Squeeky Strings

[cdikland]

I use D'Adadario Pro Arte lighly polished string because I can't stand the squeek of others I have tried. However, I assume that the polishing must remove some of the tone characteristics otherwise why would others, in particular those expensive ones, not polish theirs and add a couple buck more to the price? It would be worth it to me anyway.
Am I right? If not, what are some of the better quality strings that won't squeek when you silde your finger up/down the string?

[edwardcav]

The squeak of strings under heavy hands, beit left or right, is a technical non-issue for a lot of great guitarists out there.

Try as hard as you can to get around the squeaks with as much economy of movement as possible, and try it with normal unpolished strings.

It will take time, but once you are ready go back to the polished strings.

Perhaps then you will have a different opinion

[cdikland]

Edwardcav:

So what I think you are saying is that when my strings squeak I have too much tension in my left hand. With unpolished strings I should be able to slide my left finger(s) without squeaking ? That makes a lot of sense. Since started to play again last summer I have been using so much force my wrist and forearm would get very sore. That is now finally getting better but I still squeak. :( Maybe still too much tension?????

Gonna go and try it right now. Thanks for the tip.

[portlandgreg2]

Also notice how your left fingers leave a string. Pulling your finger laterally from a string can often create string squeak. Try raising your finger more perpendicular to the string before it moves to a new position. It will become more second nature with practice. Try something simple like the very beginning of Barrios' Prelude in C minor where the bass goes from C to B on the 5th string in measures 2-3.

I was at a masterclass last year and the instructor made it very clear that squeaking was not music but instead an artifact that for the most part should be avoided, though I would argue there are times when a little squeaking can add tension. I sort of like a little string squeak at the very beginning of Villa-Lobos' Prelude No. 1 during the five fret slide from B to E.

Hope this helps a little.

[edwardcav]

What hand are you getting squeak from?

I assume your left?

I would probably not dare to begin talking about efficiency and a natural guitar technique, but I am sure there are people and books out there that can.

I think GSI sells a few books like this?

adrian? tim?

[cdikland]

One of my guitars is equipped with unpolished Pro-arte Medium tension strings. I placed/laid my 2nd finger on the 6th fret/4th string. Without pressing the string down I slid my finger down to the 2nd fret.
SQUEEEEEAKK.......
A long time ago I had read some guitarist used to rub their finger tips in their hair to 'oil' the fingertips. :shock: Eeewww... I never let mine get that oily :)


So... Back to my original question:
Any good quality polished strings out there???

[edwardcav]

Is the slide necessary? IE: does it say in the music to slide your finger?

If not there is no reason to.

I attended a lecture with Carlos Bonell and this was a topic he discussed. If the slide is not necessary, give the note as much value as possible (as needed) then lift your finger off the string before moving it to the next note. This eliminates squeaks. To become good at this, it requires practice of course.

You will always get squeaks on new, crisp bass strings - especially the D string. So if the music was written for guitar, and it asks you to slide around the bass notes, the squeak is probably an intended effect from the composer.

You can't get around this!

But I have also been told that polished strings make for less sqeuak and noise for recording. Let me know how you go. For the moment, I can't look past my hannanbach (728??) bass strings!! 8)

[JerryO]

There is a product available called "Finger Ease" which is a guitar string lubricant very popular with steel acoustic players. It is a vegetable based spray lubricant and will not damage the finish. I use to use it alot when I played steel. It reduces finger soreness, string squeek, and prolongs the life of the strings (at least it did with steel). I use it occationally on my classicals now and it does reduce squeek. Doesn't seem to affect tonal quality either.

[Yuk]

A good exercise to reduce squeaks is to do a one octave chromatic scale on the 6th string. In shifts, lift the fingers directly *up* so as to not make any noise, shift the hand using the whole arm to the new position and put the finger back down on the string in the new position. Do it slowly at first, making as small a gap as possible in shifts without making string noise.

One tip is to wash/bath your hands in hot water before you play. This makes the skin softer and thus reduces friction. Make sure you dry your hands well before playing though.

[cdikland]

My original question was related to polished versus none polished strings. I use(d) D'adarrio LP string. Reading an interview with John Williams it looks like I am not alone :D

<Excerpt>

AP-L: John, to begin with a prosaic, nonetheless very interesting question for a lot of guitarists, what strings do you currently use on your Smallman?

JW: At the moment, I'm using D'Addario trebles and basses, although the top string is a little heavier than the standard top string they make - I got them to thicken it up a bit. The biggest problem I find is getting the basses right; I often find that with Augustine Reds, for example, the 5th string is a little bit thin, whereas the D'Addario has more body without the brittleness that comes from going up to a higher tension string. Another problem is squeaks - no matter how you rationalize it, they're always there although they can be minimized by both the player and the string manufacturer. I like D'Addario's polished and semi-polished strings, although I haven't tried the ones put out by LaBella. The polished string is a flat wound string, but the secret is in the winding and there seems to be a number of new approaches around to this.

[Aaron McDonald]

I personally think you need to worry less about which strings you use and what you polish them with, and be more concerned with your technique. If you sit down for a few hours a day like segovia asks and practice your scales using proper technique you won't get squeek. When you practice those scales, instead of sliding your fingers everywhere you simply lift them up and play in the next position. It is a lot easier said than done, but it definately works. I find Segovia's Diatonic Major and Minor Scales book to be great for scales and alot of excercises in pumping nylon to be great also. And who doesn't love these emoticons? :P

[cdikland]

I personally think you need to worry less about which strings you use and what you polish them with,
Speaking of emoticons :shock: :shock: :shock: ??? What I polish them with?? I never thought of that. I am off to MacDonalds to get a bucket of Seal oil to polish my strings... :wink: :D


Sheeshs I am feeling evil today. :twisted: :evil: