| Palm muting on the guitar - what is it used | | | | far down to hear how it has no effect at all. |
| for?It's used sometimes in various types of | | | | The positions in between are what you'll |
| music, with both electric and acoustic | | | | want to use.Once you have the sound you want, |
| guitars. It's often heard in rock music with | | | | you'll usually be able to pick any string and |
| distorted guitars. Palm muting will muffle | | | | get the same level of palm muting. Just be |
| the ringing of the guitar so the notes don't | | | | cautious that you don't move the hand too far |
| ring for as long of a duration when played. | | | | up or down the strings as you pick if you |
| When you want to get a chunky sound out of | | | | want to keep the same sound.Things to try for |
| the guitar, palm muting is what you want to | | | | practiceTo practice, you can try walking |
| use. Palm muting can also be used to show a | | | | through a scale while palm muting. Also try |
| contrast between loud and soft, so you can | | | | playing some 5th chords (also commonly known |
| play with palm mutes to make it sound | | | | as power chords), see if you can get the |
| muffled, and then unleash a fuller sound by | | | | right sound in all the strings you're |
| stopping the palm mute.How to do itIt takes | | | | playing. Remember, be careful about |
| some practice to get it perfect, but it's not | | | | accidentally moving the hand while playing. |
| hard to palm mute. To do it, you need to | | | | It'll take some practice, but after you |
| take your strumming/picking hand and rest it | | | | figure it out, it's not hard to do. If you |
| against the bridge of the guitar. Use the | | | | play an electric guitar, try using |
| part of your hand just above the wrist. When | | | | distortion. It can often be a lot easier to |
| you want to get the muffled sound from the | | | | hear the difference this way.Also try playing |
| string you're playing, you rest it barely | | | | across all the strings while palm muting to |
| against the end of the string. It should | | | | see what the difference is for your hand |
| still be able to ring a bit, but it will be | | | | position. Playing a palm muted low E string |
| muffled. If you hear just a "thunk" sound | | | | is a bit different than playing the high E |
| with no tone, then you've moved your hand too | | | | string with palm muting. Most of the time |
| far up the guitar (towards the neck). Try | | | | the three lowest strings (E, A, D) are used |
| slowly sliding the hand back as you pick | | | | for palm muting techniques, but knowing how |
| until you get the sound you want. And just | | | | to palm mute the other three may come in |
| rest your hand! There's no need to push | | | | handy.Now? Play!Now the only thing left for |
| against the guitar. A gentle touch is all | | | | you to do is practice, and get used to the |
| you need to get the job done.Palm muting is | | | | technique. Listen for the technique being |
| not meant to be an exact art. If you want to | | | | used in music you hear. If it's a song you |
| only mute it a little, you'll have your | | | | know how to play, try imitating it. Even if |
| picking hand resting mostly off the string, | | | | it's a song you don't know how to play, you |
| just barely touching. If you want to mute it | | | | can probably still figure out what's being |
| more, then you'll want to slide it farther | | | | done and learn it without too much trouble. |
| up. The best way to figure out how to get | | | | But now that you can palm mute, you can use |
| the sound you want is to play one note over | | | | the skill to broaden your musical sound!Alan |
| and over on one string, slowly easing the | | | | Marquez is a guitarist with over 10 years of |
| right hand along the end of string by the | | | | experience. He plays on a weekly basis and |
| bridge. Try taking it too far up to hear how | | | | has taught guitar for over five years. |
| you can mute the sound completely, and too | | | | |