I've been taking lessons and playing an electric for a few months. I've been playing simple 1st position solo / melody stuff along with learning open chords for strumming rhythm playing.
Most of the time I try to keep my left thumb behind the fretboard and fingers curved for fretting notes. That works fine, but I'm confused about what I should be doing when it comes to strumming away at open chords and dealing with muting unwanted strings.
For example: G C Am progression.
The G is no problem since I want to hit all 6 strings. I can switch to the C chord and use my finger playing the root C on the 5th string to touch and mute my low E string. When I switch to the Am chord, I have a problem. I play the root A on the 5th string but it's open so I don't have a finger there anymore to mute the low E string! I don't know how to handle this.
Are experienced players actually good enough that they can strum away and just not hit those low strings? (I do know that in this example an E is OK for these chords, but it's not the right root and that's not always the case anyway).
OR- I realize that I might bring my left thumb up and over and use that to mute the low E string, and I see lots of people playing that way. Is this the answer? If so, it feels like I'll have to constantly shift my left hand (which isn't that big) thumb position up and back as I shift from chord to chord. Is that normal?
Thanks for any help with this frustrating problem... I just want to know what most people do, and I really don't want to develop a bad technique.
Are experienced players actually good enough that they can strum away and just not hit those low strings?
This is one of them thar "duh!" moments, matey! :wink:
...and here's another one: PRACTISE!
Stick with it, it's a great ride...
Cat
"Feel what you play...play what you feel!"
The secret isn't muting... it's the arc of the pick.
When you strum all six strings, you strum across the plane of the strings. When you want to strum fewer, the pick leaves the plane of the strings before you get to the ones you don't want. Like Cat says, it takes practice - but it's really not that hard.
Take a chord like open D. Strum across all six strings - that won't get you a D chord, but a D/E (or D add 9). Now try it 'lifting' your hand a bit just before you get to the low E. You should be able to hear that change in sound, because D/A doesn't have an E note in it.
Then see if you can lift the pick before you get to the A string. After a while, you won't even be conscious of it. You'll just hit only the strings you want.
Guitar teacher offering lessons in Plainfield IL
Yep, Note's on the money...as usual. You need to realise (third eye sorta thing) that you are sweeping an arc over the strings. I have met more than my share of finger-picking acoustic players that actually disdain flat pickers. That's because they can't do it! 8)
I've got a trick...well, my playing style, really...that instead of plunking dead a note I'll let it chime out under that particular finger. The harmonics that jump out at ch'ya are always getting folks to say "How the (blank) do you do that, Cat?" Ya need super lights to pull this off...but it's stellar if you do it right...which also means "know your intervals" so leave it out if it's gonna make a dischord.
Again...the magic word: PRACTICE! :shock:
Cat
"Feel what you play...play what you feel!"
What I say to my students is that with the best will in the world there are going to be days when you'll hit that string you didn't want to.
Keep clocking up the practise hours and it'll happen less.
"Be good at what you can do" - Fingerbanger"
I have always felt that it is better to do what is beautiful than what is 'right'" - Eliot Fisk
Wedding music and guitar lessons in Essex. Listen at: http://www.rollmopmusic.co.uk
Newbie's always need a pep talk...and here's the site where you get 'em!
Today's world makes everything as easy and as convenient at possible. So go out and buy a box of practise pills...and take one! :roll: Seriously, matey, there can be an extreme measure of satisfaction with this instrument...but not if you don't apply yourself. Learning may not be all that easy...but that doesn't mean it shouldn't be fun. In time, you'll be playing second nature with your attention being focussed on spots where you usually screw up. When that spot rolls up...jump on it. For me, it's been like that for...what...50-ish years???
Just go with it and don't overlook your weaknesses. Work on 'em...like the other stuff going on in your life, kid! :wink:
Cat
"Feel what you play...play what you feel!"
Cool... Thanks for the info. It does seem kind of obvious- but at the same time I see some of these guys just banging away at the strings and can't imagine them being very precise doing that. And, I have heard people talk about using their thumbs for muting (not just fretting) that low string... so that's where I was getting confused.
I have no problem practicing, just want to be practicing the right way!
I have no problem practicing, just want to be practicing the right way!
This is true...but I've really come to think there's not a right way to do anything on this instrument! Different sounds come from different techniques...but these get pretty odd to describe to a newbie. Listen to the teachers on GN...none are better, matey...until you start running out of challenges in a few years...THEN be as unconventional as possible!
Cat
"Feel what you play...play what you feel!"
East coast, there certain,y are times when using the thumb to mute the E string is useful, but I very much doubt that the people you have heard talking about that, use that technique on all their open chords all of the time :D
"I like to play that guitar. I have to stare at it while I'm playing it because I'm not very good at playing it."
Noel Gallagher (who took the words right out of my mouth)
Also, check out David's podcasts on strumming (link is at the top of every guitarnoise page)
Maybe not quite the answer to your question for the open chords root on 5th or 4th string (as other people have said, you can work on just hitting certain strings when coming, it will actually come quite quickly), but the other thing is have a whole chord in place, so if you do miss you'll still hit notes that wont sound out of place..
Sometimes you can "split the difference" instead of actually muting a string. On one metal tune I love playing there's a simple double-barred C rooted on the third fret...but the end of the pick wipe across it is done on an instantaneous "regular ole folk C" off the first fret instead of plunking it out dead. Look at what you are doing and maybe you can engineer a way past it. Just play it, listen to it, feel it...and adjust it as you see it works best. Look elsewhere (close by) where you can snap over to a played note instead of that dead plunk. Hey, do a three note trill on it...anything...get nice and forceful about it.
Try it a zillion times, if you need to...but you'll get there, matey.
Cat
"Feel what you play...play what you feel!"
East coast, there certain,y are times when using the thumb to mute the E string is useful, but I very much doubt that the people you have heard talking about that, use that technique on all their open chords all of the time :D
I was talking more to some good players around here, and this was pretty much what they said too. They mute when they can or when it's easy enough-- but the general goal is to just hit all the right strings as often as possible.
but the general goal is to just hit all the right strings as often as possible.
Kid, you kill me... :lol:
Cat
"Feel what you play...play what you feel!"
but the general goal is to just hit all the right strings as often as possible.
Quote of the day there!!!! :D
I dont use a pick myself, and you know... some days are better then others, but it does come to you... you do learn where the strings are, and "know" what ones to hit.. Some of the times.... once in a wile... OK... once or twice... :D
Paul B
Well...truth be told...as I was listeneing some some of my own work...I noticed an A string droning a bit on a last verse...which I just dumped out of the mix becuse I can't get rid of it even with this software. Indeed, it's all about hitting the right strings...
Kid...you're sharp. Meaning to the point.
Cat
"Feel what you play...play what you feel!"
