DWPS and palm muting...Impossible?

[Troy]

I am used to mute the lower strings with my “hypothenar”. But it is impossible to do so together with DWPS.

This is how dwps muting works, with the hypothenar. You can see this in the “Pickslanting Primer Intro Lick” clip above - the pinky side of the hand is resting on the strings.

But as already said, the more rotational mechanic the harder it is to mute for me. And when I do mute the motion becomes more deviated I think.

I’m using a “rotational” picking motion in that clip as well, so hypothenar muting still works while doing this. Of course, most “rotational” picking techniques aren’t really only forearm, so there’s a bit of wrist involved as well. Depending on the blend of wrist vs. forearm the contact point changes, but you can still use hypothenar muting in these blends as long as you don’t do the gypsy wrist flex and lift entirely off the strings.

[uglijimus]

I can only do it with UWPS.

I would like to see somebody play the end of “No remorse” with DWPS and not light PMing either.

[Costanza]

One could argue that you’re only really ever “palm” muting when using dwps because with uwps you kind of have to use the side of your thumb to mute the strings.

[Acecrusher]

Al DiMeola mutes while using DWPS doesn’t he? He’s considered the innovator and master of muted picking lines.

[Troy]

using dwps because with uwps you kind of have to use the side of your thumb to mute the strings.

I think what you’re referring to is the pronated arm position that uwps players often use. But as has been mentioned on here before, I tend to do uwps from a slightly supinated arm position. Watch any of the Primer or seminar clips and you’ll see it. So I can still palm mute with uwps. Andy Wood often plays more pronated than me but less than someone like Oz Noy. So Andy’s muting can still come from the palm.

Ultimately, you have arm position and picking motion. The arm can be pronated or supinated. The motion can be uwps or dwps. You can use either with either, although certain combinations, like supinated dwps, are so common as to be nearly universal. But the uwps world is a little trickier.