Fretting Hand String Percussion

In this lesson, we are looking at fret hand string percussion and incorporating the method rhythmically into our playing.

Exercise 1 - Method

• Play the low E string with the thumb

• Immediately, the fret hand percussion is played by slapping the second and third fingers onto the fretboard and leave them over the frets in a relaxed way

hold the first finger over the A, D and G strings to mute them and allow that crisp percussion sound to come through clearly

• Play the D string with the thumb, whilst the strings remain muted by the fretting hand

• Followed by a string slap, clicking sound

• Then, introduce the chord (whichever chord is used in a certain section) with a string slap immediately after that

This method sets the whole groove and rhythm involved in this example, with a different chord appearing in each section for variation

The shared rhythm between both hands is emphasised in this example. Once we have this in our percussive playing toolkit it can open up more opportunities.