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Thread: Fretting hand muting

  1. #1
    Join Date
    Mar 2013
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    Default Fretting hand muting

    Does any one have some favorite techniques for muting the upper strings? I am having a problem expecially on decending passages. So far all I have come up with is lightly laying my index finger on the strings.

    Brian

  2. #2
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    Jul 2011
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    Coquitlam, British Columbia, Canada
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    Be sure to use more than one finger to avoid producing accidental harmonics.

  3. #3

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    There is a kind of string bend thing I have used when trying to keep string noise down. When fretting, you push the fretted string a little further away from the ones that tend to sing along with it. If you're pedalling a note, pull the rest of the strings "upstream" of the pedalled string away from it while you play. I am surely not playing in the same league as you, since I have finger problems that keep me from advancing, but the problem of fret muting affects us all.


    - low life -

  4. #4
    Join Date
    Mar 2013
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    Thanks to you both.

    Elmeaux-the only league I play in is bush. After about a year and a half I am back at lesson 1-4 struggling with getting my fretting quiet and producing the note, just the note, and nothing but the note. My accomplishment to date is that I am now, proudly, in the 2nd percentile (I hope), of bass players. With any luck and ongoing work, I will make it to the 20th before I die.

    Brian

  5. #5

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    There are quite a few muting methods actually. I think a thread should be devoted to this topic. Here is a link which describes a number of techniques. I use the palm method when using a pick, and when plucking, I use my thumb for the lower pitch strings and my fretting fingers for the upper pitch strings. I use both my index finger, when possible, to mute on the headstock side of the fretted note and simply lay my fretting finger across the higher pitch strings to dampen them at other times. I don't think any one technique offers a silver bullet to solve the very annoying and tricky muting issue. I have read that Jaco Pastorius used the "extra" fingers on his plucking hand to mute. I have tried Jaco's method with very limited results so far. The text the link goes to also describes some "mechanical" muting methods using foam and also Victor Wooten's "scrunchie method".......interesting. As they say, Practice makes perfect, eventually.....maybe. Good luck!!

    http://smartbassguitar.com/muting-bass-guitar/

  6. #6
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    My local teacher taught me the following method for muting with the right hand on a 4 string bass (which sounds like what you [kimgee] describe as Jaco’s method). Apparently this method comes from classical guitar technique.

    My teacher does a very nice demonstration to show that muting isn’t a particularly big deal when playing at practice volumes, but at volumes needed when playing with others those vibrating strings certainly add a lot of background noise. (Suffice it to say that it’s a LOUD and unpleasant demonstration.) Since muting is very important when playing with others, it’s wise to learn to do it while practicing even though it may not seem necessary in your practice room.

    So here’s what I do:

    Each of the 4 fingers on the right (plucking) hand is assigned to a string. The pinky is used to mute the E string, the ring finger to mute the A string, the middle finger to mute the D string and the index finger to mute the G string. That’s the basic setup when you aren’t playing. (When I get ready to play, my right hand immediately moves to that position and it works well to keep things muted in between tunes.)

    To play any string, use the index and middle fingers alternately. To play the G string, each finger plucks the G and then comes to rest on the D string (and mutes it). To play the D string, alternate the two fingers and come to rest on the A string. During this, the G string must be muted with the left (fretting) hand. To play the A string, the ring finger is freed up and the G and D strings need to be muted by the fretting hand. Finally, when you play the E string, the pinky is freed up and the other three strings need to be muted by the left hand.

    When I first tried this, it was a big challenge. After about 2 months of paying attention to it, it became automatic.

    Simple exercises like this help in learning this method: Play several open string notes alternating fingers on the G string (muting the others), then the D, then the A, then the E, and then back up (A to D to G). Then try the same thing skipping strings (G to A, then D to E, then A to G, then E to D, and finally G to E and E to G).

    During this exercise, you should use your fretting hand to mute the other strings. It's probably easier to do the right hand first and add the left hand muting after the right hand starts to feel somewhat natural. Otherwise, it's a lot to keep track of at once.

    It seems to take about 2 months for each of my teacher’s students to get this to be automatic. I’m glad I did it.

  7. #7
    Join Date
    Mar 2011
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    brian i know how you feel. believe me i have started over so many times , some times i feel like a yo yo.. the last time wa the hardest when i had my brain tumor. please don,t let it get you down. we love the bass that is why we stay at it. i know that you will get there.so lets just have fun keep going keep the i on the prize and thunder ON
    Let's Play Bass!

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