| String muting is another technique that can help you | | | | just enough pressure to mute the strings. The beauty |
| define your own personal style. There are two types | | | | is if you get a little wild with your pick it still sounds right. |
| of string muting, the palm mute with your picks hand | | | | Fret-hand muting is used extensively. |
| and the string mute with your fret hand. They serve | | | | Palm muting is more commonly used in distorted rock |
| very different purposes, but both are important to | | | | songs. The technique involves resting the heel of your |
| good guitar playing. | | | | pick-hand palm on the strings as you pick. Most people |
| Fret-hand muting is particularly important when playing | | | | rest it directly over the bridge, but you can experiment |
| chords and power chord. The purpose is to use part | | | | with different positions for different sounds. Also try |
| of you finger tips and fingers to mute the strings you | | | | different levels of pressure to regulate the level of |
| don't want to include in the chord being played. For | | | | muting. This technique creates a percussive, muffled or |
| example the C majors chord is played from the 5th | | | | chunky sound. Combine fast down strokes with palm |
| string to the first, your are not supposed to hit the 6th | | | | muting in various patterns with moderate distortion for |
| string. I use the tip of my 3rd finger that is holding down | | | | sounds similar to Metallica or other metal bands. |
| the 5th string 3rd fret to rub up against the sixth string | | | | Both fret hand muting and palm muting are very |
| thereby muting the string. I use this same technique | | | | individual and stylistic techniques. Incorporate practicing |
| with power chords, but in addition I use the fat part of | | | | this technique every time you pick up your guitar and |
| my index finger to lightly lay across strings 1,2,3. with | | | | before long you'll master this necessary skill. |