hi, i keep getting a sound when i both put my finger down and take it off. These sounds happen in between actual strums on the eighth beats and sound like extra notes in between. My fingers tend too be sweaty, is that the issue or like are my strings too tight?
Hi @Kousheyo,
Welcome to the forums!
A video would help us determine this so we can both see what your fingers are doing plus hear it. That may not be something that you have thought about yet, being new.
I have to guess for now:
- Are your fingers coming down hard on the strings to fret them? If so, hold your fingers close to the strings and press rather than hammer on the string.
- When you lift off the string, do your fingers slide sideways a little before lifting? When done intentionally, this is called a pick-off. Be sure to raise your finger straight up.
- The string tightness is what causes the pitch to be what it is. If your guitar is in tune, then the tightness of the string is exactly what it needs to be.
I sometimes have somewhat sticky fingers. A good way to help a little is to wash your hands before playing. It will help your strings last longer before sounding dull as well. The sticky finger problem doesn’t create much trouble with making sounds if my fingers are moving correctly.
I find that my string noise issues stem from, well sloppy technique and poor maintenance of pressure.
We don’t need much pressure, but we do need the right pressure and it needs to be applied at the right moment. It also needs to be set (fully applied) and released quickly, but not abruptly and both at the right moment for how you want the note to ring.
So what happens to me sometimes may be that I don’t have the note fully fretted as I pluck the string, so it sounds wrong. Or, I may lift my finger too slowly, giving the string a chance to buzz for a moment (this is something I probably do more than anything.
The tendency to accidentally hammer on the string, or the brief sound of lifting of too abruptly could be the attempt to remedy my other problems.
I think the trick is to spend time paying close attention to your finger pressure, approach, and technique, like what part of your finger tip touches the string and when.