Definition

Palm Muting is a technique in which the palm or heel of the hand is used to dampen the strings of the guitar to prevent them ringing out, providing a more controlled and deadened sound"

How to Palm Mute

Heavy Metal and Rock requires a lot of palm muting to sound from okay to great! It is one of the basic techniques you should first learn when rocking. You use the right hand (if you are using a right handed guitar) to mute the strings and get an aggressive 'chucky' sound. Once you've got the hang of it, it's just a matter of getting it to the way you want to sound.

Palm muting is indicated on sheet/tab music normally by the letters 'P.M.' under the notes followed by ' - - - - - ' a line for all notes to be palm muted.

First while holding the pick, make like a karate chop just lightly over the bridge just near the back. Rest the palm of your over the end of the strings, to slightly deadening (muting) the ringing out of the strings when picked.

To get a tighter palm mute, move your hand slightly towards the neck of the guitar, so that the palm covers more of the strings.

Don't press down to much on the string or you will mute them fully or the pitch of the notes may raise.

It's a good idea to hold the other strings not being played quiet, by touching and holding them slightly with your left hand spare fingers. Again don't press down too hard or you might play extra notes.

E||--------------------------|---------------------------|
B||--------------------------|---------------------------|
G||--------------------------|---------------------------|
D||-2------------------------|---------------------------|
A||-2------------------------|---------2-3---2-0---------|
E||-0-----0--0--0--0--0--0---|---0--3-------------0--0---|

       P.M. - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -   
 

Playing Accenting Chords

Playing strong un-muted power chord accents amidst a group of muted notes, normally the 'E' String for heavy bass notes, is the next step to heavy rock!

Imagine your hands as opposite ends of a see-saw. When your left hand is pressing down to fret the chord, your right hand will be up and vice versa. Right hand palm muting the strings, the left hand will be up slightly.

Lift your right hand up and off the strings fully for the full length of the chords, but then go right back to a tight mute. During the mutes, your left hand should be holding the other strings quiet.

E||--------------------------|---------------------------|
B||--------------------------|---------------------------|
G||--------------------------|---------------------------|
D||-2------------------------|---------------------------|
A||-2------------------------|---------2-3---2-0---------|
E||-0-----0--0--0--0--0--0---|---0--3-------------0--0---|

       P.M. - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -     

E---------------------------|--------------------------|
B---------------------------|--------------------------|
G---------------------------|--------------------------|
D-2-------------5-----------|-2------------------------|
A-2-------------5-----------|-2------------------------|
E-0----0--0-----3----0--0---|-0--0--0-----0--0--0--0---|

      P.M. -         P.M. - -       P.M. - - - - - - - - - 

Some video exercises and lessons to practice

Basics of muting

I got rhythm guitar - palm muting

Palm Mute Workout

Oiginally by Azzaboi