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Douglas McMullin
Oct-11-2005, 9:07pm
I have just come back to playing mandolin after a bit of a break. I got motivated again and got a new mandolin and all is good. I have been trying to retune my playing back to were I was before I start working new music and I have one technique question about chop chords.

I find I get the best chop sound when I slightly mute the strings with the edge of my pick hand (edge of the palm) after each stroke. It sort of happens as a natural follow through with each chop if that makes any sense. I am getting great volume and a good punchy bark from each chop. In all I am happy with the sound I am getting, but I wonder if by muting the strings I am cheating and missing out on more sound? With my technique in general I can’t get a good chop without the mute. Do I have a bad habit or is this common?