I hate my stupid guitar! (1 Viewer)

[SoCal]

like i said, you're always meant to strum with your wrist, not your whole arm.

as crass as the explaination is, try and make a wanking motion with your hand, while keeping your arm still.

its alot harder to explain your problem without being able to see what you're doing.

You said your hand shouldn't move, but it must if you play from your wrist. Unless you mean don't move your arm, not your hand and arm.

 

[Jase]

what the? why are you muting right at the bridge?
well mabye i've been muting wrong all the time, but can't you mute just about anywhere with your right hand? even down the neck.

btw is that an affinity or a standard squire?

 

[SoCal]

what the? why are you muting right at the bridge?
well mabye i've been muting wrong all the time, but can't you mute just about anywhere with your right hand? even down the neck.

Hmm, maybe my diagram shows me muting a little bit too close to the bridge but you can't go too far along or the chord will be muted too much and you get a dull sound that doesn't actually play the chord/note.

btw is that an affinity or a standard squire?

Affinity Series.

 

[Jase]

It's really hard to give advice because every guitar and every guitar player is different. i guess you'll just have to get more of a feel for it while trying not to touch the knobs. ^^
but the important thing is.. have fun.

And also, the affinity series are cheaper than the standard, and the standard squires aren't even real fenders. So it *could* be your guitar, but i'm pretty sure the positioning of those knobs would be the same in all strats and strat copies. But remember that old chinese proverb, "it is not the guitar that makes the player, but the player who makes the guitar."
or something similar...

 

[SoCal]

It's really hard to give advice because every guitar and every guitar player is different. i guess you'll just have to get more of a feel for it while trying not to touch the knobs. ^^
but the important thing is.. have fun.

Yeah, I'm just not going to palm mute until I get a better guitar that has its knobs elsewhere.

And also, the affinity series are cheaper than the standard, and the standard squires aren't even real fenders. So it *could* be your guitar, but i'm pretty sure the positioning of those knobs would be the same in all strats and strat copies. But remember that old chinese proverb, "it is not the guitar that makes the player, but the player who makes the guitar."
or something similar...

Yeah, it is a pretty cheap, crappy guitar, but I am only learning.

 

[minushuman]

you can also mute the string with your fret hand. Kinda like muting a chord, you still play the chord but you're muting it. A lot of punk bands does that. You move your finger on the string but don't press it down and to get the note you have to put your fingers right on top of the fret.

An example, "Small things" blink182

but when you play an xxxxxx muting use the palm of your right hand on the string. I don't see how it can be anywhere near the volume knob

What your describing is a dumped string or chord, nirvanas smells like teen spirit is a prime example. You play an (F5?) power chord, starting at the 1st fret of E then you simply raise your fingers clear off the fret board, but still on the strings, and strum, then you move onto to (B5?), starting first fret A string.

A mute (or palm mute more corectly, to distinguish it from dumping) involves your right hand being laid over the point of contact where the strings meet the bridge. the blade of your hand palm (opposite the thumb) is the only part that should touch, your pinky either running more or less parrallel with the strings or flared out so it doesnt touch the volume knobs.

Take merithronds picture and have your pinky where the whammy bar is (metal thing coming out of the bride). It isn't really possible to run it dead straight done through the gap in the knobs because your pinky will move when you pluck..

you can do that, but then it'll sound flat but not quite a half step down or anything. you'll understand this a lot better if you have a slide. You know how a lot of string instruments that doesn't have frets all over the neck like Violin or classical Bass. A guitar is kinda like that, but with frets you can only hear notes at certain frequencies. When you're not using the frets and muting it with your "Fretting hand" your fingers becomes the frets. because your fingers are not made out of Brass or copper etc. the string doesn't vibrate a great deal.

When muting fingers = fret. that's why to make sure it doesn't sound flat you put your finger over where the fret should be.

Hope you get the idea.

Harmonics (both natural and artificial) are entirely differnt to dumped strings, and no you should certainly not dump with your fingers over the frets. Harmonics are used for a purpose, they make a note *sing*, usually at the 3rd, 5th, 7th, 9th or 12th. You lightly touch the string above the fret, pluck it gently and at the same time remove your finger off the string. Its most effective at the 12th and creates a note one octave higher (like you played it at the 24th).

If you inadvertanly strike harmonics when attempting to dump (or left hand mute) it will sound horrendous, so avoid dumping above frets, just do it where you would normally stick your fingers down.

 

[SoCal]

A mute (or palm mute more corectly, to distinguish it from dumping) involves your right hand being laid over the point of contact where the strings meet the bridge. the blade of your hand palm (opposite the thumb) is the only part that should touch, your pinky either running more or less parrallel with the strings or flared out so it doesnt touch the volume knobs.

Take merithronds picture and have your pinky where the whammy bar is (metal thing coming out of the bride). It isn't really possible to run it dead straight done through the gap in the knobs because your pinky will move when you pluck..

So when you say your pinkie should be parallel with the strings, do you mean have your pinkie facing the neck or the bridge? Could you also explain what you mean by having your pinkie "flared out"? Thanks.

 

[Jase]

Now I don't play a three knob Strat.. but I hope this photo has my fingers missing that third knob. ^^ .. something like this.
Since you usually only mute the bass strings, and not the treble, you can place your palm with a slight slant. at least.. that's what i naturally do..

Oh and that thing about the dumping/harmonics.. it all really depends on your playing style or the song you're trying to play.

 

[SoCal]

Now I don't play a three knob Strat.. but I hope this photo has my fingers missing that third knob. ^^ .. something like this.
Since you usually only mute the bass strings, and not the treble, you can place your palm with a slight slant. at least.. that's what i naturally do..

Oh, I suppose that is right, about only mute the bass strings. Yeah, I will try that and just keep working on it. Thanks.

 

[mcdickpants 2.5]

id say thats a case closed.