Playing the guitar is very interesting but can be disgusting when it is noisy. Therefore, during practice sessions, most people will want to do it silently. However, some find it difficult because they do not know how to play the guitar quietly.
The guitar has been popular since the 1800s, and today it remains one of the most well-known instruments. But there are so many different types of guitars, each with their own sound.
Each guitar type has a design that makes it playable and reliable. Having an option to play your guitar silently despite the model you are using is the best. So you can play the guitar at night or very early in the morning without getting any complaints from your neighbors.
Playing the guitar without making any noise is something you can incorporate. Before we get to the details about quieting the guitar, there are some things we need to learn about. We will explore the various types of guitars and how to play each guitar quietly.
Acoustic/classical guitar
Classical guitars are loud models that have hollow bodies. They are straightforward to operate, and managing to play the guitar quietly is quite simple. Making some temporary modifications is the best and simplest thing you can ever do.
If you learn how to play the guitar quietly, it will also be easy to record the acoustic guitar or classical guitars. That way, the music you prepare can be analyzed or even used for other functions.
Some of the methods that will help you have easy sessions with classical and acoustic guitars are as follows.
Palm-muting technique
The palm muting technique involves using the palm to mute the guitar. You will press the guitar strings with the pal so that they produce a lower sound. By doing so, you will have the guitar producing a shallow sound that may not get over some distance.
When using the palm muting method, you will have the palm sitting on the strings and playing the guitar. As a result, you will feel softer sounds as you make the notes. The strums will also be shorter hence making them easy to identify.
Do modifications to the soundhole
Making a few temporary alterations to some parts of the guitar will lower the guitar’s sound. For example, you can choose to cover or fill the soundhole, which helps sound projection, making a lower sound.
There is an option to use rugs or pillows to cover the soundhole. The idea behind the covering is to ensure that the sound dampens hence maintaining the quality. Choosing an absorbent material is the best choice because it will manage the loudness without allowing it to penetrate through it.
Feedback buster
The feedback buster is another thing that will help you to lower the volume of the guitar by managing the electro-acoustic guitars.
It sits on the soundhole hence managing the loudness of the sound. It generally does that. It will remove the sound from the soundhole to keep it away from getting amplification.
Attaching and detaching the busters from the guitar is an effortless task that you will conveniently do. In addition, you have the option of when to use it.
Use headphones
When you have a guitar that has the pickup, you can choose to use the headphones. The work of the headphones is to catch up with the sound so that you only hear it in your ears. Headphones will make you have fun without interfering with anyone’s peace. Consider buying guitar models that have pickups when getting your next model.
Get lighter strings
Lighter strings sound better and can reduce the sound intensity of the guitar. Most people will prefer the light strings because they are easy to pluck, and the sound is adequate, especially for practice sessions.
The thinner strings come in various sizes and gauges. An extra light one is 010, a custom one is 011, and the light guitar string gauge is 012. You have an option to change the strings yourself or let the technicians do their job at a fee.
Make the strings dull
Dullening the vibrations of the guitar strings is quite effective. For example, when plucking, you can place your fingers beneath the strings so that the vibration retains a slight vibration.
Placing an object between the strings and the bridge will lower the level of vibrations. The space is perfect because all the vibrations manage through the model.
Get the fingers over the picks
Getting the fingers to the picks makes the pluck firmer hence maintaining the sound quality and loudness. Unfortunately, what happens is that the sound dampens. After getting back to your regular playing environment, you can improve the sound once more so that you continue with the enjoyment.
Sound alterations
Sound alterations are effective. You have to work on the soundhole if you have to make any alterations. When the sound is more significant, it gets to the whole room instead of when you limit its loudness. Anytime you make sound adjustments, you get an increment or a severe reduction.
Work on room acoustics
The room you are using matters a lot when playing the guitar. Like in studios, you need to ensure that you come up with acoustics that will lower the sound that gets beyond the wall.
If you have an intention to play the guitar at night on the highest volume, you have to work on the house aesthetics. A reverb latter and a cushion will limit the amount of sound that goes through the wall. Soundproofing is effective as it allows you to have full enjoyment of your sessions.
Another option is to use your soundproof material that will involve wool and wood. Duvet-like material will also make the sound not go beyond the limits that you want to observe.
Electric guitars
Electric guitars are models that work with the assistance of amplifiers. They are not models that do not match with the word quiet. Most people love the electric guitars for live presentations hence known for their sound.
Practice sessions will need a lot of silence to work as you expect. Turning the guitar off is not a solution as you will need to have a way to play it quieter. Below are ways that will help you to manage the sound that the guitar will produce.
Remove the amp
The best way to play an electric guitar is using an amp as it can play for some distance. Using an amp makes everything even lighter to set up. The chances of going wrong are limited as the connection process is straightforward.
