pull offs

[corpse]

I've read the cyberfret lessons on pull offs which suggest a (pull down and out action). This method works efficiently on the 1st string as there are no strings below it. However when I attempt this method on any other string, I seem to slightly touch the string below it and in turn causing unwanted feedback. Any advice would be dearly appreciated. Thanx.

[MykeRocks]

I know a little bit of technique so I may be able to help you out a bit.

This was a big problem for me when I was starting out. What helped me alot was learning how to mute the other strings with your left hand. If I'm pulling off a whole step (two frets) I use my ring finger to pull off and my index finger. You need to learn how to mute the rest of the strings with your index finger and thumb. You slightly touch the rest of the strings with your index finger mostly. Its helped alot especially if you like playing kinda messy with your right hand. Its really useful for funk too. Its not easy to explain over a computer but a teacher would be able to help you with it. Learn it, my advice to you

Rock on

--Myke

[gck]

I do it a bit differently but it's a bit hard to explain.

Assume that I'm doing a pulloff from 3rd fret to 1st fret on the B string. First, play the 3rd fret note, and while I pick it, I place the index on the 1st fret. The next thing I do is bending the string *SLIGHTLY* upwards (not so much that it changes the pitch, only very very very sligthly) and by that I move the finger a bit upwards so that the string is being fretted at the very tip of my ring finger, only shortly before the nail starts. Then I pull it off, plucking the note with the tip of my nail.

Uh.. It doesn't come out very well if I reread it, it sounds more like a really bad and complicated technique that would slow you down greatly... but believe me, it isn't.

Another thing: if the lick you are playing is really fast, you don't need to pluck the string strongly when you pull off, because it will still vibrate strongly from when you picked it with the pick. All you have to do then is pull off quickly.

And if pull offs are played high up the neck (where the strings are quite loose), it's a good idea to slightly press hard with the finger to which you pull off, in order to *fix* the string so it doesn't get bent due to the plucking motion. So if I pull off from the 14the fret to the 12th, I would slightly press stronger on the 12th fret during the pulloff...

I think those little tricks will help you not to hit adjacent strings when you pull off (if they make any sense to you in the written form. I wish I could show you ;))

[corpse]

Thanx to both you guys for the very helpfull advice. And no it wasent hard to understand, quite the contrary, you both explained it so well that I understood it first time round and now I'll be able to get some decent practise done on this exercise.
Thanx a million, I really appreciate it and hope other ppl will as well.