No Chuck - Patterns 19 & 20

[OldGeezer]

Hi All.
Fantastic professional DVD. Now onto Patterns 16 - 20, It's a blast, having some really good serious fun here.
Patterns 16 & 17, Picking the bass & Bass/5th taught me that I could actually play my guitar standing up. Never tried it before but am unable to remain seated with these two. As Justin says "It's like dancing with your guitar"
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My problem is with Patterns 19 & 20, The Mute/Strum - Chuck.
Try as I might I can't do it with my right hand. I get a much better sound using the pinky bar on open chords but as pointed out there can be some weird harmonics and I know I'll come unstuck on certain chords (C7 for example).
Just into my first Barres and can play all the Majors no probs, working on m, 7, m7, sus and I find this method gives the same good sound and as a bonus, it's like doing pushups only on Barres so it's double the money's worth.

I have v e r y long fingers but now it seems a small palm. Furthermore the side of my palm is seriously curved and 'naturally' only mutes the 4 middle strings. I've studied my Tanglewood and note that the Bridge tapers downward from the 6th to 1st string. The 1st string is visibly noticeable when looking downward on the guitar ie way lower than the 2 - 6.
This is the string giving me problems, I just cannot seem to mute the first string, it rings out every time, even when putting some serious pressure on the strings with the side of my palm.

I want to learn to do the 'chuck' with my right hand even though on this particular guitar it doesn't sound as good as a left handed one.

Anybody run across similar problems and figured out a workaround ?

[justinguitar]

totally just sounds like you should practice it!!

don't put any chord down or mute the string with your left hand.

then work on getting that mute, do it slow, paml first then let the pick down to hit the strings. do ti slow until it's right then start trying to get it a proper tempo.

I never heard of a guitar or a hand shape that stopped anyone from doing it

So time for practice me thinks!!

[OldGeezer]

Thanx for the reply.
I am still practising it daily but still probs with the 1st string. It's such a huge step down from the 2nd string to the 1st. If I really try to drop the palm edge down at the end of it's stroke to catch the 1st string my finger(s) hit the deck and prohibit the palm from dropping any lower. And of course the palm edge is actually curved upwards away from the string at this point which doesn't help.
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Just a footnote but my Strat came setup the same way and after catching the 1st string the pick would snag on the 2nd string on an upstrum.
This was an easy fix, whether the correct thing to do or not, I don't know. I adjusted the saddle upwards slightly to raise the string and then retuned.
Works fine but I have no adjustment on the electro/acoustic so I'm a bit lost still. I need an extra lump of palm near the base of the pinky.
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I know, keep practising. That has been the golden rule on everything guitar so far.
Can't fault it. My Barres get better every day. Hallelujah.
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Regards.

[Michael1959]

Hey Oldgeezer,

The way I understand it, you're having a problem with the 1st string not muting? I had the same problem, and relooked at the video of Justin doing it, and it looked to me that he was only hitting the bottom four strings or so. I tryed that and that worked and sounded correct. Anyhow, maybe by now you've got it. Lots a luck to ya.

Michael

[OldGeezer]

Hiyah.
Yep. Got it sussed by accident when attempting my first bend.

See here
http://justinguitarcommunity.com/index.php?topic=25679.0

It was the guitar.

Thought it was odd because it wasn't a problem on my Strat. Just the Acoustic.

[Chasecar]

this muting thing is giving me a fit as well.  I love the DVD sessions.  This one was the first second one i bought.  My high E still wants to ring out on every mute!!

I try to lower my hand down the bridge a little but it doesnt have that same chuck sound.  I actually make a conscious effort to look at my hand and it seems that holding the pick brings the bottom of my hand up just enough to not hit the E string.  This is frustrating!! ill drop my hand a little lower then the D or A will ring a little so i try to just hit the 4 lower strings but for some reason that just doesnt sound as good. 

i have literally sat for an hour just trying to mute, keeping my left hand off completely and it NNNEEVVERRR sounds as good as when i just mute the strings with my left hand and strum. 

I dont know how to go about getting this right. 

[ComfyJammies]

I am also struggling with this, I swear my hand is on the strings but they are still ringing out.  Do you just strum a few strings?  the high E string and sometimes the b string are always ringing out.  it seems awkward, I have no idea how Justin makes it look so easy and natural and it's not even close for me! Does anybody have any pointers? 

[misterg]

Hi CJ,

Now there's a lesson in the intermediate course just on the 'chuck':

http://www.justinguitar.com/en/IM-145-Rhythm16-4.php

Does that help?

Andy

[ComfyJammies]

Hi CJ,

Now there's a lesson in the intermediate course just on the 'chuck':

http://www.justinguitar.com/en/IM-145-Rhythm16-4.php

Does that help?

Andy

Thanks!  I'll check it out.   It seemed in the RUST DVD that Justin makes it look so easy, so I'll see if this helps! 

Edited to add:  I did watch that video and it does go into a lot more detail than the quickie RUST 1 lesson.  It's still not easy, but now I have something more specific to practice, so thanks!   I'm just about finishing up Stage 9 of the Beginner Course, and the RUST 1 DVD, so seeing that lesson that is part of the Intermediate was exciting, because that's my next stop!  I did find that practicing that hit was more strenuous on my forearm than I'd imagined, and likely because I'm a woman, it is a little harder. 

[Dr Winterbourne]

I dont know if tis will help anyone else, but I found that if I strum a little further up the neck then I never miss the treble strings.

I had to play a gig when I was just learning this technique, and the treble strings were ringing out, so I needed to quickly fix the problem before the show. I found that strumming over the neck of the guitar , so my hand ended up near the cutaway rather than over the sound hole, lead to a better chuck.

Of course a strum up there sounds different, rounder and bassier to my ear, than back towards the bridge.

With practice later I got the chuck to work whereever I wanted, but I will still sometimes play it up the neck, especially after a drink or something.