Hitting only a few strings

DOSW
DOSW Posts: 2,014
edited June 2006 in Musicians and Gearheads
This is a good place for guitar advice, right?

Well, I'm picking up the guitar very slowly, but I'm having a lot of fun with it. The main problem I seem to be having is playing chords where only a certain number of strings are supposed to be hit. I can strum all six strings nicely, and with chords that use 5 strings I always use my thumb to mute the 6th string (I hope that isn't a bad habit). But I have the most problems with chords that use the strings in the middle (2nd-5th string). I always seem to end up hitting an extra string on the strokes. Is there any easy way to do this, or is it just something that I need to focus on and concentrate on controlling my strokes? Any help would be appreciated.
It's a town full of losers and I'm pulling out of here to win
Post edited by Unknown User on

Comments

  • Thumbing My Way
    Thumbing My Way Posts: 1,073
    I mute any top strings with my thumb too, it seems to work really well but I can't really think of anything else.
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  • ItsEvolutionBaby74
    ItsEvolutionBaby74 Posts: 490
    DOSW wrote:
    This is a good place for guitar advice, right?

    Well, I'm picking up the guitar very slowly, but I'm having a lot of fun with it. The main problem I seem to be having is playing chords where only a certain number of strings are supposed to be hit. I can strum all six strings nicely, and with chords that use 5 strings I always use my thumb to mute the 6th string (I hope that isn't a bad habit). But I have the most problems with chords that use the strings in the middle (2nd-5th string). I always seem to end up hitting an extra string on the strokes. Is there any easy way to do this, or is it just something that I need to focus on and concentrate on controlling my strokes? Any help would be appreciated.

    First off the muting thing is awful, dont do it, just keep practicing and youll go from nu-metal poseur to prog-rock master!!!
    "Feel it rising, yeah next stop falling!"

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  • Betterman77
    Betterman77 Posts: 92
    I've been playing for 12 years now and I find that I can hit the strings I want now without even thinking about it, I think practice is the only solution to getting better.
    "Keep on Rockin In the Free World"

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  • keeponrockin
    keeponrockin Posts: 7,446
    Betterman77 wrote:
    I've been playing for 12 years now and I find that I can hit the strings I want now without even thinking about it, I think practice is the only solution to getting better.

    Exactly. Just keep practicing.
    Believe me, when I was growin up, I thought the worst thing you could turn out to be was normal, So I say freaks in the most complementary way. Here's a song by a fellow freak - E.V
  • Hitch-Hiker
    Hitch-Hiker Posts: 2,873
    DOSW wrote:
    This is a good place for guitar advice, right?

    Well, I'm picking up the guitar very slowly, but I'm having a lot of fun with it. The main problem I seem to be having is playing chords where only a certain number of strings are supposed to be hit. I can strum all six strings nicely, and with chords that use 5 strings I always use my thumb to mute the 6th string (I hope that isn't a bad habit). But I have the most problems with chords that use the strings in the middle (2nd-5th string). I always seem to end up hitting an extra string on the strokes. Is there any easy way to do this, or is it just something that I need to focus on and concentrate on controlling my strokes? Any help would be appreciated.
    That used to screw me up when I was starting too. It's all down to practice. And when it comes you probably won't even notice because the change is so gradual.
    I'll Ride The Wave Where It Takes Me
  • Pearl Jam and toast
    Pearl Jam and toast Posts: 4,475
    keeponrockin wrote:
    Exactly. Just keep practicing.
    *nods*
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  • Jeremy1012
    Jeremy1012 Posts: 7,170
    thankfully for some reason I never had this problem, I always seemed to be able to weight the strokes right but my advice would just be keep practising.
    "I remember one night at Muzdalifa with nothing but the sky overhead, I lay awake amid sleeping Muslim brothers and I learned that pilgrims from every land — every colour, and class, and rank; high officials and the beggar alike — all snored in the same language"

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