Click noise on high gain palm mutes

lair

lair

Inspired
Hello, all -

I am getting a weird clicking noice on high gain - most noticeable during palm mutes. In this clip you can hear it at the 2 sec mark (headphones & decent volume recommended). It's like 4 distinct "clicks" right at pick attack... it 's not every note and I can't find a pattern but it is pretty distracting since I'm bound to headphones, right now.

The clip is just a straight 5153 red with a TS 808 boost (tone only no gain) and no other tweaks at all. Any High Gain amp can produce but some are worse than others.
  • Fishman Fluence Pickups (new battery)
  • Hard picks - Hatfield white fangs
  • FW16 although it has done it since 15 which was my first FW, pretty new to the Axe World
  • No clipping that I can see anywhere (Input 1 at 6%) barely any red tickling
  • Noise gate on input block is "classic"

Any insight much appreciated!
 
I can barely hear it, but I’m listening on an iPad. What little I heard reminds me of the clicks and pops you get when your CPU is running low and is trying to keep up with everything.
 
The Fishman Pickups are presumably pretty hot, I'd check that you aren't causing clipping on those palm mutes. You can record the DI into your DAW to verify if the tops of those notes are getting chopped. I've found the "tickling the red" thing is really just "barely tickling with a feather" not "tickling with a finger" hahaha.

If the notes are chopping in the recording: Under setup > Input Levels > A/D Input Levels > turn down Input 1 / Instrument. For reference I use Seymour Duncan JBs and have it set to 30%. At the default 50% it clips.
 
Thanks for the responses!

@RevDrucifer - I can barely hear it on my phone or laptop speakers so headphones are key if you're not using currently. It's subtle in the recording but much more present when I am playing through headphones. I am using a global eq applied to flatten the headphones which has a pretty good treble boost, so maybe that amp with that global eq is exaggerating the sound? It almost sounds like it's an extreme pick "chirp" but has a harder click which led me to thinking about CPU or some digital clip - but it's literally in>drive>amp>cab>out and floats between 25-28% CPU.

@sixtystring they are some hot pickups - I've got that Input 1 at a lowly 6% and it will still hit the red every now and then!
 
lair said:
Hello, all -

I am getting a weird clicking noice on high gain - most noticeable during palm mutes. In this clip you can hear it at the 2 sec mark (headphones & decent volume recommended). It's like 4 distinct "clicks" right at pick attack... it 's not every note and I can't find a pattern but it is pretty distracting since I'm bound to headphones, right now.

The clip is just a straight 5153 red with a TS 808 boost (tone only no gain) and no other tweaks at all. Any High Gain amp can produce but some are worse than others.
  • Fishman Fluence Pickups (new battery)
  • Hard picks - Hatfield white fangs
  • FW16 although it has done it since 15 which was my first FW, pretty new to the Axe World
  • No clipping that I can see anywhere (Input 1 at 6%) barely any red tickling
  • Noise gate on input block is "classic"

Any insight much appreciated!
Click to expand...
Lower your pickups maybe?
 
FractalAudio said:
This usually indicates you are clipping somewhere. Probably in your audio interface.
Click to expand...
That’s what I was thinking/hoping but the noise happens even with no USB - the Axe is my only interface. I hear the noise with just guitar>axe>headphones.
 
slayerfan said:
From what I've read, Fishman bridge humbuckers do not need to be super close to the strings like, say, EMGs.
Click to expand...
They absolutely do not need to be on the strings and benefit dynamically from 1/16" space or lower when strings are depressed at the last fret.
I use the Townsend set and closer than 1/16" they will overload anything they're plugged into.
Neck pickup should be lower since there's more energy from the strings.
 
lair said:
They are pretty low... and dusty. The low string is easily 3/16" away at the bridge with no palm.

And they are the Devin Townsend Model...
View attachment 82641
Click to expand...
Fret at the last fret and measure with a ruler but they look okay.
Make a preset with in to out only, careful with the output knob, listen for the farty clicky sounds. If present, adjust Axe input gain.
If not, adjust audio interface input gain.
FWIW, my JP15 pickups are higher output than the fluence DTs and had the same issues; height, Axe input gain, audio interface input gain.
 
johnnypig said:
Fret at the last fret and measure with a ruler but they look okay.
Make a preset with in to out only, careful with the output knob, listen for the farty clicky sounds. If present, adjust Axe input gain.
If not, adjust audio interface input gain.
FWIW, my JP15 pickups are higher output than the fluence DTs and had the same issues; height, Axe input gain, audio interface input gain.
Click to expand...
@johnnypig Good info! I'll walk through those steps...

For clarification, when you reference Axe Input Gain, above - do you mean Input 1/instrument level or actually the input 1 Gain setting - or maybe both? My only interface is the Axe so all settings would take place there, for me. USB goes directly to my Mac.

The instrument 1 input is already set super low at 6%.
Screen Shot 2021-04-30 at 4.04.15 PM.png
 
Axe input gain and input gain on your audio interface so it isn't clipping, if you're using one.
You can make an In block to Out block only preset, or In Block > Cab block > Out block, either works. The goal is to hear your pickups. Just be careful of the Axe output volume, since it will be loud.
I run my DTs at 50% Axe input so I guess yours are too high.
 
If the red LED is not being tickled and your output meters on the Axe-Fx aren't into the red then the issue might be with your guitar. I don't know much about those pickups but the buffer circuit might be clipping.

The Axe-Fx III can handle over 10V p-p at the instrument input. Those pickups only use a 9V battery so unless they're using a charge pump or other boost regulator then the maximum voltage at the buffer is about 8V p-p or less. If you are using heavy strings, heavy pick and the strings are close to the pickup then the buffer might be clipping. The solution is to move the pickups away from the strings.
 
Just measured with the string fretted at the last fret. It’s right at 1/8”. I can imagine it easily getting within 1/16” with chug mode engaged. I’ll lower them to just below to mounts and see what happens.
 
lair said:
Just measured with the string fretted at the last fret. It’s right at 1/8”. I can imagine it easily getting within 1/16” with chug mode engaged. I’ll lower them to just below to mounts and see what happens.
Click to expand...
That should be low enough already without needing to bother with input level on the Axe. This is a strange one.
I play .056 - .010 with heavy picks, bridge at 1/16" below both E's fretted at the last fret.
A preset with In block to Out block, output on the Axe adjusted low, should enable you to hear anything funky in your pickups.
 
Hmm, I've got the same pickups and don't have this issue. I can hear it now on my studio speakers. That's definitely an odd one. My pickups might even be a little higher than yours. My input is set to 31.2%.
 
Here’s a DI sample. In>Out blocks only. I don’t hear anything weird other than some fret buzz and pre-warm up sloppiness… keep in mind input 1 is at 6%.

I’ll post another high gain clip to hopefully illustrate the click more clearly. It actually is there in some strumming, too. Mostly aggressive power cord stuff so it gets buried a little more.

At one point, I considered static electricity or some kind of interference. I just don’t hear any hum or buzz and clean is clean.
 
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