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Muting questions.


theburp
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Joined: 09/25/15
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theburp
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07/10/2026 7:08 am

I have two questions involving muting.


1)  I do a bend upwards for 1 step, but there is not a corresponding downward, so I need to mute while the note is one step high.  What is the best way to do this?


2) I have a chord, 2nd finger on D, G is not played and B and E (high) are open. I don't what to do with that non played G?


 


Thanks..


edited
# 1
William MG
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William MG
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07/10/2026 11:21 pm

Muting the bend would probably be done with a palm mute, I’ve never muted a bend. And the E power chord, the G would be muted by your finger laying against it. Play through it. 


One more pizza for the road!

# 2
theburp
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theburp
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07/11/2026 6:59 am
#2 Originally Posted by: William MG

Muting the bend would probably be done with a palm mute, I’ve never muted a bend. And the E power chord, the G would be muted by your finger laying against it. Play through it. 

Thanks, exactly how would I do a palm mute.  The song in question is Secret Agent Man.


I have tried using a finger gently on the G but I still hear it.  Am I doing something wrong?


# 3
William MG
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William MG
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07/11/2026 11:47 am

I watched a video lesson on that song, is there a muted bend? I saw a lot of very quick slides. I guess if I did need to do something like that, probably just muting with the left hand would be possible. Just put your fingers down against the strings quickly like your grabbing the neck. But use palm muting when I need to mute. There are probably videos on this site are certainly YouTube that will show you how to do that. 


I’m not sure what kind of a guitar you are playing, but if you’re playing an acoustic guitar, non-amplified, I could understand how you might still be getting that thump, thump thump as you pick over the muted string. If you’re playing through an electric guitar, turn the volume up. 


One more pizza for the road!

# 4
ChristopherSchlegel
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ChristopherSchlegel
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07/11/2026 1:22 pm
#1 Originally Posted by: theburp

I have two questions involving muting.


1)  I do a bend upwards for 1 step, but there is not a corresponding downward, so I need to mute while the note is one step high.  What is the best way to do this?


2) I have a chord, 2nd finger on D, G is not played and B and E (high) are open. I don't what to do with that non played G?


 


Thanks..

1) Mute with both hands. Fretting hand maintains contact with the strings as you move to the next note(s). Picking hand palm mutes any other unwanted strings or sounds.


2) William has the right idea: mute the G string with the pad of your finger that is fretting the D string.  As you strum through the chord you will hit the G string but should only make a light ghost note sound that won't be as loud as the notes on the other strings.  Alternately, you could hybrid pick this by picking the D string and playing the B and E strings with your middle and ring fingers.  But I don't think that's what you are after here.


I did an entire tutorial on muting covering both hands and for various skill levels and purposes.

https://www.guitartricks.com/tutorial/2281/

Some of the info in there will help you.  Best of success!


Christopher Schlegel
Guitar Tricks Instructor
Christopher Schlegel Lesson Directory

# 5

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