Doing great progress! But i could use a little tip?


caponi14
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caponi14
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Joined: 09/29/08
Posts: 369
01/19/2010 7:58 pm
Hello everyone, :) in the past i have had alot of trouble but im doing major progress! Both musically and technically with my playing.

Here's my little problem, i have 2 fast licks in my bagpack that could be 100 times better if i could play them a little more cleanly. It's not notes and the strings i play that gives off too much unwanted sound. It's the G and D string that starts ringing when i do the bending. The licks look like this, they have alot in common.

E--------12-----------And herefrom it just gets repeated fast....
B----15B----15P12----The G and the D string is ringing open on this lick,
G---------------------when i do the bending. How can i mute them properly?
D---------------------
A---------------------
E---------------------

The other lick is this:

E--------12------------12----------And herefrom it gets repeated fast like
B----15B----15P12---------15P12--the other lick above... Here it's mainly
G------------------14B-------------the D and A string ringing. Again, how
D----------------------------------can i mute them properly?
A----------------------------------
E----------------------------------

Thanks in advance :)

Rock on!
# 1
Carl King
GuitarTricks Video Director
Joined: 10/08/07
Posts: 466
Carl King
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Joined: 10/08/07
Posts: 466
01/20/2010 5:21 am
Here are some ideas, if I understand your notation.

On your first lick, my pointer naturally mutes the G string at the end, when I add some vibrato, or if I just keep my pointer lightly touching the G string the whole time. My right palm slightly moves over and blocks all of the lower strings from ringing.

Another trick is to use your pick (or even your other right-hand fingers) to mute a string you're not playing. Especially while adding vibrato. Sometimes I even use a little vibrato as an excuse to mute adjacent strings. There is no "rule" for any of this... every lick is different and will require some combination of these.

Have fun with the "Yoga" of string muting.

-Carl.

Carl King[br]GuitarTricks Video Director / Producer

# 2
caponi14
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caponi14
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01/20/2010 9:26 am
Thanks for the tips :)
# 3
ChristopherSchlegel
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ChristopherSchlegel
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01/20/2010 2:32 pm
Originally Posted by: caponi14
Here's my little problem, i have 2 fast licks in my bagpack that could be 100 times better if i could play them a little more cleanly. It's not notes and the strings i play that gives off too much unwanted sound. It's the G and D string that starts ringing when i do the bending.

Carl gave you the right idea: mute with your right hand, tips of left hand fingers, pick, in short anything you can use to make physical contact with strings to mute them.

I have a tutorial that deals a bit with this somewhat slighted topic of muting. Best of all it is about blues rock licks similiar to what you are trying to accomplish.

http://www.guitartricks.com/tutorial.php?input=723

In lesson 6 I start talking about the basic lick & mechanics involved. I even show variations of right hand muting. In lesson 7 is the expanded variation that is closer to what you are trying to do. Again, there is a right hand view. Both lessons have backing tracks to practice getting the lick right in a rhythmic context.

Best of success!
Christopher Schlegel
Guitar Tricks Instructor

Christopher Schlegel Lesson Directory
# 4
Kwote
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Kwote
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01/21/2010 9:07 pm
Mute the above string with your pick and the strings above that with your thumb. The strings below with your middle and ring and the underside of your fretting hand's index can help as well.
# 5
caponi14
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caponi14
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03/05/2010 7:54 pm
I still can't get this stuff down! And it's so frustrating i just feel like jumping on my guitar!
And my fingers hurts from all the bending iv done uselessly! (uselessly to me it feels like)

I just can't mute in those licks! Iv tried it all, the only thing im missing is the muting. Cause my fingers can most certantly play the licks fast. But they are useless if the muting is not down.... I don't know why i can't get it! Iv never been this angry at playing guitar before :mad:

People don't have to answer this post, it's just a scream of frustration!
# 6
compart1
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compart1
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03/05/2010 8:09 pm
Don't jump on it..send it to me..
Hang in there! Work on something else for awhile..
# 7
JeffS65
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JeffS65
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03/06/2010 12:34 am
Originally Posted by: caponi14I still can't get this stuff down! And it's so frustrating i just feel like jumping on my guitar!
And my fingers hurts from all the bending iv done uselessly! (uselessly to me it feels like)

I just can't mute in those licks! Iv tried it all, the only thing im missing is the muting. Cause my fingers can most certantly play the licks fast. But they are useless if the muting is not down.... I don't know why i can't get it! Iv never been this angry at playing guitar before :mad:

People don't have to answer this post, it's just a scream of frustration!


