where to pick?... where to pick?...hmmmm...?

J. Wilson · From: Manitoba, Canada

I've been hacking away, learning C6 on my sweet '51 Bronson/National and resting my hand on the pup guard as I pick. It was going really well until the songs started to get more challenging - more hammer-on's and pull-off's and faster stuff in general. Then I suddenly found myself picking further up the neck, in front of the vol/tone knobs instead of behind them. Both sound good (different flavors) but when I require more dexterity the latter was an easier position to play in.

For you seasoned vets... is there a rule here? Should I master both? Or should I play farther up instead of resting on the pup guard? What would a teacher tell me in this situation. My gut says do both but I don't have a teacher to advise me in this instance.
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If Music Be the Food of Love, Play On. -Shakespeare
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1941 Ric B6 / 1948 National Dynamic / 1951 Bronson Supro / Custom teak wood Allen Melbert / Tut Taylor Dobro / Gold Tone Dojo / Martin D15S / Eastman P10

Mark Lavelle · From: San Mateo, CA

Not a seasoned vet on reso, but 40+ years of acoustic & electric guitar sez you can only win if you can pick wherever you get the right tone for the tune...
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http://www.harmonicappliances.com/

Andy Sandoval · From: Bakersfield, California, USA

There's no rules when it comes to what sounds good to you. some guitars just have a sweeter spot in a different place on the neck. I've used different spots in the same song. Smile

George Piburn · From: The Land of Enchantment New Mexico

Chris Walke · From: St Charles, IL

Personally, I think the best tone is when I pick roughly 12 frets above my bar position. So my right hand often floats back & forth depending on bar position.

That being said, sometimes I prefer the brighter, more cutting sound of picking closer to the bridge. Depends on the song and sometimes the instrumentation.

And sometimes I'm just lazy and leave my hand parked on the cover (if there is one).
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***WARNING: the above commentary is probably Chris' OPINION, and therefore, he thinks he's right.

Ron Yarboro · From: USA

Hi J. Wilson
Timely post. While watching lap steelers on youtube just yesterday to pick up some technique tips (I'm new to lap steel), I noticed that a lot of players pick up and down the neck depending on whether or not they want a bright or warm sound. So I tried to do the same, but I ran into a problem. The problem is when I attempted to pick near the end of fingerboard the push pull/volume knob got in the the way. I built the guitar myself, so now I have to move the knobs over, rout the cavity deeper to accommodate the pot height, and make a new pick guard. Sad

Running into this problem made me realize that vol & tone knob locations are very important on a lap steel guitar in order to be able to pick comfortably anywhere between the fingerboard and the bridge

Ron

Rick Collins · From: Claremont , CA USA

George is correct. You will vary the position of your picking, but look at the 24th fret as your starting and "home" position.

Dean Upson · From: Connecticut, USA

Thanks to all for this informative post. I have just started playing the lap steel and I have been playing with my picking hand resting like on my resos. I will correct my form before it becomes a bad habit.
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Pettingill Teardrop 6 String Lap steel, Clinesmith Koa Reso, Clinesmith Myrtlewood Reso,
Tut Taylor Virginian Reso

Mike Neer · From: NJ

I like to pick in different spots, too, but there are some observations I'd like to share: a) picking close to the bridge yields a brighter, more even sound and makes it easier to play faster in a more controlled way; b) closer to the neck causes the strings to vibrate more widely and can result in a more elastic feel which makes it more difficult to pick precisely, but the tone is mellower; c) picking up the neck a bit yields a wonderful sound, full, but with some snap to it; and d) picking close to the bar yields a koto-like tone that can be a very useful effect if done precisely.
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Links to streaming music, websites, YouTube: Links

Mike Harris · From: Texas, USA

If you know what sound you like, your contact point for your pick needs to adjust to the location of the bar. If you are picking at, say, 3/4 of the open string length you are going to get a different sound when the bar is at the 15th fret. In short, you need to move closer to the bridge as the bar gets closer to the bridge. And then back a bit as it moves back.

J. Wilson · From: Manitoba, Canada

Thanks all, for the tips.

A few of you mentioned the 24th fret area as the home base. Turns out that when I rest on the pup cover that is exactly where I am picking.

I am not sure the extent to which I exactly "rest" on that pup cover tho.,,, if I have to palm block I obviously move up a bit to do it... so maybe that pup cover is a home position sort of thing.

Am I developing a bad habit. It doesn't seem to be a problem yet...(?)

Here is a link to a pic of a guitar like the one I am using to learn C6 on:

http://www.elderly.com/vintage/items/images/185U/185U-173_front-detail.jpg

Mine is in much better shape than the one in this photo, however, it will give you some idea of the physics of the guitar and why I choose to play in front or behind that tone knob. PLaying over it is just too awkward.
_________________
If Music Be the Food of Love, Play On. -Shakespeare
___________________________________________
1941 Ric B6 / 1948 National Dynamic / 1951 Bronson Supro / Custom teak wood Allen Melbert / Tut Taylor Dobro / Gold Tone Dojo / Martin D15S / Eastman P10

Twayn Williams · From: Portland, OR

That's a nice lap steel you got there! Those pickups sound great. As for resting the right hand on the pickup/reso cover, simply practice playing in different positions so you're not nailed to one spot. There is NOTHING wrong with putting the heel of your right hand on the strings/pickup/bridge cover. BUT, if that's the ONLY way you play then you might find yourself being locked out of some other techniques/tonal options.

In matters of technique, there is no right and wrong, simply greater or lesser efficiency in producing the desired result.
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Primitive Utility Steel

J. Wilson · From: Manitoba, Canada

Thanks Twayn! Ya its a great guitar. I will take a pic and post it one day soon. The one in the photo is just an online sample of the same guit.

thx for the encouragement all!
_________________
If Music Be the Food of Love, Play On. -Shakespeare
___________________________________________
1941 Ric B6 / 1948 National Dynamic / 1951 Bronson Supro / Custom teak wood Allen Melbert / Tut Taylor Dobro / Gold Tone Dojo / Martin D15S / Eastman P10

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