Fretting notes?

Hello, I'm still a beginner and I'm working on GF1. Until now I'm fretting notes as perpendicular as possible, in order to have clear tones on the adjacent strings. For chords, I imagine that this is the best practice. However, when playing melodies, I wonder if it isn't better to fret notes at an angle all the time. I do this occasionally to mute adjacent strings, to stop notes from ringing out, as explained in 'Tame your melody tone'... but is this better? Should I only play with angled fingers if I want to mute an adjacent string and perpendicular if I don't need need to mute adjacent strings?

Thank you in advance,

Jan (a.k.a. Sore Fingers)

Either is 'better' depending on what you want to achieve.

If you want adjacent strings to sound, such as when strumming chords, you need to keep your fingers from touching them. At other times, such as when playing single note melodies, you may find muting adjacent strings by letting your fingers touch them beneficial.

There's a mini course on here that covers the subject of string muting, and it also gets a mention in many courses.

Originally Posted by: Sore.fingersHowever, when playing melodies, I wonder if it isn't better to fret notes at an angle all the time.[/quote]

The general principle is to use the most natural & efficient finge placement & motion to play any series of notes & chords. That can be a different angles depending on the musical passage. But to be clear it is just the tip of of your finger (last knuckle joint to finger pad) that really needs most often to be more perpendicular.

In general, whatever you need to do to make the music happen is fine. Just be careful not to paint yourself into a corner by making it harder to get to the next note, chord or phrase.

[quote=Sore.fingers]Should I only play with angled fingers if I want to mute an adjacent string and perpendicular if I don't need need to mute adjacent strings?

It really depends on the musical passage you are playing at the time. Often for beginners playing chords you are trying to let open strings ring, and or, lower fretted notes ring. And the biggest cause of muting them is interference from the tips of fingers that are too angled!

This tutorial covers muting as mentioned by DraconusJLM.

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

Hope this helps!

Originally Posted by: ChristopherSchlegel

This tutorial covers muting as mentioned by DraconusJLM.

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

Hope this helps!

That's the one I had in mind

Hello and thank you for the answers. I'll check out the tutorial.

Originally Posted by: ChristopherSchlegelBut to be clear it is just the tip of of your finger (last knuckle joint to finger pad) that really needs most often to be more perpendicular.

I tried to play guitar with my entire fingers perpendicular on the fretboard, but it was indeed a bit awkward

I just checked out these tutorials. It starts to make sense.

Originally Posted by: Sore.fingers

I just checked out these tutorials. It starts to make sense.

Good deal!