I've seen some people strum the guitar higher up, somewhere between the upper pickup and where the neck connects to the body of the guitar. Is there any reason for doing this? Does it provide a different type of sound? I've tried it and I can't seem to tell much difference.
I have found that playing closer to the neck gives a mellower sound . The strings are farther from where they're tethered so the string tends to move more with the pick stroke and the attack is slower . I can tell a difference but will admit that I don't use it all that much .
If I claim to be a wise man , it surely means that I don't know .
Perhaps an easier way to tell the difference is to play really close to the bridge - you'll notice it sounds different. I reckon playing up on the neck would be like the opposite extreme.
-- Voidious
Generally it is done to provide more variation in the strumming sound. Strumming the same chord over different positions can be interesting. Eg. Try strumming near the bridge, then soundhole (or pickups) and then come to neck. You can hear a nice variation if done smoothly.
Keep experimenting. Nothing's 'wrong' in guitar as long as it sounds good to you.
I gives a differant sound. I sometimes will strum a chord 12 frets above where its fretted and get a harmonic sounding type ring for some of the strings, works nice with an open D.
The reason why some people might strum above the neck is that half-way between the nut and the bridge is where the strings move most when plucked, or to put it another way, it's where the least tension (or the most "give") appears on the strings. It's a slightly mellower sound than strumming over the soundhole, but not that much difference.
:D :D :D
Vic
"Sometimes the beauty of music can help us all find strength to deal with all the curves life can throw us." (D. Hodge.)
What Vic said,
Here's a bit of Strumming, tapping, and picking up and down the neck
#4491....
