posted February 14, 2003 09:29 AM         

When you first start learning your main focus is on the notes you are playing and hitting and your only concern is with the notes your fingers are on. As you get better and start playing with a lot of distortion you will learn the strings you are not playing and the fingers you are not using for a note are every bit as important as the ones you are.

There is no easy way to describe how to properly mute without being face to face.
But I will try.
You will need to use the palm of your strumming hand to mute out any strings you are not playing on. So if you are playing on the High E for a solo, your palm should be muting the other 5 strings or they will ring.
If you are playing on a lower string like the A or E, you index finger should mute out the higher strings. The best way I can describe this is like a bar chord. You know how when doing a bar chord you fret all the strings on one fret all the way down. Well when muting do the same thing, but just rest your index finger on the strings and don't press down hard enough to fret them. This will prevent them from ringing out. So even though you are only playing a single note, your fingers and right palm will be touching all the strings in some fashion and combination.

You will need to combine both the above techniques to play notes on the D and G strings.

So if you are playing a lead note on the 5th fret of the G string with your 3rd finger. Your right palm will need to mute the low E, A and D and your left index will need to mute the B and high E.

Of course you can use all kinds of variations and I am sure everyone has thier own way to do it.
For instance if you are playing a lead note with your 2nd, 3rd or 4th finger you can use you index finger to mute all 6 strings behind the note.

To practice muting and to to try learn the right amout of preasure to use. Set the amp loud with the distortion up and rest your index finger over the neck. You should be getting no feedback and if you strum you should just get a kinda thud sound. Now with your index finger still muting all the strings, just put your 3rd finger on a note and fret it all the way. Now that one note should sound, now pick the note and try some vibrato and stuff, all the while keeping the index finger resting on the rest of the strings. That should help you learn the preasure needed. Try the same thing with your right hand palm mute. Mute all the strings and slightly lift your palm like you are peeling it off the strings from the high E up. This will expose the High E, than the B, than the G, etc. Play notes as the palm exposes the string. And when you get to the B string, mute the High E with your index as desribed above.

Of course as you get better, playing muted notes in combination with unmuted notes will be a large part of your techinque.

Hope that helps.