Saturday, May 28, 2011

All-important String Muting methods for Lead Guitar

By Zach Nichols


String muting is method that will allow you to define your own personal style. Muting will also enable you to produce cleaner, more impressive sounding guitar chords and solos be eliminating unwanted sounds from your guitar.

You will find 2 types of string muting, the palm mute with your picking hand and the string mute with your fret hand. They serve quite different purposes, but both are critical to great guitar playing.

Fret-hand muting is particularly essential when playing chords and power chords. The aim is to use a part of you finger tips and fingers to mute the strings you don't wish to include in the chord being played. As an example the C major chord is played from the 5th string to the first, but you aren't supposed to hit the sixth string. I use the tip of my 3rd finger which is holding down the fifth string third fret to rub up against the 6th string thus muting the string. I use this very same technique as well with power chords, but additionally I use the fat part of my index finger to lightly lay across strings 1,2,3. With just enough pressure to mute the strings. The beauty is in the event you get a bit wild with your pick it still sounds good. Fret-hand muting is utilised extensively.

Palm muting is far more commonly utilised in distorted rock songs. The method involves sitting the heel of your pick-hand palm over the strings as you pick. A lot of people rest it directly over the bridge, but you are able to experiment with various positions for different sounds. Also try different levels of pressure to regulate the level of muting. This method creates a percussive, muffled or chunky sound. Combine quick down strokes with palm muting in a variety of patterns with moderate distortion for sounds similar to Metallica or other metal bands.

With lead guitar playing at times it may be neccesary to further mute the fretboard. An easy way to accomplish this is to simply add a hairband around the neck of the guitar near the nut. Be certain to have the hairband snug enough to muffle the open guitar strings, yet not too tight as to force the strings down onto the first fret. This basic tip may help "shred" style lead guitar players clean up their sound by simply muffling unwelcome open strings.

Both fret hand muting and palm muting are very individual and stylistic approaches. Incorporate practicing this technique every time you pick up your guitar and before long you will master this crucial skill.




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