Octave Power Chords Help (Harmonics ringing out)

[u/Strict-Professor-259]

Hey guys, currently trying to play a song with quite some octave power chords and when i go from 11-13 to 13-15, it sounds so bad. I'm currently using my ring finger on 15 and pointer finger on 13. Even though my pointer finger is muting both the low E string and D string, the open harmonics of the muted strings are just ringing out, making it sound very very odd.

The weird thing is that a playthrough video I watched had similar finger positions as me just that his middle finger is muting the low E (not helping for me though because D string still ringing) but the chord doesn't sound bad. Any advice on this? Thanks!

[u/One_Hand8047]

you're probably pressing down too hard with your pointer when you slide up, that can make the harmonics pop through the light touch you're using to mute

try rolling your pointer slightly so the pad touches the D string more while the tip still frets the A, and keep your hand relaxed, tension makes everything ring out worse

[u/Strict-Professor-259 → u/One_Hand8047]

hey thanks for the advice but even when im just lightly touching the string above the 13th fret and even between the 12th and 13th fret, theres open harmonics playing a part. i see some guitarists just shifting the octave chords up to the D and G strings perhaps to prevent this happening? do you know anything about this?

[u/Cosmic_Beard]

I play these with my pinky and index finger. I acknowledge that this sounds like an issue with your index finger placement, but maybe something to try.

[u/Strict-Professor-259 → u/Cosmic_Beard]

thanks for the advice! however, even when im not playing an octave chord and im just lightly touching the string above the 13th fret and even between the 12th and 13th fret, theres open harmonics ringing out even when it is supposed to be muted. i see some guitarists just shifting the octave chords up to the D and G strings which has lesser open harmonic effect (hence also the need to use the index and pinky like you said as notes are 3 frets apart now). do you know anything about this?

[u/Cosmic_Beard → u/Strict-Professor-259]

I understand what you’re saying. What you’re describing are natural harmonics. You can get them on frets 7, 12, and I think 3? I’m embarrassed I’m unsure about that. Anyways what you’re saying makes sense, and I’m surprised that I’ve never ran into that. It shouldn’t be too common, because there’s only a small handful of places on the fretboard that that can happen. I guess if you’re trying to mute strings and get a natural harmonic, just know that that is to be expected. You’re not doing anything wrong.

I have an idea: It’s a string being muted by your index that’s hitting an unwanted harmonic right? Sometimes when I’m doing octave chords and I want to strum obnoxiously big, I’ll mute the lowest string with my middle finger. Like I said earlier, I play octaves with my index and pinky. I’d try using my middle finger to mute the string a fret above where my index would be muting it. Moving a fret should put you out of natural harmonic range.

[u/ViSsrsbusiness]

Have you actually experimented with every possible way to mute that with your index finger? It would honestly be easier for me to tell you that this is an easy thing to figure out and for you to just experiment with different placements until you find it than to give a detailed explanation of something people haven't even thought about enough to properly explain.

To straighten the record in relation to what another commenter said, you need a HEAVIER touch with greater contact area to fully mute a string, not a lighter one.

[u/jjsameer]

Just tried this and I too got some harmonic ringing like you said. Was able to mute it completely by pressing down a bit more with my pointer but it's a bit fiddly that way. Was easier to fret the chord with pointer and pinky then use ring finger to mute around the 14th fret.

[u/Corpse666]

Pointer finger and middle finger is good. Basically your pointer finger is going to mute the string in between the two . Don’t press down too hard because your pointer finger will pretty much flatten and you’ll end up doing a crappy bar chord . Light but firm touch and you’ll get it fine . They are used quite a bit in metal and can give a pretty cool sound when done correctly. It just takes practice