tips for left hand mute aka Aldrine's pinky finger mute

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uke671

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I'm having trouble with trying to figure this out. I think it's mainly a timing issue. Does anybody have tips on perfecting it? btw...I have no problem with muting with my right (strumming) hand.

Thanks in advance for your input
 
I used to have problems with that too. In fact it wasn't until probably last year that I realized you could utilize your pinky to mute the strings.

What helped me alot was when Aldrine explained it in his tutorial video. He practiced switching the chords while keeping the pinky down on the strings the whole time. Then once you get comfortable with your pinky out in that position you start lifting it up when you want the chords to ring out. Its a coordination thing though, the more you use it the better you will get at it. It took me a few days of doing it nonstop then I was finally able to get it.
 
thanks man. I did watch that video on iamhawaii. I guess practice practice practice...and not getting fustrated. LOL
 
Hey Uke671, welcome to the forum!

I had (and still do to some extent) trouble with this for a while too. Practice will pay off, it just takes a while sometimes. The first times I tried this, I could not get my pinky to drop like I wanted, so I moved on to something else (there's ALWAYS something else) for a while, then came back to it and found it a little easier each time, so I'm making progress and you will too I'm sure.

When it starts to feel like a chore, and not 'fun' anymore, that's the time to move on for the time being. I'll also jump around to things that I've learned well enough to get a little confidence back and re-attempt as well. Your 'cycle' will differ I'm sure, but this little rotation works okay for me.

Above all, have fun!
 
i still have hard times doing this mute when i play im yours.

i asked Aldrine about this when this website frist started launching, he told me its ALLLLLL practice.

every now and then i actually get it dead on, but its all just practicing.
 
much mahalos for the encouragement and tips....i totally agree on the practice, practice, practice. I do sometimes get super fustrated but I know it's just me trying to perfect it. On a side note though, do you have any particular way of strumming a reggae strum. I'm kinda of in a reggae strumming rut....I wanna mix it up with a different style of reggae strum (i don't if that's even possible) but any tips would be greatly appreciated.
 
i've only noticed that i've been doing it recently too lol. i would only use my pinky to mute if there are some open strings. but if theres a finger on each string, say like a Bb chord, then i would lift all my fingers on my left hand ever-so-slightly to mute the strings from there WITHOUT using my pinky. to play the chord again, i would just press down to make the chord. but like i said, this only works with non-open chords. for those chords, you would have to incorporate the pinky (or ring finger, which i occasionally do)
 
If I'm in a barre chord, I just lift up my fingers on my fret hand a tiny bit. If I'm in a chord with open strings, the chord determines how I mute.
 
or what you could do instead of muting it take a look at this. :
this is for im yours the 3rd to the last chord.
||||
|||0add your index finger to here
|0||middle finger here
0|0| and ring and pinky here. sounds alot better and easier to hold.
||||
 
Muting the strings with your pinky?

i have trouble on doing that! i dont get it.
like how aldrine does it in "im yours" ?
 
Aldrine discusses his pinky muting in one of his tutorial videos.

You can find it in ukulele video lesson 1 on the main site. see it here:
VIDEO LESSON 1- love song
Aldrine explains his finger muting technique in good detail and gives tips on how to practice it.
 
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