String Squeaks

CaptainMoto

Blues Voyager
Follow up to a separate conversation on the subject.

I've had an on/off problem with string squeaks so, I thought it would be a decent subject for discussion.

My experience:

- I know some of it can be controlled with better guitar technique, such as lifting vs sliding your fretting hand.
However, that just won't work on every song.

- I can't find it right now but, in previous posts people have recommended some sort of anti squeak string treatment.

- In the DAW
I've taken the time to go each squeak and pull down the volume.
Used a De-esser with some good results but, it takes some fine tuning to catch the bad stuff without killing the good stuff.
I recently picked up "Izotope Ozone" mastering plugin which has a tool to fix noise and squeaks, but I don't have enough experience with it to have a good evaluation.
I can say i completely destroys the track if you don't get the settings right.
I have not yet tried a multi band compressor, I think that might work if I can target the correct frequency.
Additionally, I just picked up a rack mounted compressor which I intend to use to tame my tracking of vocals and guitar. My assessment on that is .....given that the squeaks are not necessarily a wide volume bump, I don't expect the compressor to be much help and in fact might make it worse...........more to come on that.


You're experience / recommendations?
 

JestMe

Student Of The Blues
The coated strings [ELixir come to mind] are less squeaky.... and they last a long time. Perhaps that could be helpful.
 

blackcoffeeblues

Student Of The Blues
OK my 2 cents: Everybody squeaks a little---I have noticed it on tons of records----some clean some not so much---but to me the acoustic guitars squeak is the by far the most noticeable---to me I would have to say the 3rd and 4th strings are MY main culprits I have learned that when sliding to release the pressure and mute those 2 strings--you can also help make it not so noticeable by using the heel of your picking hand to help mute those strings, killing the sound at both ends of the guitar. The other thing I THINK??? I notice is the brighter the sound of your strings-no matter what brand you use the squeak is more noticeable (for instance) NEW STRING VS. OLDER STRINGS--another factor is the amount of treble on your amp by cutting back on the treble helps, and last but not least is "Technique". I am sure most of us do this already--but---instead of using full bar chords instead of barring the full chord with the 1st finger---I use my thumb on the 6th string instead of my finger. (up till I get past the 8th fret)---then I have to go to the full bar---frets are to narrow) but I very rarely play acoustic that high up on the neck anyway so nothing gained nothing lost. Sometimes a little squeak ain't bad on some songs it adds a little character..
OK now for you Capn--the only squeak on your albums that I have a noticed might have been a little out of control was your 1st cut on your 1st album "On the brink"....(dag gone it can't think of the name of it right now--- forgive me) but other than that your pretty darn clean. I think going with lighter strings helps me some---the lighter pressure I have to put on the strings allows me to lighten up and mute them.easier But that's just me. later
 

CaptainMoto

Blues Voyager
Some good points Dave, (@blackcoffeeblues)
I think you might have something there about new strings.
About using your thumb,.........

A little story, I've got a million of them,
When I was a kid some of my friends joined the Boy Scouts.
My parents thought it was a good thing for me to ( to keep me out of trouble).
Well, I didn't last long, I hated it.
I never did like structure or rules but, the real reason I hated it was......
To take the oath at every meeting you had to hold up your hand and cross your thumb to hold your pinky finger.
I just could not do it and I felt like i didn't belong, so I quit.

OK, back to guitar playing.
I just never cloud reach my thumb over the top....it just won't go there.
Consequently, I do barre chords and rarely try to use my thumb to mute anything.
I can get it to touch the bottom "E" but, that's about it.
 

CaptainMoto

Blues Voyager
The coated strings [ELixir come to mind] are less squeaky.... and they last a long time. Perhaps that could be helpful.
For quite a while I was an Elixir guy.
Now I'm trying different things and not bound to them, like I was.

Did you see @WimVD reply that he was using Elixirs?
Guess that's not the answer.
 
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blackcoffeeblues

Student Of The Blues
I also think string action and body size of the guitar might come into play---"Om" body style vs. Dreadnaught body style have completely different sounds. The OMs have a sharper tone than the "D" styles. The sharper the tone the sharper the squeak---as for string (action) the more pressure to push down is also reflected on the let up--and then press down and slide move---giving more space for the squeak.
I never did get callouses--still don't--- my finger tips gets tough (leathery) but not calloused. If I did get them I think I would move to lighter strings.
I read a article in Guitar Player Magazine years ago--The guy ask Eric Clapton how often he changed strings? Eric said "I change my
!st- 2nd-3rd and 4th after 3 or 4 shows---I don't change the 5th and 6th until they won't stay in tune anymore--he added--"I don't want
them ringing out---I want them to be a little dead". Later
 

Elwood

Blues
I also think string action and body size of the guitar might come into play
Good thought but not to my experience. My acoustics all do it. Dred down to mini, 4 sizes, different gauge strings and setup.. Don't bother thinking nickel won't sing like phosphor bronze either. You have heard 'em all squeak. I'm going to watch humidity to see if there is any correlation.
Lifting to slide every time is going to result in some real "airy" sounding slides. Beyond me, you guys will figure out something good. (I'm just as happy we have eliminated Elixers as a possible fix)

The little bit of fishing for the squeak with a notch filter I did made me think it is more like a chord or a burst of frequencies in nature than a single note or frequency. I have not been able to find a 1.2Khz or any specific area where it lives. I do notice the squeaks come along with a nice tone though.

I start to think it's like pain, maybe I need to worry if they stop squeaking?:eek:
 
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blackcoffeeblues

Student Of The Blues
I think the overall message is- everybody is gonna get squeaks---but it is nice to keep them to the bare minimum as possible.
 

CaptainMoto

Blues Voyager
Would this be a bad time to chirp in and say that I actually don't mind, or possibly even like string squeak?:whistle: It let's you know that there is some human involvement in the creation of the music, instead of computers. Sort of proof that it is 'unplugged'.:D
Well now! :eek:
I'm in that camp, to a degree.o_O

I don't mind, and actually like, a little human sound until it detracts from the enjoyment of the music.
There's a line there somewhere that I have often crossed and completely ruined a decent song.

I think it may have something to do with the human hearing sensitivity at certain frequencies.
As recall, we have a tendency to perceive certain sounds as louder then others.
I believe it's a range of higher frequencies that we are more sensitive to consequently, when we hear something in that range it jumps out more and can be annoying.

This is why nobody ever complains about bass players:LOL:.
 

CaptainMoto

Blues Voyager
Hearing loss:rolleyes:
That's an entirely different subject.

Having all this fancy gear at my finger tips gave me a sad peek at just how bad my hearing is.:(
 

WimVD

Every day I have the blues
I have started to pay much more attention to moving my fingers off the fretboard and trying not to let them touch when schifting between chords. This gets me a long way already trying to avoid string squeaks.

Today, I also bought an old fashioned pumice stone to reduce the callouses on my fingertips. I know this does not sound very rock and roll, but I noticed after the pumice stone treatment a further reduction of unwanted squeaks when playing.

Wim.
 

sdbrit68

Student Of The Blues
The song by Donnie Iris "Ah Leah" comes to mind, you can really hear it in there

I use a spray I let siot for 5 minutes when I want to record something or playing with others, called fret something or other, seems to work well
 
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