# Do you avoid playing open strings whenever possible?



## farren (May 11, 2013)

In the violin world, most players will advise you to avoid playing open strings whenever possible. The timbre is different and it's evident to most ears when you're playing, say, an open D as opposed to the same note higher up on the G string. This seems perfectly reasonable to me and not just an artifact of traditionalism like many lesser bits of conventional wisdom in the culture surrounding any instrument.

I've never heard this applied as a rule to the guitar before, though it's something I believe in and I'm sure many people practice it without actively considering it. Obviously there are times when playing an open string is necessary due to fingerings, the impracticality of playing a single fretted note before a fast and lengthy position change when you could give yourself more time by playing the same note on an open string, or when you require a note to continue to sustain after a position change.

The difference in timbre is primarily determined by the substance of the nut and will be less obvious with certain materials as opposed to others. The ultimate solution to the timbre difference is, of course, having a zero fret.

Just something to think about from the collective pool of knowledge of another not-so-distant string instrument.


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## davemeistro (May 11, 2013)

Hmm, I actually try to hit open strings as much as possible. I love the contrast in the deep timbre of playing the low strings high up on the neck while having a few clear, bright, open strings act as a pedal of sorts. To each his own I guess, if it sounds good, it sounds good!


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## tedtan (May 11, 2013)

I treat this on a case by case basis. Sometimes I want the open string sound, sometimes I don't. Sometimes the only way to play a passage is to incorporate the open string, sometimes it's not. So for me, it varies based on what I am going for.


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## ncfiala (May 11, 2013)

I'm a little ashamed to admit it, but I'm lazy and sloppy so I keep fret wraps on the fretboard all the time on most of my guitars to completely mute open strings. So playing open strings for me isn't even an option most of the time. I am starting to experiment with open strings more though.


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## Fantomas (May 11, 2013)

I avoid them when possible. I find that I have less control over the sound with open strings. 
Also if you play fast riffs, the open string has a noticeable different tension which is something you need to compensate for. 

My bandmates often come up with riffs that incorporate a lot of open strings and I always rework them so I can play them on fretted positions.
Sounds a lot better. I play in a deathmetal band though, mileage may vary with other styles.


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## dcoughlin1 (May 11, 2013)

I try avoiding them when I'm playing fast. When I play something slow that is a completely different story. When I played the viola and cello a couple of years ago I really liked playing open strings for some reason even though I was advised not to play them so often.


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## Daf57 (May 11, 2013)

I don't mind open strings at all, I treat them as special notes - they are free notes, they don't cost a finger.  They are welcome in most of the music I write, but I can see how they could be rogue in other styles. 

I did not know that about the violin - interesting for sure!


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## ElRay (May 11, 2013)

That's why zero frets exist.

Ray


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## Nykur_Myrkvi (May 11, 2013)

For me it depends on the part I'm playing.

I love using open strings in riffs but if I'm shredding I'll avoid it.


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## Jzbass25 (May 11, 2013)

It depends, same for orchestra instruments too. Like others said it depends on what timbre you want/interpret. When I played in philharmonics we wouldn't avoid open notes meticulously per se, we would just use open strings or closed notes depending on what timbre the conductor wanted or what we interpreted the composer wanted. Often really "beautiful" pieces called for closed notes without open strings so that there is more continuity and control. On guitar though I see a lot of open note use with things like peddling, etc. Again, it just depends no matter what instrument or song.


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## Fat-Elf (May 11, 2013)

I only avoid them when tremolo picking or playing basic power chords on a 7-string.


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## AugmentedFourth (May 11, 2013)

Anyone who plays upright knows to use open strings as much as possible, as it allows you to keep in tune much closer, (no frets on a 44" scale, haha). Plus, it sounds better.


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## TRENCHLORD (May 11, 2013)

Just like a good woman, they love to be used and I like using them.


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## yingmin (May 11, 2013)

I play open strings frequently, to the point that my style depends on it. I've written things that either literally can't be played without taking advantage of open strings, or would be excessively difficult with no or negative gain in sound.


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## Osorio (May 11, 2013)

I use open strings as much as I can.

Here is an anecdote about timbre and playing in a band: I used to tune my guitar different (one step lower) then the other guitarist in the band, so we had different open strings and played similar riffs in very different ways.
In the end, our instruments, although similar, generated very different sounding phrases, even if we were playing in unison. It was a pretty cool effect.


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## piggins411 (May 12, 2013)

I use them a lot in chords, and I love to tap so they're pretty important to me


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## Given To Fly (May 12, 2013)

I generally try to avoid them. Part of it is due to how I was taught but the other part is the timbral difference between a fretted note and an open string, especially on classical guitar. However, sometimes using an open string makes something 100x easier to play in which case I go with the open string.


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## Mr. Big Noodles (May 12, 2013)

farren said:


> In the violin world, most players will advise you to avoid playing open strings whenever possible. The timbre is different and it's evident to most ears when you're playing, say, an open D as opposed to the same note higher up on the G string. This seems perfectly reasonable to me and not just an artifact of traditionalism like many lesser bits of conventional wisdom in the culture surrounding any instrument.





