sweep arpeggio string muting

[mhoward]

One book said to mute each string after you pick it, by releasing the pressure slightly on the fretting finger. But it didn't give much other details. The exercise they gave was strings 1,2, and 3 on a G bar chord, so I'm holding the B with my middle finger and the D and G with my index finger. There's a CD with the book, and it really sounds like they are not letting the strings ring.

 

Since I've never been interested in metal, the only technique I've done that seems related is an SRV / Hendrix type of sweep where only one string rings, but I sweep some other muted strings first for a percussive effect.

 

To do this sweep arpeggio, should I learn to "roll off" my fretting fingers as I sweep, or should I ease up pressure on all my fretting fingers after picking each string? The former seems more desirable but harder to coordinate, whereas the latter is less coordination but would be hard to get fast at. What do you metal players do? Do you guys bother muting at all or do you just let it ring?

[rockitsauce]

Seems to me that if you let it ring, might as well just sweep a chord which might not be the sound you are referring to. Rolling off is the method I think most people are doing. If it would be easy to do it, everyone would be doing them and it would probably die out. Its probably something you need to work on for a long period of time to get down well. I messed with a couple of shapes and never practiced hard enough to get it clean, much less quick. There are other people on this board though that have probably mastered it. Have you tried searching for some youtube vids? I know there are sweeping instructional vids all over that site that show and talk you through it.

[mhoward]

You're probably right. I'll have to look for some YouTube vids. Any shredders out there have tips on this?

[sanchezero]

i've had serious issues with the fretting fingers doing the muting (other than using the 1st finger as a 'dead barre'). it seems ok for simple 3-4 string shapes but if you get more complex or start bouncing around then getting up to tempo is a real bitch as you're purposely slowing your fretting hand.

 

i've become a pickhand thumb-muting convert, especially for sweeping. i rotate my wrist a bit so the meaty part of my thumb mutes all of the strings above the pick. it's done wonders for cleaning up my game.

 

 

 

^a good start

[mhoward]

 

i've become a pickhand thumb-muting convert, especially for sweeping. i rotate my wrist a bit so the meaty part of my thumb mutes all of the strings above the pick. it's done wonders for cleaning up my game. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3mbx03mP5eg ^a good start

 

 

Thanks - that YouTube vid is great! Looks like sweeping a barre chord is something to try after getting good at sweeping a chord made by holding one string per finger. That book I mentioned is wrong to start out with a barre.

 

I'll also try your tip of thumb muting.

and shows how it's done. I've tried palm muting but haven't gotten it working yet.

[1001gear]

Another way is to finger every note and release it as you sweep to the next string - even on barred stops. That is even if you have a 6 string bar, use one finger per string. I know the are only 4 available. Work it out. Slide your hand up and down the neck to position the finger instead of contorting your hand so you don't get tied up.

The notes of course die as you release them and move on. The open bass strings are deadened by the heel of the picking hand when ascending and the top strings are deadened by the fretting hand when descending.

[Knottyhed]

 

One book said to mute each string after you pick it, by releasing the pressure slightly on the fretting finger. But it didn't give much other details. The exercise they gave was strings 1,2, and 3 on a G bar chord, so I'm holding the B with my middle finger and the D and G with my index finger. There's a CD with the book, and it really sounds like they are not letting the strings ring. Since I've never been interested in metal, the only technique I've done that seems related is an SRV / Hendrix type of sweep where only one string rings, but I sweep some other muted strings first for a percussive effect. To do this sweep arpeggio, should I learn to "roll off" my fretting fingers as I sweep, or should I ease up pressure on all my fretting fingers after picking each string? The former seems more desirable but harder to coordinate, whereas the latter is less coordination but would be hard to get fast at. What do you metal players do? Do you guys bother muting at all or do you just let it ring?

 

 

There's a variety of approaches...

 

It is very important to release each string as you play the note and move to the next one. This do alot of you muting for you - but it probably won't be enough on its own - particularly when it comes to the bass strings. So you also need to mute unwanted string noise with the palm (like you should be doing anyway for your alt picking.

 

Some people also use the side of the thumb (picking hand) to mute each string immediately after picking.

 

Bottom line is that the most important thing is accurate coordination between the left and the right hand. If this isn't bang on you'll never do a 'clean sweep'. So work at it slowly and concentrate on accuracy rather than speed.