Tones ring into another?

Gruzzlebeard

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Hi guys! I hope you can help me out again with 2 problems i got:

A question that bothers me for a while is: Is there any way to prevent that 2 following tones ring into antoher?

I dont know if thats even possible but tabs I play, have often this bow, that I interpret as a demand to let the notes ring into each other.
Thats not a big deal- I do that all the time. But what should I do when thats not the case??

And a second, maybe even stupider question: Is it normal that the fingers on the left hand make sounds while picking? Often when my finger leave a string it sticks to it and it produces a soft tone. On some frets/strings happens that all the time and it can get there pretty loud. Sometimes it sounds like a equivalent played tone.

Its hard to describe, hope I expressed myself understandable.

Thank you in advance =)

Gruzzlebeard
 
I'm not following the first question, but for the second... that still happens to me too but it just takes practice. Try releasing your finger without gripping the string and tugging it. Sometimes this is a desired technique (a pull-off) but it sounds like you're trying to stop it. Just practice slowly and see if you can adjust your playing to get the desired sounds. Like super slowly.
 
Is it normal that the fingers on the left hand make sounds while picking? Often when my finger leave a string it sticks to it and it produces a soft tone. On some frets/strings happens that all the time and it can get there pretty loud. Sometimes it sounds like a equivalent played tone.
Pressing down hard on the strings with your fretting fingers might be part of the problem. Use the smallest amount of pressure necessary to produce a clear note. Also, wipe down the strings with a soft cloth after you play to remove any residue that can lead to stickiness.
 
Notes ringing on (sustain) is usually not a problem on ukuleles like it is on guitars - once you learn to control the ringing you'll be glad you have a uke with decent sustain!

Now, as to damping technique there is no one remedy. You need to learn to use all parts of both hands as you are playing. In most cases if you have plucked a fretted string for a note and then are going to move that finger for the next note it's not an issue as the damping happens naturally. But, when that is not the case remember that you have three remaining fingers on your fretting hand and five plus the fleshy parts of your palm on the picking hand that are available to simply touch the string and damp the note. You have to think about it at first but eventually it becomes automatic and you don't even think about it anymore.

As for notes ringing out when you lift your fingers off the strings - I would say you are doing at least one of two things. First, you may simply be pressing too hard, you should use just enough pressure behind the fret to make the note sound clearly. Second, you may be pushing sideways against the string. This will not only give you unintentional pull-offs it will also bend your notes out of tune. Finally, smoothness with the left hand is always a good thing (unless you are doing an intentional hammer-on or pull-off). So, don't yank your finger away from the fret board, just lift it up smoothly and only far enough to clear the strings so it can move to the next position. There is no need to lift your fingers high above the fret board and doing so will slow you down and make your playing choppy.

John
 
Good advice John....being a rank novice I still lift my fingers off the strings too high....but at least they stay on my hands!
 
Sorry for answering that late.
Thank you all for the advices!! Thats exactly what i meant. Now, I can start improving my technique and stop being worried about what I make wrong.

Gruzzlebeard
 
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