String noise

Hi,

My name is Ken and I've recently joined Guitar Trick. An Absolute beginner.

When I take my finger off the a string after playing it, there is a "residual" sound as I move to the next string. What causes this? Is it the way I'm taking my finger off?

Any comments appreciated.

Hey & welcome to GT!

Originally Posted by: ken.needham

When I take my finger off the a string after playing it, there is a "residual" sound as I move to the next string. What causes this? Is it the way I'm taking my finger off?

Effective muting technique will fix this. Use your picking/strumming hand palm to mute any & all strings that you don't want to ring. Use your fretting hand to mute also. When you are done fretting a string don't pull your fingers away from the strings. Continue to make slight contact with the strings. Just release enough pressure to stop the string from ringing. Keep enough pressure on the strings to stop them from making unwanted sound.

Also, remember if you are a beginner, then you are doing great just to get some notes fretted, picked & sounding good! Muting is another layer of technique to add in once you get the basics mechanics of fretting notes. Guitar is a constant process of refinement.

I cover basic right & left hand technique involving muting in this series of lessons.

https://www.guitartricks.com/lesson.php?input=10657&s_id=359

This tutorial covers fretting & strumming hand muting. In particular have a look at the beginner level tips.

https://www.guitartricks.com/tutorial.php?input=2281

Hope this helps. Please ask more if necessary & best of success!

Thx, I think I didn't explain exactly the problem very well. I'm practicing moving from one fret to the next on the same String (High E). As I pluck the string on the first fret and lift my finger and then press down on the 3rd fret on the same string, there is a residual noise as I lift my finger off the first fret. It's almost like a vibration. It's the same eaxh time I move from fret to fret?

Ken

That's even easier to fix because the muting is built into the musical phrase you are trying to do.

Originally Posted by: ken.needham

I'm practicing moving from one fret to the next on the same String (High E). As I pluck the string on the first fret and lift my finger . . .

If you just playing a note on the same string leave your index finger in place, just slightly release pressure, but maintain contact with the string. The only time any string should be free to ring is when you want it to sound a note. Otherwise you need to mute the strings you don't want sounding.

Make sense?

I think so. I'm only playing the high High E string. I play with the first fret pressed with my index finger, then play an open note, then press the 3rd fret with my ring finger, then repeat the sequence. So I have to lift my first finger to play the next two notes??

Ken

Exactly what lesson are you working on?

Originally Posted by: ken.needham

I'm only playing the high High E string. I play with the first fret pressed with my index finger, then play an open note . . .[/quote][p]I thought you were only playing the 1st fret then the 3rd fret. But there is also an open string note?

[quote=ken.needham]So I have to lift my first finger to play the next two notes??

You need to lift your finger off the string gently only when you need to play open string notes.

But in general the idea is to maintain contact with the strings so they don't make unwanted noise or sound.

Thx, that helps.

Ken

Originally Posted by: ken.needham

Thx, that helps.

You're welcome!