give my the volume i require,
Ivan

[Ron Cox]

I recently moved to heavier strings on my Eastman, and now my favorite pick (Jazz III ultex 1.14) is no longer my favorite pick (on that Mandolin). Too much of that clicking noise you mentioned. I went back to a Dunlop Stubby and also the Big Stubby. They are thicker and more "three dimensional) than the flat picks I had moved to. It diminished my pick noise to almost nothing immediately. For less than a buck, it might be worth a try for you.

Just my .02

[keithb]

From the Thile interview: http://www.mandolincafe.com/news/pub...s_001579.shtml

Bradley Klein: I blame you for pointing out that mandolin and guitar players are smacking a piece of plastic against a metal wire with every note. Now I can't get that out of my head.

Chris Thile: (laughs ruefully) I spend a significant amount of every day trying to disguise that fact.