Muting with the fretting finger itself

[dieggsy]

I've seen a lot of talk about palm muting, using a sponge, or using the other fingers on the left hand. Just experimenting and noodling I've found I can get a sort of muted sound by just playing right on, or even slightly in front of, the fret with my fretting finger. If I can get good at this, it seems to makes it somewhat easier to keep use of all four fingers on my left hand while still getting close to the muted sound and maintaining standard finger technique in the right hand.

Does this have a name? Am I imagining things? Is this worth pursuing, or a terrible idea? Feel free to direct me to other threads if this has been discussed already.

 

[MYLOWFREQ]

Forgot who, but a bass player advised this on a BP magazine back in the day if I recall it right.

IMHO/IME this only works if you're playing slow. It's almost impossible to play an always muted note by muting using only your L fingers when playing a moderate or a fast passage. I tried, it does not work. Maybe I'm not that good.

 

[byacey]

There is a difference between muting and damping the string. Muting stops the string vibration completely so it is silent. Damping shortens up the sustain of the played note. Simply lifting your fingers enough to release the vibrating string off the fret will effectively mute the note.

Damping the string sustain is a little more involved, because you don't want to mute it completely, but only shorten the sustain so the sound dies out quickly. This generally involves some intervention from another finger other then the one fretting the note, or using your right hand / fingers to dampen the sustain. Foam will do this to a degree, except you don't have any immediate control over how much damping is applied - you take whatever damping the foam gives you.

 

[Les Fret]

Playing on the frets is a good exercise and can be useful but no total solution for muting. You have to be too precise and your hand will be too stretched.

You can try the Rocco way by muting with the next finger just the behind the fretting finger. But that has its limits too and involves a lot of shifting. Just learn as much muting techniques as possible.

 

[SteveCS]

...
I can get a sort of muted sound by just playing right on, or even slightly in front of, the fret with my fretting finger.
...
Does this have a name? Am I imagining things? Is this worth pursuing
...

I've no idea what it might be called, but yes it is a legitimate technical element, IMHO. Some folks will tell you it is too difficult to consistently place the fingers in the precise spot to get the level of damping required, but I don't see it as any more challenging good fretless intonation. Maybe I find it easier due to a lifetime playing fretless?

I really like the progressive darkening of tone and eventual modification of sustain made possible using this approach - I think it is a more nuanced than the 'on/off' left-hand mute.

It was discussed a year or so ago and I posted a couple of pictures of my own. I can't find the thread right now so here they are again:

 

[Mister_argentum]

Check out Francis Rocco Prestia video course :



He goes into this technique.

Best,

M

 

[Les Fret]

I've no idea what it might be called, but yes it is a legitimate technical element, IMHO. Some folks will tell you it is too difficult to consistently place the fingers in the precise spot to get the level of damping required, but I don't see it as any more challenging good fretless intonation. Maybe I find it easier due to a lifetime playing fretless?

I see your point, but it's not exactly the same. On fretted you have to be even more precise when you play on the frets otherwise you can very easily get a buzz, especially when playing fast. I can do it but I never use it. I find it interesting nonetheless... Do have a short video demonstrating the technique?

 

[dieggsy]

Thanks for the replies. I can see how this might be particularly difficult playing fast. I don't even play that fast regularly, but I've still got a lot of practice ahead of me. I noticed two more things: 1) it's harder on the upper frets, and 2) it's definitely a different/more subtle muted quality than sponge/palm, maybe a little more similar to using the other left hand fingers but still not quite as subdued. So it's probably not a replacement for those techniques, even if legitimate.

Just learn as much muting techniques as possible.

That seems like a good call - can't possible hurt!

I've no idea what it might be called, but yes it is a legitimate technical element, IMHO. Some folks will tell you it is too difficult to consistently place the fingers in the precise spot to get the level of damping required, but I don't see it as any more challenging good fretless intonation. Maybe I find it easier due to a lifetime playing fretless?

Thanks, this is an intriguing perspective and gives the idea a little hope. I've not yet gotten my hands on a fretless, but it's... on the wish list.

