Pinky Mute Substitute?

Hello everyone,

As you can tell from the title, I'm curious regarding a substitute for the pinky mute. I ask because it's not that I don't want to learn the technique, I think it sounds great, but because it's causing a little pain and discomfort in my left hand and wrist. This is the same reason I no long play the guitar. So, I'm learning Somewhere Over the Rainbow / What a Wonderful World and I'm using the strum pattern of D, DU, UDU, UDU, UDU and I'm unable to work in that pinky mute for any length of time. That said the song doesn't sound, to me at least, like it's suppose to. Perhaps it's my timing or maybe that's the wrong strumming pattern to be using without the mute?

Thanks,

Have you tried using a palm mute instead?

cpatch said:

Have you tried using a palm mute instead?

Click to expand...

I may just have to try that. Thanks cpatch.

cpatch said:

Have you tried using a palm mute instead?

Click to expand...

I tried the pinky mute and do not have much luck with it. I seem to do the palm mute much more easily. Seems my pinky refuses to cooperate!!

my mute techniques

i started muting with my pinkey, but now mute with my palm mostly.
sometimes though, i switch off.
its nice to know both...
if your hand hurts a little that would be odd...
the uke is a small instrument, so you shouldn't have to stretch your hand so much.
i know my finger muting technique varies fingers as i play, for instance, i use my ring finger to mute the strings while i play a "C" and my pinkey when playing a "DM".
one way to make muting an "EM" easier using the pinkey method is to not move your hand so drastically... simply lift all your fingers a tiny bit while keeping them in the "EM" position and since each string is being touched (at least the way i play an "EM") it makes an effective mute.

mutes will come eventually... you just gotta let them flow.
playing IZ's version of somewhere over the rainbow/ what a wonderful world doesn't inherently require any mutes... if they are giving you trouble try dropping them and using a cool strum instead.
good luck!