YogiTom
Well-known member
Had an interesting learning moment last night when practicing, and wanted to share since it seems relevant.
Try fingerpicking directly over the sound hole for quieter picking, and somewhere around/over the heel joint for louder, more sustained picking, with intensity of picking remaining constant.
I suspect what is happening to cause this is the string plucked closer to the bridge has a bigger difference in the vibrations between the half of the string between plucked finger and nut vs plucked finger and saddle. In other words, I think the initial oscillations of the parts of the string being plucked are significantly out of phase, and thus create a more muted tone as the string works to balance the different vibrations.
Whereas plucking closer to the middle of each string from nut to saddle likely gives the string a more in-phase wave pattern between the two halves.
I’m equally sure I could just be blowing smoke, but I couldn’t come up with another explanation.
All this to say, try fingerpicking directly over the sound hole and see if it isn’t quieter than plucking more above the fretboard.
Try fingerpicking directly over the sound hole for quieter picking, and somewhere around/over the heel joint for louder, more sustained picking, with intensity of picking remaining constant.
I suspect what is happening to cause this is the string plucked closer to the bridge has a bigger difference in the vibrations between the half of the string between plucked finger and nut vs plucked finger and saddle. In other words, I think the initial oscillations of the parts of the string being plucked are significantly out of phase, and thus create a more muted tone as the string works to balance the different vibrations.
Whereas plucking closer to the middle of each string from nut to saddle likely gives the string a more in-phase wave pattern between the two halves.
I’m equally sure I could just be blowing smoke, but I couldn’t come up with another explanation.
All this to say, try fingerpicking directly over the sound hole and see if it isn’t quieter than plucking more above the fretboard.