Members SteveWoodward Posted November 18, 2008 Members Posted November 18, 2008 I thought I was doing okay with string bending muting etc. Then I cranked up the volume and gain just for fun...:poke: I believe I'm bending correctly, my intonation is generally right on. If I do a half step bend I seem okay, I use the tops of one or more fingers to mute the string above the one I'm bending. I also sometimes flatten out the index finger to aid in muting. But on whole step (or more) bends you're hitting two strings. For example, I'll bend the B note on the B string 12th fret. As I bend I hit the G string then the D string. As I release the D string rings out, but I can usually keep the G string pretty quiet. So it's the second string that I'm hitting that's the problem. It's not on the bend at all, the problem is solely on the release. I've done some reading, watched some youtube videos etc. It would seem that I need the right hand to do the muting in this case. I've tried using the heel of my right hand...I don't seem very accurate with that method, I wind up muting all strings, including the one I want to hear (this works well for me with a bend that I'm not going to let ring out upon release). Others have suggested using the meat of your thumb. That seems like a better choice, but it puts my hand in an awkward position. And like the first method it seems impossible to be that accurate. How in the world can you mute one string but not the one right next to it that during a release are awfully close together? I've been told to just keep trying different methods and at some point it'll just become second nature. In fact several players I've asked said they really don't know how they do it, it's just second nature to them. Just looking for any tips from anyone who has confronted and beat this problem. TIA.
Members Jasco Posted November 19, 2008 Members Posted November 19, 2008 You already know the solution. Mute with your right hand. Now you just have to apply a lot of persistent focused practice.
Members zakkemg Posted November 19, 2008 Members Posted November 19, 2008 I have the same problem and asked my teacher the same question awhile back. He actually uses his pick to mute the string above the bended one..As he is releasing the bend, his pick quickly jumps and mutes the other string..never woulda thought of that one... But mainly he says those little things HAVE to be figured out in order to sound clean...whatever works and practice, I guess..
Members SteveWoodward Posted November 19, 2008 Author Members Posted November 19, 2008 Thanks guys, I know it will take practice, it just feels very awkward right now. And no, I wouldn't have thought about using the pick either!
Members DaJazzMan Posted November 19, 2008 Members Posted November 19, 2008 If you bend with your third finger, you can mute with your first and second fingers that supported you when you did the bend.
Members SteveWoodward Posted November 20, 2008 Author Members Posted November 20, 2008 Thanks DaJazzMan, I'm actually experimenting right now...
Members wonkydog Posted November 21, 2008 Members Posted November 21, 2008 (sorry this is so long... I have OBSESSED over this and analyzed it for a long time. I hope it helps). It took me FOREVER to be able to properly mute with the pick-hand. Probably the single-most frustrating thing I've had to practice. A few years ago, I completely stopped playing guitar for a few months because I couldn't mute for {censored}. It's the most difficult technique I ever had to learn, and one of the most important. I personally would not recommend muting with the pick-hand thumb because it's limiting, IMO- it'll be difficult to mute and strum chords on the higher strings simultaneously, and, I've found that as you're alternate-picking on a string, your thumb will rub against the lower strings and make some noise. Not much noise, but it's there. That said, if you can make it work for you, then by all means do it. Relying on muting with your fret-hand thumb is also a bad idea since that can limit your fret-hand reach. Here's what I would try to do: Start by alternate-picking the open A string, while muting the low E with your pick-hand. I use the heel. It will probably take a lot of trial-and-error (could take weeks, months) to find the part of your hand that mutes the low E but doesn't mute the A, is comfortable, allows you to strum a 3-string chord or so, and allows you to play without tension. Try to loosely curl the other fingers of your pick-hand in. Kind of a loose fist. While you're alternate-picking the open A, use your fret-hand to pluck the low E. You should just hear a thud. If it rings out, you're not muting it properly. Next, using the same technique, alternate-pick the open D string, making sure the E and A are muted by your pick-hand heel. Do the plucking thing with your fret-hand. Basically, keep doing this until you're able to play the open high E string while muting the lower 5 strings with your pick-hand. Be able to move fluidly from adjacent string to adjacent string while keeping all lower strings muted at all times. After you get good at this (it took me months), start doing some string skipping, making sure you're muting at all times. You want to be able to jump to any string, and have your pick-hand mute the lower ones. Start doing bends, making sure you're muting. The bigger the bend, you may have to move your heel away from the bent string a little bit, or you might bend the string right into your heel, muting the bent note. Just work on it and it'll come with time. You'll be able to 'feel' where the string and your heel are. Obviously, don't neglect your fret-hand muting either. It's just as important. The way my system works, I can do monster bends on the high E, and I don't need to use my fret-hand to mute the lower strings at all- I use my pick-hand exclusively.* Personally, I think that's a good goal to aim for. Eg, it makes doing a bend-release-pull-off much easier if you don't need to mute lower strings with your index finger. Same with doing a unison bend. Or when bending/vibrato-ing with the index finger. *(I just want to make clear though, that at all other times, the tip of my fret-hand index finger is muting the string right below it). I hope this helps! You will probably get pretty frustrated- it frustrated me enough that I gave up playing guitar for a few months! But if you keep at it you'll be able to do it perfectly. Good luck!
