not playing a string (Xs in chord charts)

Jimmy Ukulele

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Hey guys,

Still a uke newbie I just stumbled over the first song that I want to learn, where the chord chart has an X over one of the strings, like seen here on ukulelehunt.com: http://ukulelehunt.com/wp-content/uploads/2008/03/g5.gif

I know that this means you should not play it, and so far I understood it that you for example use a free finger to mute it. Are there any other techniques you can use in that case? I am just curious how you people do it.

Thanks!
 
That's about all I do. Although in the case of that chord, instead of using a free finger to mute it, I'd use the finger covering the second string to mute it, so that way, I'm still only using two fingers.

Dan
 
I know that this means you should not play it, and so far I understood it that you for example use a free finger to mute it. Are there any other techniques you can use in that case? I am just curious how you people do it.

Hi Jimmy Ukulele

Using a free finger on your fretting hand is probably the most common technique but there are other (some exotic) methods:

(a) Say you need to play 2 2 x 2 You can finger the chord as I M x R. Pinky is free but maybe necessary for the next chord so you rather not use the pinky), for example if your next chord is 0 2 x 3, In this case, you can tilt your middle finger and use the soft pad of the middle finger to mute the E string (the tip still frets the C string).

(b) Your strumming. Instead of strumming, you can finger pick the necessary strings and skip one.

(c) You can change the angle of strumming and selectively strum the three strings. It's actually easy to skip A string if ou use RH index finger for upstroke. Won't work to mute inner strings

(d) If you need to mute the A string, you can use RH pinky to mute the A string while your RH fingers still do the strumming. Theoretically, your can use RH thumb to mute the G string and strum with other fingers, too but it is harder.

(e) No kidding about this - there is a classical guitar piece where you have use your nose to mute a bass string. At least, that's what I read in an interview.

On ukulele fortunately, we got four strings and four LH fingers (IMRA) so muting is usually straight forward!

Happy Pickin
Chief
 
Hi Jimmy Ukulele

Using a free finger on your fretting hand is probably the most common technique but there are other (some exotic) methods:

(a) Say you need to play 2 2 x 2 You can finger the chord as I M x R. Pinky is free but maybe necessary for the next chord so you rather not use the pinky), for example if your next chord is 0 2 x 3, In this case, you can tilt your middle finger and use the soft pad of the middle finger to mute the E string (the tip still frets the C string).

(b) Your strumming. Instead of strumming, you can finger pick the necessary strings and skip one.

(c) You can change the angle of strumming and selectively strum the three strings. It's actually easy to skip A string if ou use RH index finger for upstroke. Won't work to mute inner strings

(d) If you need to mute the A string, you can use RH pinky to mute the A string while your RH fingers still do the strumming. Theoretically, your can use RH thumb to mute the G string and strum with other fingers, too but it is harder.

(e) No kidding about this - there is a classical guitar piece where you have use your nose to mute a bass string. At least, that's what I read in an interview.

On ukulele fortunately, we got four strings and four LH fingers (IMRA) so muting is usually straight forward!

Happy Pickin
Chief

Thanks, those are some really nice ideas. I have to try and use one finger for fretting and muting like you suggested.
I just tried in the case where I need to mute the A string to just strum the first three, but I find it difficult to stop with the downstroke. I guess that is also just practise.
 
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