Do you guys rest your hand on the top strings when bending or picking notes?

1

I see a lot of people rest their hand on the top strings when picking or bending? Is this proper?

2

It’s probably muting things so is good technique but it’s hard to know without actual examples

1 Like
3

Martin

As Rob says difficult to tell without specific examples. As a rule of thumb, strings above the note you are picking or bending should be muted with the palm of the picking hand. Bit like a palm mute but dead not slightly muffled. Strings below mute with fretting hand by laying the fingers flat or flatter.

Hope that helps or you could be talking about something completely different.

Cheers

Toby
:sunglasses:

2 Likes
4

Hey, thanks for the responses, it’s more from Californication [SOLO] Guitar Lesson | Red Hot Chili Peppers - YouTube
at 3:50

5

That is what Justin is describing, using the pad of the palm in line with ring and pinkie fingers to mute the strings above the one you pick for the bend, which stops them ringing out. :sunglasses:

2 Likes
6

Yeah I think that’s fairly normal.

Sometimes with the a bend they’ll even rake the deadened lower strings before they hit the string to give it some oomph.

I’m not an amazing player but I’ve played for a while and it’s the kind of thing I do without being aware of it now

7

Most Blues Rock/Blues players do this as the notes on their own often sound mhew ! If you are fret with middle ring or pinkie you can also lay your index finger down to mute strings above and below the note you are playing. Or mute with the side of the thumb of your picking hand and use middle ring pinkie to mute strings below the note picked. Plenty of options and all need to be practiced. :sunglasses:

2 Likes
8

I’ve not got that working very well , trying to get a sound like Nick Johnston but its not easy!

2 Likes