When you remove the amp, you will get the notes and the sound with more clarity. Any effects on the sound signature will create a clear distinction making it easy to work on your instrument. The same feel gets retained after you plug the amp back.
Use the mini-amps
Mini amps are also very effective if you want to maintain the sound impact. These are amps that are smaller than the models that you always use. You can comfortably use them, especially if you are all alone.
Plugging the guitar on the power source and attaching the mini amp is a process that takes a short time. The volume of the mini-amps does not get higher to the extent that they disturb other people. You can feel it in more than one room, although you are still in control of what happens.
You don’t need to worry about the effects because you can still inject them. An option to use the pedals will help you to enjoy the various effects. The sound quality will remain as it is and will maintain more clarity.
Use headphones
Headphones are suitable devices for playing the electric guitar. Most of the guitars that have an amp also have a headphone slot. You will listen to the music through the earphones.
Playing the music will remain normal because the effects will remain present as you play the guitar. People around you will not have hard times if you have sound input. You will easily connect the headphone to the guitar and continue enjoying the sound output.
Plug the guitar into a laptop
Connecting the guitar to a laptop is something most guitarists will easily do. When you connect the guitar to the laptop, you will have the sound and other visuals projecting through it. As a result, the sound will be lower, and you can install software that will make sound management convenient.
An audio interface allows for simple plugging, while some options such as the USB options make it simple to plug the drivers for simplicity in use. Apart from listening to the sound, some software allows you to work with your fingers. Some, such as the Guitar Rig, offer you an option to access various tasks and effects.
An exciting thing about plugging the guitar into the laptop is that you can do the recording. You will have a chance to work on the cords that need some improvement to work better. Tracking errors becomes simple and you can listen to what you play to make it perfect once more.
Laptops that have mac and windows software will generally do a good job. Some options in terms of software acquisition are affordable, while others come at a pricier end. You still have to get one that is pocket-friendly and will serve you better.
Use a silencer
A silencer works for both electric and acoustic guitars. You can buy one because they come at a friendly price or choose to use one you make for yourself. Foam or rolled towels can easily make a silencer.
Silencers ensure that the strings are undercover so that they do not have a loud sound. As a result, the vibration is limited, and the sound production gets a better quality but with a shallow sound. Sound elimination is possible when you use this method.
Use the silent places
You can conveniently play the guitar in a silent place. However, a quiet place will make it very difficult to play the guitar on the loudest volume. So, by all means, you have to lower the volume to hear it without filling the room.
A quiet place that you stay all alone is excellent as it will allow you to make heavy strums and get precisely what you need. However, some people will prefer to play the guitar in an open place or a closed room. Therefore, a rehearsal room or open place makes the ideal resolution.
Determinants of a loud guitar
We have tackled the solutions without tackling the real problem. It is essential to learn about the features that make the guitar loud hence the need to silent them up. Most of the features concern the acoustic guitars, as the electric ones are usually silent until you use an amplifier. Below are the elements that make the guitar have specific sound quality.
Body size
The body is responsible for the sound production and the quality you get. Small bodies have a slight sound as opposed to large ones. This is because sound production directly connects with the air that comes in through the soundhole.
The resonance and sound hardness becomes better when the material the guitar uses is of good quality. You will note that factors will help make the loudness higher and the quality enhanced, such as the choice of wood and the soundhole size.
Material choice
The wood and the type of construction are great influencers to the quality of sound you get. Walnut, ebony, mahogany, spruce, and maple are some types of wood that make up the guitar. Every thickness has an impact on the quality of sound you are likely to get.
The resonation is better when you have high-quality wood and the best thickness. As a result, some woods will have a better sound quality and a richer and brighter sound. You will also notice that the top facilitates the movement of vibrations.
If the wood is denser, the vibrations will have limits. The sustain is better, and note identification is more straightforward. You have to closely look at managing the body itself if you want to play in the silent mode.
The heaviness of the strings
The strings gauge is another important determinant of the kind of sound you will get from your guitar. The heavier strings produce a heavier sound and loud vibrations. When the tension is higher, the volume also gets higher.
The material that makes up the string is also a significant determinant of the kind of sound you will get. For example, steel and silk strings are lighter hence have a quieter sound. On the other hand, brass, bronze, and mellow strings have a metallic sound that is very loud when in a conducive environment.
If you want to play quieter, the lighter strings make the best choices because they will maintain quality and low sound. On the other hand, heavier strings are not the best because of the loudness and the intensity of the sound you will get.
The height of the action
The height is also known as the action that you put on the strings to produce sound. You will notice that the frets and the fretboard have a distance they consider safe for convenient playing.
The longer the action or the strings of the guitar, the louder the sound. When the space between the strings and their length is small, the sound it produces is lower. You will have more space for the strings to vibrate on the fretboard hence maintaining the loudest volume.
