Picking technique/Tuning up for Hank

HOWaiian · Posted 21 Jan 2001 12:51 am

I'm still kinda clumsy w/fingerpicks, having played barefingered all my life. My question: should the thumbpick be held out extended so as not to interfere with the other picks (ie, should I be trying to avoid clicking the fingerpicks against the thumbpick)?

also, I play almost exclusively in low G or low A tuning; is this OK if I want to learn the steel parts on all those great Hank Williams tunes, or is there a tuning that makes more sense for these songs?

any help is appreciated...

Bobby Lee · From: Cloverdale, California, USA

Most of Hank Williams' songs have Don Helms playing an E13th, which is a real high tuning for 6 string lap steel. You can get the same parts at higher frets, and also get Jerry Byrd's Hank recordings, with a C6th tuning:

E


C


A


G


E


C

The low G and A tunings are pretty useless in Hank Williams songs, because the steel parts have so few low notes in them. Also, you really need that minor chord on the top 3 strings. Substituting it for majors and 9ths is the essence of the Hank steel sound.

------------------

Bobby Lee - email: quasar@b0b.com - gigs - CDs
Sierra Session S-12 (E9), Speedy West D-10 (E9, D6),
Sierra 8 Laptop (D13), Fender Stringmaster D-8 (E13, A6)

[This message was edited by Bobby Lee on 21 January 2001 at 09:25 AM.]

HOWaiian · Posted 21 Jan 2001 8:23 pm

many thanx, bOb! I've been meaning to move on to JB's tuning for a while now; this is all the incentive I need.

any advice for me on the pick technique?

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