Fret hand
The left hand, named for what it does rather than for which side of the body it sits on.
It carries the job of stopping the strings at pitch, which means bending, vibrato, legato and muting all originate there, and it is also responsible for a large share of unwanted noise if the unused fingers are not resting lightly on the strings. Tone depends on it as much as on the picking hand: fretting pressure, the angle of approach and the way notes are released all change the sound. Because it is usually hidden from an audience, its technique is often the least understood part of playing.
Example: a light, consistent fretting hand with the spare fingers resting on the other strings keeps a distorted tone free of hum and rattle.
See also
Related
- PageFret
- PageAccent
- PageAction height
- PageAlternate picking
- PageAaron Dessner
- PageAce Frehley
- PageAd-Rock
- ReferenceCircle of fifths