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Have just started learning SRV's Pamp;J and kinda stuck at the moment. The licks, etc are fine - just the rhythms messing with me a bit! What I'm currently doing is using my fretting hand to mute after you hit the open strings to get that percussive sound. To explain further - after SRV does his initial blues intro, he hits the low E, then the open strings (slightly muted). Then a G bass note, open strings, then B, open strings, etc...

Now after I asked a few people how they do it, some have said use the fretting hand as the percussive mute, and others have said palm mute. To those who can do it - how do you do it? And are there tricks I should know about? Thanks in advance.

The muting should come from the fretting hand. Strum with wide, loose strokes. Don't tighten up your picking hand as you'll start to sound tight-arsed. Don't palm mute, as that'll tighten things up way too much.

Also, SRV used the blunt end of his picks. It's a small thing, but it counts toward the sound.

Check out the 'live at el mocambo' video for good footage of SRV playing the tune. Wide and loose.

For a start, try playing 'cold shot'. Same basic technique, easier to get down.

A lot of what I saw SRV do was strumming ALL the strings, and muting the ones that he didn't want to use with his fretting hand. It added a lot of percussiveness to his sound and I think helped insure that his attack on each string was consistent.

The other guys have hit it on the head, he mutes with his fret hand as he rakes back over the strings on the upstroke. The quot;wide and loosequot; technique is the perfect way to describe it. Blues isn't about being overly accurate anyways .