Palm mute

A technique in which the picking hand's palm rests lightly on the strings just in front of the bridge, damping them so each note is short and percussive.

The amount of contact decides the effect: barely touching gives a muffled but still pitched note, while firm contact turns the note into a thump with almost no pitch. The technique is fundamental to most rhythm guitar playing, especially in heavier styles, because it supplies the chugging articulation between chords. Moving the hand further from the bridge reduces the pitch content further, giving another way to vary the sound.

Example: rapid palm-muted low notes under a distorted tone produce the rhythmic chunk that anchors a great deal of rock and metal rhythm playing.

Palm mute

See also