How Does One Eliminate Ice-picking?

[jestremera]

Whenever I pick an individual note, I get a shrill ice-pick sound. It's very high-pitched. Is there anything I can do to completely eliminate this via EQ? It's not something I've ever had to deal with on this level.

My setup for better perspective:

Guitar: 2016 Gibson Les Paul Custom w/Dirty Fingers in the bridge
Amp: 50-watt EVH 5150 III combo (Treble - 2 o'clock; Mids - 12 o'clock; Bass - 2 o'clock; Presence 1 o'clock; Gain - 3 o'clock-ish)
Pedal(s): Ibanez Tube Screamer
Strings: Ernie Ball Regular Slinky (.010)
Picks: Red Bear Guthrie Govan or Big Jazzer (Extra Heavy - 2.0mm)


Thanks in advance

 

[Chris B.]

Beam Blockers.

http://www.tedweber.com/gadgets/beam-blockers

 

[LeftyF2003]

Whenever I pick an individual note, I get a shrill ice-pick sound. It's very high-pitched. Is there anything I can do to completely eliminate this via EQ? It's not something I've ever had to deal with on this level.

My setup for better perspective:

Guitar: 2016 Gibson Les Paul Custom w/Dirty Fingers in the bridge
Amp: 50-watt EVH 5150 III combo
Pedal(s): Ibanez Tube Screamer
Strings: Ernie Ball Regular Slinky (.010)
Picks: Red Bear Guthrie Govan or Big Jazzer (Extra Heavy - 2.0mm)

Thanks in advance

I just put a Weber Beam Blocker in my Deluxe Reverb and it helped immensely. Not only does it kill the beam it also increases the spread of the speaker so stage monitoring is improved. You just have to be sure to mic the cabinet off the edge of the cone as the center of the speaker is blocked. See:

http://www.tedweber.com/gadgets/beam-blockers

Best $25.00 I've ever spent!

(Ha ha, I see Chris B beat me to it!)

 

[Chris B.]

......because they work!

 

[jestremera]

That simple, huh? LOL

I had no idea. Thank you

 

[garybaldy]

This is a new one on me.
Is it a common problem?
I don't believe I've encountered it in 50yrs of playing.

 

[jestremera]

This is a new one on me.
Is it a common problem?
I don't believe I've encountered it in 50yrs of playing.

It wasn't really prevalent on other amps I had. My EVH does it quite a lot.

 

[Pushead]

Can you record this sound you're experiencing? With no offense meant toward anyone, a beam blocker didn't even come to mind when reading "ice picking."

My initial thought was the way the pick was hitting the strings. I find I get a more pronounced pick sound (or an unpleasant top end sound) when I'm not addressing the string with the pick parallel to the string. If I'm playing in a position where the edge of the pick hits the string first, that's when I get a less pleasant and more clicky sound.

OP, how long have you been playing, and how long with this current setup?

 

[jestremera]

Can you record this sound you're experiencing? With no offense meant toward anyone, a beam blocker didn't even come to mind when reading "ice picking."

My initial thought was the way the pick was hitting the strings. I find I get a more pronounced pick sound (or an unpleasant top end sound) when I'm not addressing the string with the pick parallel to the string. If I'm playing in a position where the edge of the pick hits the string first, that's when I get a less pleasant and more clicky sound.

OP, how long have you been playing, and how long with this current setup?

No offense taken. I'm not able to record at this time. I've been playing over 30 years. My amp is new. I hold my pick at about a 30-degree angle to the strings with a downward/upward slant depending on the direction I'm going (ascending/descending). Red Bear puts a pretty good bevel on the edge of their picks so that there's more surface hitting the string than you would normally see when holding the pick the way I do. As stated, I've never had this happen to this degree.

 

[endial]

Can you record this sound you're experiencing? With no offense meant toward anyone, a beam blocker didn't even come to mind when reading "ice picking."

My initial thought was the way the pick was hitting the strings. I find I get a more pronounced pick sound (or an unpleasant top end sound) when I'm not addressing the string with the pick parallel to the string. If I'm playing in a position where the edge of the pick hits the string first, that's when I get a less pleasant and more clicky sound.

OP, how long have you been playing, and how long with this current setup?

I use my pick in a myriad of angles and attacks. Pinch harmonics, side-of-the-pick slush rhythm, you name it. And quite often I get that "cut-through-the-eyeball-to-get-to-the-ear" ice-pick note that kills babies. This might be a godsend for peeps like me. I get it a lot. Especially, I guess, because I like chime.

 

[SWeAT hOg]

I found that the DF pup can be a squealer.

 

[jestremera]

And quite often I get that "cut-through-the-eyeball-to-get-to-the-ear" ice-pick note that kills babies.

Haha!! Funny stuff! It's not so pleasing to the ear for many of us

 

[endial]

Chris B and Lefty-

Can you guys elaborate on any mic'ing troubles this may or may not cause?
One of the commenters on the video said this:
"Beam Blockers really do help with the dispersion. But there's a down side too. If you need to close-mic the speaker (for live sound reinforcement or whatever), the mic hears a horrible sound when a Beam Blocker is in front of the speaker. It doesn't matter if you aim the mic around the side of the Beam Blocker either. It just doesn't ever sound good to that close mic. Of course, it's not a problem if you have a way to send your signal through a direct injection (Palmer PDI or equivalent). But something to consider."

 

[brokentoeswalker]

Lower the height of your pickups.

 

[Nuts]

Try lowering presence and treble on the amp, and use your tone knobs on the guitar too...

 

[gball]

I found that the DF pup can be a squealer.

Yeah, a DF into a high-gain amp could be a culprit. Is it only using that pickup or do you get this with the neck pickup also?

You also mention that the amp is new, and maybe the speaker is not fully broken in yet. I have gotten some pretty harsh tones out of speakers that weren't fully broken in, that ended up nice and smooth-sounding later.

 

[TheX]

Tone pots, use 'em.

 

[Frogfur]

I'm with the X...Tone controls..0-10

 

[Bobby Mahogany]

Beam blockers?

Never heard of that.

Only blockers I've ever heard of:

[ame]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_Png-PC0ews[/ame]

 

[rockstar232007]

That is what is known as "pick-chirp".

No real way to eliminate it, as most picks are made from soft, and semi-porus materials.

Best thing I can recommend are pics made from cymbol-brass. They're soft, but smooth, and should cut down the chirp.