The Sock Trick for Guitar Ninjas

[SunkLo]

Quick tip you might not be aware of if you're tracking guitar.

Tie a fuzzy wool sock around the nut of your guitar and slide it up to whatever lowest position you'll be playing in for the the cut you're about to record. Minimizes string ringing and noise, especially when doing solos with vibrato and bends. Sometimes your finger will knick an adjacent string that isn't being muted because your fretting hand is floating in Clapton "shake it like she left you" mode. The sock keeps the open strings from ringing accidentally and makes it easier to get a clean quick take.

A hair scrunchie also works if you've got a female or homosexual around the studio.

[Crimsonghost]

Yeah, that's an old recording trick for doing sweeps. Good looking though.

[Crimsonghost]

Protest the hero also does the scrunchie trick live. Kinda interesting to see.

[SunkLo]

Yeah I saw them live way back in the day actually. I remember seeing them do it. Pretty sure I learned it from Petrucci or someone.

It'd probably also be good for recording acoustic to minimize the vibrations on the nut side of your chords which might be inharmonic.

[Crimsonghost]

Think i learned it from one of Petrucci's practice vids also. Rock Discipline? Awesome workout if you stick to it.

But yeah, it is really good for dampening on acoustic also, especially if youre playing finger style.

[SunkLo]

I stopped playing guitar regularly several years ago. I still pick it up to record bits into productions or jam with friends on the odd occasion. Been meaning to get back into it and get even better than I was prior to quitting.

I've gone the piano route instead I guess. Hanon was the old school Petrucci.

[Crimsonghost]

Im kinda in the same boat. I used to play 5-6 hours a day, and over the past few years im lucky if i play that much a month. Its hard to get back into it.

I really want to learn piano, just haven't gotten around to it yet i guess. I really need to get a keyboard though.

[SunkLo]

All about committing to doing it daily and getting a routine going. Hard to do though, I'm perpetually distracted. I've kinda slacked off the piano practice, although luckily after a week break, I retained the muscle memory of a lot of the two handed scale crossover points. So maybe my brain has been digesting information this whole time. Hopefully practice comes more naturally once I feel at home on the keyboard. I'll get practice from just jamming instead of what I'm doing now which is just playing scales and 5 finger exercises.

[outbound]

Very handy trick, I've used this several times while recording and always helps to get cleaner results on solo's

[SunkLo]

Another trick that seems to produce similar results is sobriety

Used both of these techniques today to re-record some guitar parts.

[Crimsonghost]

Im fuckin pro when im drunk. But being sober allways makes me sound shit. What up with that?!

[SunkLo]

Coupla drinks are probably beneficial. But being stoned to the gills kind of throws your timing off. But it's great for inspiration. Not that much effort to re-record things tighter, you don't wanna waste a bunch of time getting the perfect take in the beginning stages anyway.

[Artie_Fufkin]

ah yes I read about this before on the andy sneap forum. I usually forget or just don't use it because I like to record stuff quick and get on with it but I've tried it before and it works. big up!

I've even cheated and just recorded each note by itself and then cut up the notes and quantized them lol

[ehbes]

I prefer my socks on the door

[wolf89]

I prefer my socks on the door

That where you hang your wank socks up to dry then?

[SunkLo]

I knew there was a punchline in there somewhere and was trying to think of what it was, and then scrolled down and realized you already had it covered.

[ehbes]

I prefer my socks on the door

That where you hang your wank socks up to dry then?

Hit the name on the head m7 #lonelyproducerproblems

[mitchAUS]

This is brilliant. Definitely trying this next time I'm tracking guitar.