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Need help with fretting
Hello all, I am very new here and to guitar. I need your help, I am starting some basic fretting (week one) and when I do it I get a dead sound am I pressing too hard on the string? What is the remedy? Thanks in advance- Mike Williamson
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4 Replies
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Too hard won’t cause dead strings unless you are pressing directly on the fret. The finger should be slightly behind the fret.
Dead strings can be caused by pressing too lightly, but the most common cause is one of your other fingers touching the string. When playing a chord it is very common as a beginner for a finger holding down a string to touch adjacent strings causing them to be muted. Fixing this just takes practice and time. When fingering a chord you should play through each string individually, all strings should ring clear. If a string does not then you should do micro adjustments with your fingers until all the strings ring clear. Rinse – Repeat.
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Thank you!
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@michaelsbicycles1gmail-com Welcom to the TAC community. I completely agree with Moose. I remember when I first started how frusting it was with the muted chords, but yes it gets better with time and practice. Pay attention to your wrist, making sure it is pushed far enough forward forcing a natural arch in your fingers. Often times, strings are muted, because your fingers are lying too flat and pressing on other strings. It’s important to play on the very tips of your fingertips. I agree with Moose, play each string one at a time, and when there is a muted string, try seeing if there is another finger infringing on that string and repositioning that finger to ensure it’s not interfering with another string and making sure your on the tips of your fingers. Then replay each individual string again (making any adjustments still needed). Eventurally you hit the sweet spot. Notice positioning of fingers, wrist and thumb. Eventually it becomes muscle memory and 2nd nature and won’t require as much effort.
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Thank you that helps
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