 

[SteveCS]

...
Do have a short video demonstrating the technique?
...

I don't - I don't really go in for YouTube content of that nature (I think there are only 3 items on my 'Channel', such as it is). That said, I can probably knock out a recording of something at some point.

 

[fretlessman71]

I use this whenever muting is called for, mainly because my physical limitations prevent me from muting at the bridge (I play with a pick). I've noticed that the higher the action is, the easier it is to do this. And your plucking hand isn't relegated to the bridge area!

 

[Les Fret]

I use this whenever muting is called for, mainly because my physical limitations prevent me from muting at the bridge (I play with a pick). I've noticed that the higher the action is, the easier it is to do this. And your plucking hand isn't relegated to the bridge area!

Palm muting is especially well suited for pick playing.

 

[DJ Bebop]

Forgot who, but a bass player advised this on a BP magazine back in the day if I recall it right.

IMHO/IME this only works if you're playing slow. It's almost impossible to play an always muted note by muting using only your L fingers when playing a moderate or a fast passage. I tried, it does not work. Maybe I'm not that good.

Second video, about 8:40

 

[dieggsy]

Second video, about 8:40

I can't quite tell what technique the first guy is using, but the second is definitely using the other fingers on the left hand and not using the fretting finger itself to do the muting

 

[BarfanyShart]

I was watching a real good Reggae player once who was doing this on a 90's Carvin bass when he was going for an old-school, thumpy sound. It struck me as cool because he could switch between the modern sound and a classic tone in the middle of a tune by just changing his touch. I tried it out a bit, and it's a cool technique, but didn't really get good enough at it to make it part of my toolbox.

 

[DJ Bebop]

I can't quite tell what technique the first guy is using, but the second is definitely using the other fingers on the left hand and not using the fretting finger itself to do the muting

Yes, that is it!

The first guy, Francis Rocco Prestia (Tower of Power) is the originator of this style. I see now the long form of his video was posted here :
Muting with the fretting finger itself

He uses his middle finger to fret the note and the two fingers after the middle finger to mute the strings.
It's tricky.

 

[dieggsy]

Yes, that is it!
...
He uses his middle finger to fret the note and the two fingers after the middle finger to mute the strings.
It's tricky.

Right. My wording on the original post wasn't super clear, but I meant playing on or in front of the fret with the fretting finger itself like the first picture in post #5. The flesh of the finger doing the fretting on the string can mute it a bit. So you could in theory, just shift your hand up a bit from where you normally play, and with the right amount of pressure/aim, play normal slightly muted lines with all the fingers on your left hand.

 

[fretlessman71]

Palm muting is especially well suited for pick playing.

Yep. And I can't do it. Physical limitations and all that.

 

[Levent]

Technique has a name, "left hand muting?" classical guitarists use It often, I saw Joe Pass use It playing Jazz and explain It in a video too, developed the technique trying not to wake people up as a kid lol.
Can be used fast at guitar but a little slower at bass.
Another variation is fretting with index, muting with middle finger, for one note at a time grooves. I saw this being used a lot.

 

[dbsfgyd1]

I've seen a lot of talk about palm muting, using a sponge, or using the other fingers on the left hand. Just experimenting and noodling I've found I can get a sort of muted sound by just playing right on, or even slightly in front of, the fret with my fretting finger. If I can get good at this, it seems to makes it somewhat easier to keep use of all four fingers on my left hand while still getting close to the muted sound and maintaining standard finger technique in the right hand.

Does this have a name? Am I imagining things? Is this worth pursuing, or a terrible idea? Feel free to direct me to other threads if this has been discussed already.

Interesting post. I don't do a lot of dampening, but I can understand what you are trying to accomplish. I wish you well on your goal however.

 

[bigdaddybass12]

muting with the next finger just the behind the fretting finger. But that has its limits too and involves a lot of shifting. Just learn as much muting techniques as possible.

or in front of fretting finger. You are right, best to have a couple of techniques of muting. I still struggle with muting, been working on fretting hand muting, it does involve shifting because you lose fingering technique. I can’t use my palm, seems to mute everything!