Proper muting technique when sweeping

[Zeetwig]

Greetings

I've been actively practicing sweep picking for a couple of months now and some time ago I received the "heureka" moment when a lot of pieces of the puzzle fell into place, and now I can sweep equally good in both directions, and do it moderately fluently. I am currently working on my speed, and most importantly: making it clean and more fluent! I found it very hard to get it clean until a few days ago. I always either left a couple of strings ringing on my way across the fretboard, or (if I tried to use the thumb to mute the strings) always popped a harmonic on the B string. In both cases the entire thing became blurred and unacceptably messy. However just a few days ago I came up with something new, and that was to slightly tilt the picking hand counter-clockwise so that the fleshy side opposite the thumb and below the pinky/little finger was further down (I'm talking a tiny bit here - maybe a cm to 1,5 cm tops). By keeping the hand close to the strings and letting it slide over them when moving the hand down with the sweep I could mute all strings quite effectively. On the way back the fingers on the fretting hand keeps it clean

So, my question then: is this the "standard" way of muting or how do you mute when sweeping? Would you mind sharing your techniques to help others?
Thanks!

 

[m3l-mrq3z]

I don't mute the higher strings. I do try to avoid natural harmonics, like the ones on the 12th fret.

I will be making a tutorial on sweep picking ...but it will probably b e shit so ...

 

[Zeetwig]

How do you keep them from ringing out then? And what do you mean with avoiding natural harmonics?

 

[Maniacal]

I keep my index finger flat on the fretboard and also mute with my picking hand.

 

[m3l-mrq3z]

How do you keep them from ringing out then? And what do you mean with avoiding natural harmonics?

Play an arpeggio shape where notes on the 12th fret are involved and you'll know what I mean.

 

[Max Dread]

@Zeetwig - what chance would there be of uploading a short video which shows what you are trying to explain?

 

[Zeetwig]

@Zeetwig - what chance would there be of uploading a short video which shows what you are trying to explain?

Trying to explain? I am not really trying to explain anything but rather ask whether people use the same muting technique as I do, and if not what they use. But I can try to upload a short video if you want, when I've improved some more

 

[Max Dread]

I came up with something new, and that was to slightly tilt the picking hand counter-clockwise so that the fleshy side opposite the thumb and below the pinky/little finger was further down (I'm talking a tiny bit here - maybe a cm to 1,5 cm tops). By keeping the hand close to the strings and letting it slide over them when moving the hand down with the sweep I could mute all strings quite effectively. On the way back the fingers on the fretting hand keeps it clean

That sounds like an explanation to me....

It was this that I was wondering whether you could video, so that I/we could visualise what you were describing.

 

[Zeetwig]

I can try if I find a good video camera

 

[0164]

So, my question then: is this the "standard" way of muting or how do you mute when sweeping? Would you mind sharing your techniques to help others?
Thanks!

I always learned to roll with my fingers to play one string at the time and mute the rest of the strings.

So you figure it out what works for you i guess.....

 

[Hyacinth]

When ascending, mute with the meaty part of your thumb. When descending mute the strings you pass with the fingers on your fretting hand. Practice slow and make sure no strings are ringing out, then slowly up the bpm until you're comfortable, then bump it up more an repeat the process.

 

[nowhere]

i think that there is no proper technique,
you just have to work it out for yourself. either with right or left hand
its like asking michael angelo batio for picking. its awkward but does it work for him? indeed

 

[m3l-mrq3z]

http://www.sevenstring.org/forum/mu.../226975-so-i-made-tutorial-sweep-picking.html