I can't help but think you are trying to play it too fast before you have it down by playing it slow. I remember learning Pride -n- Joy from SRV not so long ago and for what ever reason, the licks he playing between verse lines, a few of them were just a pain for me. I've paly for a long time and usually don't wrestle with too many licks and getting up to speed kinda quickly (kinda...). I had to slow myself down on the SRV licks. I was pushing too fast. I fear you are doing the same. You will be able to do it if you go through the tedious work of learning slow, speeding up a little, then a little more and so on.
# 8
caponi14
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caponi14
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03/07/2010 7:13 pm
Yeah and the worst thing is that i know thats the right way to do it, but are too damn stupid not to do it... If you know what i mean?
I have to give it some days break and then try it again from a different angle (slowly).

Thanks guys
# 9
JeffS65
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JeffS65
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03/07/2010 10:49 pm
Originally Posted by: caponi14Yeah and the worst thing is that i know thats the right way to do it, but are too damn stupid not to do it... If you know what i mean?
I have to give it some days break and then try it again from a different angle (slowly).

Thanks guys


I know it's a drag when you know you want to have that buzz of ripping through a cool solo but can't and want it bad but in the end, slow and building up is always the way and will be very rewarding when you get it.

In a way, it's kinda cool that guitar is not that easy. Not everyone has that kind of passion to get good at the instrument so the ones that stick with it really love it.

...and I think Neal just posted this on Facebook: “Sometimes you want to give up the guitar, you’ll hate the guitar. But if you stick with it, you’re gonna be rewarded.”- Jimi Hendrix
# 10
Tommy Max
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Tommy Max
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03/23/2010 9:48 am
I may help you.. you can search this through...


________________________________________________

Go to LearnGuitarSongsFast.com to quit wasting time and start shredding!
# 11
Joe Pinnavaia
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Joe Pinnavaia
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04/10/2010 10:30 pm
I agree - hang in there! Thumb muting is a very worthwhile technique to master and like any technique will get easier over time.
Thumb muting not only balances the right hand but also stops unnecessary hand movements and string noise. Without visuals I feel that even if I explain it some aspects will get lost. I'll do a short video post it to my youtube channel and then reply back to this thread.

Keep the faith,
Joe
www.myspace.com/testtuberhino
# 12
caponi14
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caponi14
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04/12/2010 6:23 am
Thanks alot Joe :) i really want to get it down!
# 13
hunter1801
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hunter1801
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06/09/2010 2:12 am
Originally Posted by: Joe PinnavaiaI agree - hang in there! Thumb muting is a very worthwhile technique to master and like any technique will get easier over time.
Thumb muting not only balances the right hand but also stops unnecessary hand movements and string noise. Without visuals I feel that even if I explain it some aspects will get lost. I'll do a short video post it to my youtube channel and then reply back to this thread.

Keep the faith,
Joe
www.myspace.com/testtuberhino


Hate to revive an old thread but did that video ever happen?
# 14
Joe Pinnavaia
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Joe Pinnavaia
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06/09/2010 11:36 am
Originally Posted by: hunter1801Hate to revive an old thread but did that video ever happen?


I thought of doing one but I didn't want to infringe on my instructor who copyrights all of his materials - I need to find a way of doing it that doesn't piss him off and make me look like I'm stealing from him.

If you could go and check out my May Lick of the Month video here http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qj9nFlRrUaA and just watch how my left hand is positioned that may help show you a little of what I'm attempting to show you. I use part of the thumb to mute the strings after I play them and this also places my pick in a different position which makes picking both alternate and directional easy.
I also started using V-Picks which has made both my tone and playing better - believe it or not!

Hope this helps for now.

All the best,
Joe
# 15

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