[Wiz]

The prob is that say I'm playing something on the high E string without touching any other string. D or E will start vibrating pretty audibly. In many cases the low B will start vibrating too, and because it's a 7 string, it'll be pretty damn hard to mute it with the right hand if what you're playing is on the high 3 strings. Maybe you guys just have huge hands :P

I definitely noticed how muting with the right hand the strings lower (pitch wise) than the ones I'm playing on helps a lot eliminating the extra noise, but it's still far from perfect. I'll be working on this with time.

What about the thumb part of the hand? Do you use that to mute the lower strings when say, going vertically up a scale?

[Nomad]

I'm new here and certainly no expert, but...

Originally Posted by Wiz

The prob is that say I'm playing something on the high E string without touching any other string. D or E will start vibrating pretty audibly.

In many cases the low B will start vibrating too, and because it's a 7 string, it'll be pretty damn hard to mute it with the right hand if what you're playing is on the high 3 strings. Maybe you guys just have huge hands :P

In both cases I would use right hand palm mute. My hands aren't huge. I suppose the bottom line is us folks that like to play with heavy distortion have to use a different technique than that of other guitar styles.

[Seedawakener]

Originally Posted by Wiz

The prob is that say I'm playing something on the high E string without touching any other string. D or E will start vibrating pretty audibly. In many cases the low B will start vibrating too, and because it's a 7 string, it'll be pretty damn hard to mute it with the right hand if what you're playing is on the high 3 strings.

Well, that is what you are supposed to do.

A good exercise would be playing a chromatic 4 notes per string scale ascending to the high E and then going backwards again. Works just as well with any 3 note per string scale too. Anyway, while doing that make sure your right hand follows the movements of your left hand and follows it so that it lies on the string underneath it (pitchwise) all the time. So just play the thing and make sure you mute the string just underneath it as a start. That should do a lot!

For the the higher strings... Try to play with your left hand-fingers pretty straight so that they basicaly lie on top of those strings. I play with a lot of distortion but even though I dont always mute all the lighter strings I feel its fairly noisefree... Try this exercise, or try to apply the technique to your playing.

[neon_black88]

Man ive never really thought about muting before as part of my technique... ever. I know its happening but it seems so natural, man it would suck to be a ripping player only to try some distorted electric and sounding like a noob. Haha. I cant really give any advice, id say like the other guys its something that cant be taught, it just comes with experience.

[Seedawakener]

Originally Posted by neon_black88

Man ive never really thought about muting before as part of my technique... ever. I know its happening but it seems so natural, man it would suck to be a ripping player only to try some distorted electric and sounding like a noob. Haha. I cant really give any advice, id say like the other guys its something that cant be taught, it just comes with experience.

Of course it can be taught! I know a lot of friends who never mute their strings and it sounds like shit when they are playing. Basically because they dont realize it sounds like shit. But wiz now knows that so he can take action. My guitar teacher gave me that exercise I just showed you and it helped me very fast. It became part of my technique pretty fast and now I dont think of it as it comes automatically.

But remember... you can definatly be taught this...

[neon_black88]

im sorry mabye it can. Its just I dont think ive ever discussed it as a full on technique before, but ofcourse there will be exercises to help improve it and such . Now that I think about it my guitar teacher is a full on jazz/classical guy. Mabye I should try handing him my 7 and get him to play some full on distorted riffage and see what happens . Haha this has just got me curious.

[Seedawakener]

Originally Posted by neon_black88

im sorry mabye it can. Its just I dont think ive ever discussed it as a full on technique before, but ofcourse there will be exercises to help improve it and such . Now that I think about it my guitar teacher is a full on jazz/classical guy. Mabye I should try handing him my 7 and get him to play some full on distorted riffage and see what happens . Haha this has just got me curious.

Well maybe its not a technique by itself but it becomes part of your picking technique you know. Its on autopilot for me now, probably the same goes for other people too.

[MF_Kitten]

i now play really really clean when playing acoustic as well... i always have all the unused strings muted by laying my fingers over them... just resting over them... easy as pie! :P

[Crucified]

Originally Posted by Regor

Low Gain - Mute the strings with your hands

High Gain - Mute the strings with your hands, and add a noise gate

/quoted for truth

[Jongpil Yun]

Pick holding definitely CAN be taught. Muting I think is a matter of experience for sure though.