Can Someone Give Me a Crash Course in Muting Strings?

[blankstare77]

Right-hand muting, left-hand muting.

Can someone please give me the scoop on muting?

Method?
Exercises?


Thanks so very much!

[Lonnybass]

RH muting - there a couple ways to do this, but try using the outside of your palm along your pinkie finger to dampen the strings near the bridge and pluck with your thumb. It might feel a little strange at first, but keep your hand relaxed and start slowly. Sting plays this way a lot now.

LH muting - might be tougher because you have to learn to develop a lighter touch on the strings than you use when fretting notes. Instead of holding the string down to the fret, try just resting your ring finger ON the string at the 5th fret and pluck it with your right hand. If you work on this lightened touch, you'll be able to have more control over the vibration of the string. Just start slowly!

Lonnybass

[Just J]

Originally Posted by Lonnybass

LH muting - might be tougher because you have to learn to develop a lighter touch on the strings than you use when fretting notes. Instead of holding the string down to the fret, try just resting your ring finger ON the string at the 5th fret and pluck it with your right hand. If you work on this lightened touch, you'll be able to have more control over the vibration of the string. Just start slowly!

Lonnybass

One thing to note with muting and dead notes, certain frets will give you harmonics when you lightly fret them and pluck the string, such as the 5th fret. When muting it's good to practice touching the string in more than one places.

[JimmyM]

Pretty much all my muting to get rid of ringing strings I'm not using is done with my left hand. Pretty much all my articulation muting is done with my right hand. So if I want to play notes very short, I'll pick the note with one finger and mute it quickly with the other. Muting isn't tough. A lot of it comes naturally once you get used to the movements required.

[Johnny Crab]

Originally Posted by JimmyM

Pretty much all my muting to get rid of ringing strings I'm not using is done with my left hand. Pretty much all my articulation muting is done with my right hand. So if I want to play notes very short, I'll pick the note with one finger and mute it quickly with the other. Muting isn't tough. A lot of it comes naturally once you get used to the movements required.

+1

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