Guitar damping is when you deaden the strings either before or while you are playing them. The sound a muted string makes when played is nearly percussive and damping is a great way of giving your songs rhythm and drive.

You can combine guitar string damping and pinch harmonics to create something really special if you have mastered both techniques.

There are 2 types of damping – right hand damping and left hand damping. Whether you’re a lead guitarist or a rhythm player you’re going to have to get your head around damping sooner rather than later.

Right Hand Guitar Damping Technique

Right hand damping is a great technique especially for acoustic guitarists. The hollow body of the acoustic guitar lets the notes sound fully, albeit with a muted tone.

Personally I use the edge of my hand to damp the strings but it is common for guitarists to use the heal of their hands as well.

Left Hand Guitar Damping Technique

Left hand damping is slightly more complex than the right hand kind. It’s a matter of precision and using the fingertips or edges to damp and mute some strings while others sound cleanly.

A useful, great sounding and very easy version of left hand damping can be played using barre chords. Simply lift your barre finger slightly while strumming so it mutes the strings.

With just a little effort guitar string damping can become second nature. In fact most guitarists never even learn about guitar damping – they simply pick it up as they go along.

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