Stuck early on

Hi all, Im late starting guitar (as in old) but never too late....right? :-D Im using a cheapish acoustic guitar.

I thought I was doing ok but then noticed Im playing "second note" as it were as I remove my finger from a string.

Ive read up on trying to eliminate this but no matter what I do I seem to pluck the string as I lift my finger.  Will there always be a faint sound or should it actually be completely silent?

It sounds like a daft question but Im finding just this small part difficult right now which is stopping me progressing until Im happy.. I don't want to start with a bad habit

Thanks for any help.

I don't think you have anything to worry about. I just played a scale on an acoustic guitar and then repeated on electric. 

1st thing I noticed was the slight " scrape" I was hearing when lifting my fingers off the strings in the acoustic. But it sounds natural. 

Then I repeated on an electric unplugged and sure enough there was the very faintest of "scrapes". 

I don't know how pronounced your issue is, but it is normal to be a bit clumsy starting out (I am still clumsy 5 years in) and you may be pulling the string as you lift off even just a little bit, sounding your 2cnd note.

But I think it is good that your ears are hearing this, because it will be these little issues that will focus you on what to work on. 

And it is never too late. I was 56 when I started. Regular practice and patience will be your friends. Things that may seem impossible at first have a way of working themselves out with regular practice. 

Good luck 

Hello tulwinn,

playing without background noise ist as beginner difficult. My advcice for you is a guitar teacher for some lessons, in order to learn the basic handling of guitar. You will save much time. 

Best regards

Try getting online with one of the GT instructors here. 

Rumble

Hi tulwinn,

Not to worry - that is very common. As you keep playing, and keep honing your skills, it is very likely to just work itself out over time.

The more you play, the more you are gaining control over the micro-movements that your fingers make. That is to say that your fingers likely just need more time on the instrument, and over time, you will gain more and more control.

At that point, if the "double-note" is still happening (a few months down the line), you can investigate it close-up, as if under a microscope, to see what tiny little thing is going on that is causing that second, unwanted note to make a sound. 

You can practice playing a note as though you are tiptoeing through the room and trying not to wake the baby. Keep experimenting with micro-adjustments of how you lift your finger away from the fretted note, to see if you can find any hints as to how to get that second note to quit chiming in.

Give it time, and don't worry about it too much at this point.

Have fun! - Lisa

For this subject, you need to practice patiently. You will gradually have a feeling and talent for this subject after a while without needing any guidance. baldi's basics

"Ive read up on trying to eliminate this but no matter what I do I seem to pluck the string as I lift my finger."   

Pretty useful for pull off's in the rock course.  But in all seriousness I think we all did that to start :)