Guitars with more action will have a massive sound as opposed to those with a lower one. This is because if the vibration does not have a limit, the sound gets louder than when it is limited.
Technique and touch
The playing technique and style matter a lot in managing the volume. A significant force may have the greatest impact hence making the sound bigger. For example, when you have to play the guitar in silent mode, you have to touch the guitar.
The more force you use to pluck the guitar, the higher the sound. If you maintain a lower force, then the sound shall also be lower. A gentle touch delivers a gentle sound that is not loud.
The difference between the playing sounds and the amount of force you apply is an excellent determinant of the loudness. Sound also becomes unique when the touch and technique methods are in place.
Quality of the instrument
The instrument quality matters a lot in managing the sound quality. Good quality will make the sound better and louder. Making the tones lower is something that you can conveniently do if the quality of the instrument is good.
The quality of the guitar cuts across the strings, the wood it uses, and even the quality of the accessories. Poor quality will lead to bad performance.
Silent guitar
This is a thought that must have crossed your mind severally. Silent guitars are models that retain the silence while you play the guitar. People who buy travel guitars opt for silent models because they maintain a comfortable and straightforward play.
Silent guitars are good models for your practice sessions as they maintain the best sound quality and are not loud. You will have an opportunity to mark all the notes without any form of inconvenience. Silent guitars need you to put on the headphones to hear the sounds you play.
A silent guitar does not need a quiet place because it uses the headphone. Therefore, you have an option to play it anywhere so long as you have the equipment that it needs to have a compelling play.
The major challenge with the guitar is that it is costly to acquire. Therefore, its price may not be the best if you are looking for a home-use model.
Where to play your guitar
It’s important to have a space that is private and where you can focus on your playing. If you don’t have an area where you can comfortably practice, try finding one in your house or garage!
If you don’t have a place to practice, consider looking for opportunities in public parks and beaches. These places are often free of distractions and provide a more relaxing environment for practicing.
Check with the library to see if they offer lessons or programs in their community room. Libraries often provide acoustic spaces where musicians can practice without having to worry about noise complaints from neighbors or other people nearby.
Do I need a separate place to play?
It’s always good to have some space to practice, but it doesn’t need to be a dedicated room. An unused bedroom or hallway are both good options. If you don’t have any extra rooms, then the kitchen might be a great option!
If you do want your own place for playing, here are some tips:
Make sure it’s somewhere away from your main living area and that it has ample space for practicing. This ensures that you won’t bother people who live with you while they’re trying to watch TV or cook dinner.
Be sure to secure the door when you’re practicing so you can avoid disturbing anyone in the house.
Consider adding a soundproofing solution for when no one is home. It will help ensure that your guitar playing doesn’t disturb anyone else in the house!
Where not to play your guitar
When you’re playing your guitar, you want to make sure that the sound is going to be heard and it won’t bother anyone else in the area. If there’s a TV or radio on in the same room, try to play your guitar elsewhere. This will avoid any potential feedback sounds and ensure that no one is disturbed by your music.
If you’re playing at home with friends, try not to take up too much space. It’s good etiquette to give people their own space when they’re around, even if you’re just hanging out and playing music!
Play in areas where people can easily hear what you’re doing. Make sure there are no windows nearby that may let someone hear your music from outside of the area. If this is unavoidable, place some furniture or other objects near the window so noise doesn’t carry too far into other rooms.
Conclusion
To play the guitar quietly is very simple. Your work before getting to playing the guitar is to identify the place you want to play. After identifying the place, you will have to choose the method that will conveniently work for you.
All our methods are very effective depending on what you want to achieve. Some are slightly costly, while others are pocket-friendly. You only need one that will meet your specific needs.
FAQs
If your family members are living with you, this may be easier than if you live alone. Try to plan your guitar playing for times where they’re not around or when they’re asleep. If you’re looking for a good way to practice without waking them up, try practicing at night after they’ve gone to bed!
It’s always good etiquette to ask guests if it’s alright if you practice before they arrive. We all know how frustrating it can be when we walk into someone’s house and hear the sound of their TV or music blaring out. Make sure your guest knows that this is normal procedure before they even come over!
It’s always good to have some space to practice, but it doesn’t need to be a dedicated room. An unused bedroom or hallway are both good options. If you don’t have any extra rooms, then the kitchen might be a great option. Try to avoid the living area or where other people are using so as not to disturb.
If you still want to practice in your bedroom or living room, there are ways to minimize the noise. One way is to use a headphone splitter so you can listen to music at low volume while also playing your guitar and being able to hear yourself. Another option is placing acoustic foam on the floor of your room. This will absorb some sound and give you a quieter area.
Lastly, if it’s just too loud for comfort, try using noise-canceling headphones or earplugs. You can even buy headphones that have their own microphones built in–this would be a perfect solution for playing quietly without having to put up with any background noise!
