Palm muting on an acoustic guitar helps change the tone by dampening the vibrations of the strings, which produces a softer, tighter, and more percussive sound. When you lightly rest the edge of your picking hand near the bridge while playing, you reduce the string’s ability to ring out fully. This shortens the sustain and removes some of the brightness and resonance that acoustic guitars naturally produce.

Instead of a full, open sound, you get a muted, punchier tone that’s great for adding dynamics, groove, or a rhythmic feel—especially in strumming or fingerpicking patterns. It’s also useful for creating contrast between sections of a song (like verses vs. choruses). So, even though palm muting is often associated with electric guitar, it’s a powerful tool for tone control and expression on acoustic as well.