Electric Guitar: String Popping

Popping strings on the electric guitar is about as funky as a human being is allowed to get. Although it's a fairly uncommon practice on the guitar, string popping on bass guitars is rather common - but that doesn't mean you should avoid performing it on your electric guitar. With hybrid picking (which is using your pick and the fingers on your picking hand to execute notes together) occasionally the strings are popped when they are plucked with the fingers. But the technique I'm referring to here is when you pinch a string between index and thumb, pull it up slightly away from the fretboard (without breaking the string of course), then letting it snap back against the neck to sound a note.

Popping strings produces a kind of staccato effect. The string still sounds in the normal way, except a millisecond beforehand it will "snap" against the fretboard and create a percussive effect. The only time I have heard this type of string popping performed on a guitar is from an old blues record I heard many years ago, but now I can't recall the exact name of the artist. However, you should try to use string popping in your own playing and possibly update the technique to show the world how cool and funky it can sound.

On to a string popping exercise.

Low E string: {-P7h10-} A string: {-P7h9-} D string: {-P7h9-} G string: {-P7h9-} B string: {-P7h10-} high E string: {-P7h10~-}

To play the lick above (which is simply an ascending B minor pentatonic scale), put your plectrum down in a safe place so that you don't lose it, (I constantly lose picks, myself), or you may want to store your pick between the joints of your middle finger by cradling it there - i.e. curling the pick inside of the middle finger so it is cupped in the inside middle portion. Now, hold your picking hand in a pinching posture and fret a B minor pentatonic scale, then start pulling up slightly on the first note of each string in the scale, and let it fall against the neck, hammering-on the other note on the string and continuing your way up the higher strings. The P's in front of the first note in the TAB above stand for pops in which you snap the strings against the neck. Keep popping and hammering and listen closely to the sounds coming out of your speaker. Change the notes of the scale around and improvise using the pops.

There are also many rhythmic grooves that can be played on the electric guitar by popping out lower pitched notes. Experiment with a few ideas of your own and I'm sure you will invent something good.