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Thumb on pickup? Why?

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I've been thinking about this one for some time now… there's a lot to it!

I used to rest my thumb on the pickup. When I came to these forums, you good folks convinced me to try the "floating thumb" muting technique. It helped me mute the strings and get a cleaner sound, of course. But it also helped me figure out when I should mute unused strings and when I should let adjacent (unplayed) strings ring. Sometimes it jangling strings sound amazing with the right distortion.

Learning what I could do helped me learn when to break good rules. (:
 

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