How do you up-down strum chords where you don't play the low E?

[Hahutzy]

Hey guys, I've been trying to play Jason Mraz's I'm Yours by following this tab, but I can't seem to play the F# and G#m correctly.

 

Basically, it's:

F#

e..A..D..G..B..E

x..9 11 11 11 x

 

But for every measure, it's:

1. F# (strumming downwards)

2. (up strum mute)

3. (down strum mute)

4. (up strum mute)

 

When I strum, I just sweep over all the strings, or else it's really hard to play with up-down strumming -- I hit the low E a lot even when I'm not supposed to.

 

One thing I tried was using my index, which is holding the A string, to also touch the low E string so that it's muted, and then I just go on with my sweeping strumming motion. It works, but not too well.

 

Is there a better way to do this type of strumming?

[Jasco]

You're on to the right idea. Mute the low E with your index, and/or your thumb.

As with most anything, it takes a while before it becomes consistant and easy.

[GuitarTutor]

Jasco's right. That's the way I do it anyway. Just keep practicing and you should gain some extra strength in your finger.

[Killress]

Either mute it, or just be precise with your picking and don't hit the E

[Alex_DeLarge]

I mute it with my thumb or the top of my index finger

[Hahutzy]

I tried using my thumb, but the grip turns out really awkward.

Maybe because my hands are small.

[nuclear arsenal]

let the index finger that frets the 9 touch, but not push down on, the low e string.

[Kuroyume]

Either mute it, or just be precise with your picking and don't hit the E

 

 

I agree. Muting here could be any of the methods already mentioned:

 

* finger mute

* thumb mute

* palm mute (on the pickhand)

[BlueHeaven]

For those types of chords I use my index finger to mute the low e string. I also have rather small hands. Just takes some practice in doing, but basically your simply going to have the tip of your index finger against the low e muting it.

But even when muting it, you should try to avoid hitting it when you strum. You just want to have the mute there in case you graze it so it doesn't ring out.

[Two-Buck Tim]

There's songs where I just pop the low E string out of the nut and let it lie aside the neck.

Sometimes I'll tuck a cylindrical foam earplug in there under the low E.

When you're playing that swingin' rhythm, the low E string is quite often something you're better without.

T

[benzem]

Either mute it, or just be precise with your picking and don't hit the E

sounds easy enough!

[flump]

If you wanna practice a bunch of muting with different fingers on strings, learn Warehouse by Dave Matthews Band...that song is a muting nightmare.

[fenderfunk14]

try out Can't Stop, seems like a muting nightmare, but not so bad.

but yeah, thumb or index finger for what you're talking about