Once you have learned how to play your scales and are getting on ok with that - it's time to look at how cleanly they are being played and how we can minimise unwanted notes.

Once you start using these techniques will be amazed at how much better you will sound. This technique is a difficult one to explain in text so I'm hoping the video will clear it up for you.

Don't let yourself get too tied up in this stuff though or you will make a real pigs ear of your playing. It is important, but it's also important that you let your hand do it on their own - thinking too much about it will leave your fingers in knots and your brain in a muddle! Be aware of the problem, and the solution, and then LET it fix itself!

The Lesson

The left hand has a lot more to do than just fret the note... maybe you remember back to the old days when you were learning your first chords? And remember how if one of your fingers was slightly touching one of the strings it shouldn't then that note would not sound... well now we are going to use this to our advantage!

Unless string muting is considered there are often open strings ringing out when people play. It makes a significant difference to the quality of a performance when it is played 'cleanly' and if you play with distortion these techniques are essential.

Generally the tip of the finger fretting a note will also touch the next thickest string in order to mute it! It's not EVERY time, but most of the time. Get used to feeling it there.

Time to look at some more rhythms...

HELP!!!!

If you need to ask a question about this lesson - there is a topic set up specifically to help you with this lesson. To help you find it easily you can click the following link and it will take you right the topic. You'll be able to see questions that other people had and ask your own questions! Hopefully one of the very helpful members of our community will be there to help you soon, I do go there and answer stuff too - but there are just too many questions for me to answer alone! So click this link to get help with this lesson!

Justin's Intermediate Guitar Method - Foundation Stages 1-5 DVD

The 5 x DVD set for the Intermediate Foundation series comes with all the free lessons you are using now PLUS 3 DVD ONLY lessons for each stage, nearly 2.5 hours of extra material for you to be as good as you can be, as fast as possible. Check out the main Intermediate Foundation page for the list of bonus lessons on each stage! Sales of the DVDs allow me to keep the majority of the content free, so I hope will support the growth of this site too, for those that can't afford to buy stuff! :) Click here or the image to your left!