Thumb muting and string “clicking”


matthewksmith93
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Joined: 07/13/21
Posts: 8
matthewksmith93
Full Access
Joined: 07/13/21
Posts: 8
02/06/2022 10:38 pm

Hello! I am working to introduce more thumb muting on the E and especially A string, but when I try to mute the A I end up just kind of fretting the 2 strings. Curious to hear any tips or general techniques that help. [br][br]

Also on bass register strings I'll often "click" it to the fret before strumming it and I have no idea how to fix it or if that's a totally normal thing. I don't see a lot of great guitar players doing it so it makes me think my fretting technique is too aggressive or just poor. Any advice is helpful thanks!


# 1
ChristopherSchlegel
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Joined: 08/09/05
Posts: 8,328
ChristopherSchlegel
Guitar Tricks Instructor
Joined: 08/09/05
Posts: 8,328
02/07/2022 12:18 pm
Originally Posted by: matthewksmith93

Hello! I am working to introduce more thumb muting on the E and especially A string, but when I try to mute the A I end up just kind of fretting the 2 strings. Curious to hear any tips or general techniques that help.[/quote][br]I only use my thumb to mute the low E string when playing certain things. The vast majority of muting on the lower strings is done with my picking hand palm. This tutorial covers all kinds of muting.

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

I've never used my thumb to mute the A string. It's really tricky to do without fretting the E string. I use my picking hand palm or the tips of fretting fingers to mute the A string when necessary.

What type of musical passage are you trying to play when you mute with your thumb?

[quote=matthewksmith93]Also on bass register strings I'll often "click" it to the fret before strumming it and I have no idea how to fix it or if that's a totally normal thing. I don't see a lot of great guitar players doing it so it makes me think my fretting technique is too aggressive or just poor.

Often muting is a combination of picking & fretting hand. So the best way to avoid that click is to either mute with your picking hand, or to fret less aggressively as you mention.

Having said that, sometimes those random clicks are fine as long as they happen in rhythmic time with the music you are playing. It can sound like a percussive sound that adds character to the music.

Hope that helps!


Christopher Schlegel
Guitar Tricks Instructor

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# 2
matthewksmith93
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Joined: 07/13/21
Posts: 8
matthewksmith93
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Joined: 07/13/21
Posts: 8
02/07/2022 7:47 pm

Thanks for the reply Chris, always good to hear from you.

I was trying to play some Hendrix and some SRV like the voodoo child intro and it sounds great if you can mute the strings to isolate the D and A strings like SRV was famous for with big strum type patterns.


# 3

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