Members Vats Posted November 21, 2008 Members Posted November 21, 2008 One other thing to consider, besides the actual technique of muting, is if your tone is heavily compressed, you might want to reduce the amount of compression or use a noise gate.
Members freetime Posted November 21, 2008 Members Posted November 21, 2008 I guess I got this down without having any problems because I bend full steps and beyond with no probs
Members Knottyhed Posted November 21, 2008 Members Posted November 21, 2008 I think just practice, is the answer, you know what you want to hear - so crank that gain and experiment until you get it. Slowly but surely your technique will sort itself out. Thing is that I'm not sure what I do; experimenting just now I thought i was tending to lift the palm out the way and then mute the unwanted string as I release the bend, but I don't get the problem if I lift my palm away entirely either... the tip of my finger looks to be in contact with the string right up until the point where the string is returned to it's original position (i.e. straight). You're getting the noise because you aren't controlling the other string as you release the bend, you're presumably catching it and letting it 'snap' back into place? I think it is a combination of getting the release of the bend controlled and having the finger mute the string (or strings) you're pushing out the way until they're back in position. You shouldn't need to use the palm, but it should be muting those unwanted strings anyway if you're playing with allot of gain... so as you band, lift the palm lift slightly so you don't choke the string as you bend and then drop it back down to mute the strings you aren't playing as the bend is released.
Members SteveWoodward Posted November 21, 2008 Author Members Posted November 21, 2008 Wow, many thanks for the responses, esp. wonkydog! I can see that using my thumb just won't work. Using the tips of my fretting hand fingers works to a point, but I can still hear one open string ring out when I release. Maybe it's because I have somewhat large hands but it seems difficult to be that accurate with the right hand palm. But then again as wonkydog mentions it's something that's going to take time getting used to.I never anticipated this..I think the problem stems from the fact that my first few years of playing guitar was strictly acoustic, and mostly fingerstyle, so these are issues I hadn't had to face until I started playing electric. Many thanks to all for the thoughtful responses!
Members wonkydog Posted November 21, 2008 Members Posted November 21, 2008 Wow, many thanks for the responses, esp. wonkydog! I can see that using my thumb just won't work. Using the tips of my fretting hand fingers works to a point, but I can still hear one open string ring out when I release. Maybe it's because I have somewhat large hands but it seems difficult to be that accurate with the right hand palm. But then again as wonkydog mentions it's something that's going to take time getting used to. I never anticipated this..I think the problem stems from the fact that my first few years of playing guitar was strictly acoustic, and mostly fingerstyle, so these are issues I hadn't had to face until I started playing electric. No prob. I also have very, very large hands, and when I first started trying to pick-hand mute, it was incredibly difficult to be accurate. Trust me, I've been there, and I understand how awkward it feels. Just to reiterate, I literally GAVE UP playing guitar for a few months because I felt that pick-hand muting was IMPOSSIBLE. I hope that makes you feel better, because honestly, it might feel impossible for a while. If I can do it, you can it. I think the fact that you started playing acoustic definitely makes muting more difficult for you. You always hear people say, "start on acoustic, it'll make your hands stronger, then go to electric and it'll be easy." To that I say, "yeah, that's true, but you'll have no idea how to mute!" I didn't start on acoustic. But I'm totally self-taught on electric. I started out playing 3-chord punk, and it NEVER EVEN OCCURRED TO ME that you had to mute while playing guitar. Whenever I played something, it was really noisy, but I figured, 1) it must be my crappy guitar/amp and 2) it'll just "go away" as I get "better." Needless to say, I was an idiot. I was totally ignorant of how a guitar worked. It was only once I started playing more complex music that I couldn't stand all the damn string noise... then I travelled the world in search of a cure. LOL. But seriously, I started to obsess over it and was finally able to do it.
Members Jasco Posted November 21, 2008 Members Posted November 21, 2008 I can see that using my thumb just won't work. I wouldn't rule out the use of either thumb for muting. I use them both all the time for muting. Like anything, it may seem difficult at first, but persistent focused practice will eventually make it easier.
Members Morbidsnail Posted February 19, 2009 Members Posted February 19, 2009 Thanks for the great advice Wonky! Been trying it that way and it is working out wonderfully... It'll take a lot of practice but at least it seems attainable now. I actually registered on this site just to thank you!! So THANKS!
Members Selsaral Posted February 20, 2009 Members Posted February 20, 2009 I've also been struggling with this. I rest my picking hand's palm on the strings at all times as a general muting procedure. I've spent years doing this so I have a decent ability to move the palm to only mute what I need to, as my picking moves to different strings. The problem can come when you need to pick on the A or low E strings...you have to move your hand either entirely off of the strings or back onto the bridge, and you have to keep picking precisely while doing that. What gets me now is that when playing my strat, the force of my hand resting on the strings pushes the low E onto the middle pickup's magnet creating a little farting noise. When I move my right hand back towards the bridge to reduce this I am then picking directly over the middle pickup and I end up picking the pickup some causing interference. I love how the strat sounds but my particular technique is much easier on my telecaster or PRS.
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