Muting

[Hot Tub]

Is there a "proper" way to mute the strings that aren't being played? I play fretted 4 and 5-strings, and there's always just that little bit of background ringing. It's only slightly - but noticably - worse on the 5. Thanks for any advice!

[Paul_C]

[quote name='Astronomer' post='160112' date='Mar 19 2008, 09:51 AM']Is there a "proper" way to mute the strings that aren't being played? I play fretted 4 and 5-strings, and there's always just that little bit of background ringing. It's only slightly - but noticably - worse on the 5. Thanks for any advice! [/quote]

If your right-hand technique allows you to place your thumb onto the string below the one being plucked, you can angle your hand such that your thumb mutes the string below it, and your left hand mutes the strings above.

[Hot Tub]

The Adam Nitti stuff looks really good! Thanks for that guys!

[jakenewmanbass]

[quote name='Astronomer' post='160112' date='Mar 19 2008, 09:51 AM']Is there a "proper" way to mute the strings that aren't being played? I play fretted 4 and 5-strings, and there's always just that little bit of background ringing. It's only slightly - but noticably - worse on the 5. Thanks for any advice! [/quote]

Its good that you are considering it now, it can be a bit shocking to hear unwanted noises in the studio on a project, as you have to rectify there and then.
You can mute/damp with both left and right hands, as suggested by the others using the right thumb and holding your left hand fingers flat against the strings that aren't being played. In very quiet passages its a good idea to rest your right third finger on the string higher than you are plucking too.
All in all its a good idea to have a few damping techniques as what you play will affect what you can do in terms of muting or damping.
Jake

Edited April 7, 2008 by jakesbass

[ahpook]

[quote name='Astronomer' post='160112' date='Mar 19 2008, 09:51 AM']I play fretted 4 and 5-strings, and there's always just that little bit of background ringing.[/quote]

do you live near a church perhaps ?

[mcgraham]

The number of players with poor muting is truly shocking. I've actually been quite disturbed or even disgusted by some phenomenal players with awful muting. Kind of makes you wonder eh?. As dlloyd said there's less opportunity on a 4 for ringing than a 5. Even if you anchor your thumb really heavily and you play the highest string you likely touching at least the A and the D wth your thumb.

I highly recommend the floating thumb method. If you start with it you're unlikely to ever go back as it allows you to hop around the strings with no restrictions, and the muting method (sliding your thumb perpendicular to the string length but parallel to the string spread) is highly efficiency, meaning that there's no awkwardness in changing the strings that you mute that any anchor requires you to do.

Other options that anchor (i.e. that require you to change what you are muting when you change what strings you are playing) are what Patitucci and Janek use (as far as I'm aware), is to insert your remaining fingers (3rd and 4th) into the other strings. I think they anchor on the B or E then the next highest they use their pinky and the next one they use their ring (where appropriate and if necessary).

Another muting idea I thought of is to relax your 3rd and 4th fingers and tuck them right under (like only they are in a relaxed fist) and, similar to the muting thumb but with the backs of those fingers) use them as a sliding mute. That would allow anyone to keep their *precious* anchor and still afford them the benefit of a sliding mute.

Mark

[mewsie]

[quote name='dlloyd' post='160119' date='Mar 19 2008, 11:01 AM'][url="http://www.adamnitti.com/lessons.shtml"]http://www.adamnitti.com/lessons.shtml[/url][/quote]

good linkage - ta!

x

[cheddatom]

This all seems a bit weird to me, I always mute everything with my left hand, thumb over the top for the lower strings. Is this weird and/or innefective?

[bassbloke]

[quote name='cheddatom' post='169902' date='Apr 4 2008, 04:56 PM']This all seems a bit weird to me, I always mute everything with my left hand, thumb over the top for the lower strings. Is this weird and/or innefective?[/quote]

It's not the best way of doing things. I've only ever seen one player on a five string using the thumb of the top technique and that was the bassist in Running Wild who effectively used TIMR on left hand rather than IMRL, which seemed and looked bizarre. Using your right hand for muting is far more efficient and sounds better too.

[ZMech]

[quote name='Astronomer' post='160112' date='Mar 19 2008, 10:51 AM']Is there a "proper" way to mute the strings that aren't being played? I play fretted 4 and 5-strings, and there's always just that little bit of background ringing. It's only slightly - but noticably - worse on the 5. Thanks for any advice! [/quote]

I switched to the floating thumb method after watching [url="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PPVMBPmrblU"]this[/url] video about it by Todd Johnson. As well as working as a mute, i've found it really improved my string switching ability. Well worth watching i reckon.

[quote name='cheddatom' post='169902' date='Apr 4 2008, 04:56 PM']This all seems a bit weird to me, I always mute everything with my left hand, thumb over the top for the lower strings. Is this weird and/or innefective?[/quote]

surely that limits the amount of reach you can get with your left hand? I find that with my thumb on the back of the neck instead I can stretch further and more comfortably. Perhaps you just have bigger hands

Edited April 6, 2008 by Zach

[cheddatom]

[quote name='Zach' post='170710' date='Apr 6 2008, 02:25 PM']Perhaps you just have bigger hands[/quote]

Maybe - I play a 6 string. I don't think my hands are any bigger than average though. I think I do I use my right hand fingers to mute strings when i'm playing fingerstyle, but I like to strum all the strings with some of them muted for a percussive effect, and obviously you can't do that with your right hand.