| Students often ask me how to avoid unwanted string | | | | resides. One common problem is resting too much of |
| noise when playing the guitar. This is particularly | | | | the palm when only the thumb muscle is needed. In |
| problematic when playing with unforgiving amounts of | | | | fact the other side of my palm (nearest pinky) doesn't |
| distortion. The problem becomes even worse at high | | | | rest on the strings at all unless I want a deliberately |
| volume as the amplifier interacts with the guitar causing | | | | muted sound. |
| feedback. | | | | Now the fretting hand. Sometimes the picking hand is |
| The best way to overcome this problem therefore is | | | | not sufficient at muting so the fretting hand has to help |
| to practise with loads of distortion so the mistakes are | | | | out. Let's use an example: |
| more obvious and at reasonable volume, allowing of | | | | E||----------------------5-8-| |
| course for your neighbours! (and watch out for your | | | | B||------------------5-8-----| |
| hearing!) | | | | G||--------------5-7---------| |
| If you can't practise at high volume, that's ok. Just | | | | D||----------5-7-------------| |
| practise with distortion and VERY, VERY SLOW. The | | | | A||------5-7-----------------| |
| techniques involved in muting unwanted string noise are | | | | E||--5-8---------------------| |
| to some extent learned subconsciously by practising | | | | The above is an A minor pentatonic scale. Let's say |
| as mentioned above, but to a greater extent results | | | | the 5th fret on the G-string is causing problems. When |
| are seen by practising the following techniques slowly | | | | you get to the 5th fret on the G string, your index |
| and methodically. | | | | finger should fret the note but also touch the D-string - |
| If you look at most great players you'll see their picking | | | | just enough to silence it. This is a must when string |
| hand resting near the bridge. Picking hand-muting | | | | bending. Use 3 fingers to bend but slightly flatten the |
| comes from the thumb muscle (not the only way but | | | | index finger so it touches the adjacent string. |
| the most common). If I were to play the A-string I'd | | | | Most players don't use this last technique on every |
| rest this muscle on the low E-string silencing it. As I | | | | note but rather problem areas. By practising these |
| move towards the higher strings my arm repositions | | | | techniques REALLY slowly (I can't stress that enough!) |
| my hand to keep this stance consistent. Picking motion | | | | and with loads of distortion you gain sufficient muscle |
| comes from the wrist, but the arm should make small | | | | memory so that muting the strings occurs efficiently |
| movements to keep your picking stance the same. | | | | without conscious effort. |
| Some people find this difficult at first - complaining that | | | | One last exercise for you to try is the following string |
| they mute the strings too much or that playing the | | | | skipping, A minor pentatonic scale. Take it easy and |
| higher strings is uncomfortable. The latter problem is | | | | why not record yourself with a dictaphone and listen |
| solved by adhering to the previous suggestion of | | | | back to your mistakes. It's also a good way of |
| keeping your picking stance constant. The problem of | | | | monitoring progress. |
| over-muting is solved by slow practise through which | | | | Good luck! |
| you will start to find a 'groove' in which your hand | | | | |