AugmentedFourth said:


> Anyone who plays upright knows to use open strings as much as possible, as it allows you to keep in tune much closer, (no frets on a 44" scale, haha). Plus, it sounds better.



As AugmentedFourth wrote, for string players, intonation is a concern. As far as I know (not being a string player, but knowing a few and having to deal with them on occasion), open strings are encouraged to check intonation.

Anyway...

I like fretted notes because I have more control over them. Open strings are all shimmery and beautiful and make the rest of the fretboard look bad.


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## Experimorph (May 12, 2013)

I absolutely love the sound of open strings when playing clean or acoustic passages. I usually find myself using them for extending chords.


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## celticelk (May 12, 2013)

I'm a big Bill Frisell fan, so I definitely love me some open strings. I also don't play very fast, which may bias my opinion. =)


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## muffinbutton (May 12, 2013)

I play deathcore and other -core stuff. So yeah. I use them a lot. I also have a locking nut, so it sounds the same.


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## purg3be (May 12, 2013)

I love the bottom strings played open but I try to avoid the higher ones. You can put so much more feels in fretted notes plus you can actually bend strings.


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## farren (May 12, 2013)

SchecterWhore said:


> As AugmentedFourth wrote, for string players, intonation is a concern. As far as I know (not being a string player, but knowing a few and having to deal with them on occasion), open strings are encouraged to check intonation.



I can't speak for stand-up or cello or even viola, but I'm actually not making this up about violin if that's what your quote dichotomy was meant to suggest  It's more heavily emphasized when playing arpeggios and such when a note of different timbre is more likely to stand out, and of course when vibrato is required (which is usually quite often).

I can see how "recentering" the ear by playing occasional open notes would be more necessary on a fretless instrument with a much longer scale, but for violin (and probably viola), muscle memory paired with a decent ear is adequate for locking in your intonation without need of reference notes.


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## Jzbass25 (May 12, 2013)

farren said:


> I can't speak for stand-up or cello or even viola, but I'm actually not making this up about violin if that's what your quote dichotomy was meant to suggest  It's more heavily emphasized when playing arpeggios and such when a note of different timbre is more likely to stand out, and of course when vibrato is required (which is usually quite often).
> 
> I can see how "recentering" the ear by playing occasional open notes would be more necessary on a fretless instrument with a much longer scale, but for violin (and probably viola), muscle memory paired with a decent ear is adequate for locking in your intonation without need of reference notes.



It's definitely more emphasized to close notes on violin than it is on bass and even cello. I can't really say for viola since I've never played it but I could ask a friend who plays. 

Some people even on fretted instruments like bass dislike using open strings, hence (as others said) that's why the zero fret is around. Phil Lesh said don't play open strings unless you mean it, which I can agree with depending on situation, back to my earlier post it is all situational for me no matter what instrument. Yes violin you do close the notes more often because you want more control over the shrillness and usually violin is trying to sing a melody which can call for vibrato and other lyrical touches to the string that you can't really get with open strings.

Personally though on guitar I love open strings, not even that, I love slight clashing which open and fretted notes can do. Vai does it with some of his bigger chords and I love the sound, Boston Rain melody and his new Album has some good examples of what I'm talking about.


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## celticelk (May 12, 2013)

purg3be said:


> I love the bottom strings played open but I try to avoid the higher ones. You can put so much more feels in fretted notes plus you can actually bend strings.



There are a number of Tele players who would offer an alternative opinion on the bendability of open strings. =)


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## Mr. Big Noodles (May 12, 2013)

farren said:


> I can't speak for stand-up or cello or even viola, but I'm actually not making this up about violin if that's what your quote dichotomy was meant to suggest  It's more heavily emphasized when playing arpeggios and such when a note of different timbre is more likely to stand out, and of course when vibrato is required (which is usually quite often).
> 
> I can see how "recentering" the ear by playing occasional open notes would be more necessary on a fretless instrument with a much longer scale, but for violin (and probably viola), muscle memory paired with a decent ear is adequate for locking in your intonation without need of reference notes.



Makes sense. It's probably more of an issue for beginning students to train their ear than it is for professionals who are trying to make the best interpretation they can.


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## farren (May 12, 2013)

SchecterWhore said:


> Makes sense. It's probably more of an issue for beginning students to train their ear than it is for professionals who are trying to make the best interpretation they can.



Yeah, in the beginning it's certainly okay to sacrifice consistency of timbre by using the open strings as reference pitches so as to ensure you're actually playing in tune.


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## Hyacinth (May 13, 2013)

I do neither. I don't avoid them and I don't go nuts with them. When the part calls for it, I'll use them. It's as simple as that.


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## Curt (May 13, 2013)

I don't avoid them unless I need the timbre to be consistent. So in heavy riffing, no I don't. But in soloing or higher on the board, Yes.


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