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First, as a general question. Basically, I will be going to England in 2 weeks for 17 days, staying in an apartment where loud guitar playing is not allowed. However I really can't afford to take such a long break from practicing with my already shaky and neglected technique. So I was wondering what to do.
From my violinist girlfriend I know that they've got little "mute" things that can be put onto the violin and, well, mute the sound volume...is there such a thing for guitars - in some shape or form?
Which leads me to my second question...in the case I can't find a good way to mute my guitar during my stay - and I know we've had this thread a couple of times now, but I'll just include it now as well - what about the actual thing called "Guitar Mute" that is for example sold at Flamenco World? Those little pieces of woods with strings attached that claim to help you with keeping your technique in check even if you don't have access to a guitar. Is it useful for that purpose?
If anyone has some other suggestions on what I could possibly do, that would be great as well...thanks!
i sometimes use bits of washing up sponge.... you know, the ones about 5 x 7.5 cm and about 2 cm deep, with a bit of harsh scourer on the top. i usually use old ones when the scourer has been worn off by washing up with them, and cut strips to fit under the strings near the bridge. they don't completely silence the guitar, but they do limit the volume quite a bit. useful for playing along with cd's and still being able to hear the cd! you could use a sock instead!
Just use a piece of foam. This works real well. It mutes the guitar enough so the neighbors won't complain and you can still here what you are playing. I use this all the time once it gets late.
here is a photo. When is was living in Sevilla most guitarists I knew also used foam as a mute since the walls don't have a lot of insulation and the neighbors would complain if you didn't mute the guitar.
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if you do the exact same thing with your hands when the foam is under the strings as you do when the foam isn't under the strings, you won't get tendonitis. if you do get tendonitis, you aren't doing the same things, you are, as HemeolaMan says, "overplaying". Don't overplay!
it's not muted strings that "cause" you to overplay, it's you wanting to sound as loud with the mute in as without it in, and then playing harder to compensate for the foam under the strings. The idea is to be quiet, so don't try to sound as loud with foam under the strings as you do without foam under the strings!
Quick question: any advantage to foam or sponge over just rolling up some toilet paper? Does it mute any better? Or are you all using foam just because TP has become a valuable commodity?
Also, if we took all the sponges out of the sea, would the water level rise?
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"Anything you do can be fixed. What you cannot fix is the perfection of a blank page. What you cannot fix is that pristine, unsullied whiteness of a screen or a page with nothing on it—because there’s nothing there to fix."
Foam is easier to put on. Sound wise no different.
The sea level will get less, but not so much after you squeeze the sponge dry. Also, if you do not use the toilet paper on your guitar, it will end one way or the other in the sea, and that will compensate the sponge you took out the sea.
Happy playing! You made a post from 2009 live again!
Haha. OK, thanks. I'll stick with toilet paper for now.
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"Anything you do can be fixed. What you cannot fix is the perfection of a blank page. What you cannot fix is that pristine, unsullied whiteness of a screen or a page with nothing on it—because there’s nothing there to fix."
Try a sock since it can be rolled up a bit to dampen the strings even more should you like. I use one as well though I do find the difference in string tension can take some getting used to when I take it off. I like high tension.
I keep a polishing cloth in the case for each guitar I own. For wipe downs after heavy use or to drape over the side when playing outside in summer with short sleeves. I store guitars with this covering the sound hole to keep that new smell of the wood trapped in the Cypress (best smell) or rosewood box.
Turns out, the polishing cloth works the same way as a mute if you push it under the strings. Not as good as foam but it works.
The 63-year old Ramirez blanca still has a distinctive aroma, though not exactly like a new cypress guitar.
It has lived in a case all the time it wasn't being played. For the last 35 years or so the cases have been Mark Leaf and Karura. Both are sealed with gaskets, the Mark Leaf is more airtight--but it weighs a ton.
You know what's funny. All the time I struggle with single socks... And here the one time when I want a single sock to recycle it into a guitar mute, of course there are none to be found...
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"Anything you do can be fixed. What you cannot fix is the perfection of a blank page. What you cannot fix is that pristine, unsullied whiteness of a screen or a page with nothing on it—because there’s nothing there to fix."
You know what's funny. All the time I struggle with single socks... And here the one time when I want a single sock to recycle it into a guitar mute, of course there are none to be found...
the Mark Leaf is more airtight--but it weighs a ton.
My dad spray painted his silver to reflect sunlight. Airports where always concerned as it looked like top secret weaponry.
Mine has a few-hundred-thousand airline miles on it. It has a big red stain on it. I have no idea where it came from, but when somebody asks I say, "It's from the last guy who tried to steal it." It stays in the closet these days, except when the guitar in it gets played. Karuras and Visesnuts are a lot lighter.
The Mark Leaf + Ramirez only went walkabout once. Flight was from Taiwan to Guam, via Saipan. Guitar got unloaded at Saipan. Took less than a day to get it to Guam.
Checking in with American Airlines in Austin headed for Marshall Islands, the ticket agent said, "Good case. I'm buying my boyfriend one for his mandolin for his birthday."
"Why do you say, 'Good case'?"
"I worked in baggage for ten years. Never saw an instrument damaged in one."
In the comment section of this youtube video Luciano Ghosn pointed out Paco's left hand ring finger at 0:54. Any idea why Paco's keeping his ring finger on the fingerboard?
at 0:54. Any idea why Paco's keeping his ring finger on the fingerboard?
*edit* dang, I read it wrong and thought you were talking about planting on the top with his right hand. Joke isn’t nearly as funny as I hoped. Matter of fact, I’m going to remove it because it’s just stoopid
Any idea why Paco's keeping his ring finger on the fingerboard?
As I stated many times, in E Phrygian key (vs mode) the scale we run is thought of as over an F chord or in place of it. That Is the Lydian sound, designed in context as a dominant-like tension we eventually resolve to E tonic. We do this thing legato in solea all the time where the F rings out under as we descend down the scale. Holding that note to create the sound presents a challenge of doing the run with pinky index and middle only. Paco is simply doing it as picado exercise instead of legato.
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