[mattwatt]

When you have to strum in a "strum mute strum mute strum mute" kinda pattern.... how to you mute when playing like an E chord? or any chord with open strings

I find it easy enough when playing barre chords cos then I just simply lift my fretting hand up a little. But when there are open strings that I need to mute, its a lot more difficult. I've tried several techniques, such as using my pinky finger on my fretting hard to cover the open strings and using the palm of my strumming hand to mute after I strum........ but these dont feel comfortable at all :S

Is it maybe easier just to play all chords barred?

Thanks for you time

[billy16]

i'm not quite sure what you're playing, but could you just palm mute it?

if not, try this. use your thumb on the low E string, lift your fingers fretting the E a bit, and lay your pinky over the B and high E string.

its not too awfully easy, but see how that works.

This post has been edited by billy16: 21 January 2005 - 08:03 PM

[mattwatt]

Thanks billy The type of music i'm trying to play is Folk, Irish Folk I think it is .... and its played very very fast in a strum mute strum mute kinda pattern

Thanks for your advice

This post has been edited by mattwatt: 21 January 2005 - 08:22 PM

[billy16]

do you need the chord to have a percussive sound, or does it just need to be a dead mute on all the strings?

This post has been edited by billy16: 21 January 2005 - 08:23 PM

[dogpoo]

if it's got a distinct 'hit' to the muted chord then you could kind of palm mute it as you strum. like when you strum you usually have some force to hit the strings, but to mute it you hit the strings with your palm as well at the same time. it might be a little painful at first, but you'll get used to it in time.

the other way is to just palm mute it the normal way, keeping your palm a couple of centimetres away from the strings and pressing down when you need the muted sound, this way it sounds rather dead.

[mattwatt]

if it's got a distinct 'hit' to the muted chord then you could kind of palm mute it as you strum. like when you strum you usually have some force to hit the strings, but to mute it you hit the strings with your palm as well at the same time. it might be a little painful at first, but you'll get used to it in time.

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

That's it I think that's the best way to play it.... I should have mentioned that it needed to have a distinct hit sound The louder the sound of hitting the mutted strings, the better it sounds.... for this song anyway

Thanks for your help guys

[evileye]

Dogpoo pretty much covered it, but what I do is I lift my fingers off the fretboard but leave them on the strings, block the rest with my left hand and strum the chord - it's pretty much just a precussive hit. It takes practice to do it in time and that...