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Topic: BUDDY EMMONS ring finger blocking technique |
Ron Hogan
From:
Nashville, TN, usa
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Posted 20 Apr 2020 12:00 pm |
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Buddy Emmons used his ring finger (3rd finger) of his right hand to help block notes on the C6 tuning. There’s been several quotes of him mentioning this, including the one I’ve included here.
He would say that the method is used when going down the strings and after using the 2nd finger (middle finger).
I have experimented with this to learn it, experiment and then teach it. Of course, only Buddy would know the true technique, but I’ve broken it down to what is logical and workable in my opinion.
With any movement you perform on Steel Guitar, it needs to be committed to memory, so that it comes natural as to not have to think about it (motor memory).
I have included a tab of how to practice it. Also, an audio example in the key of C at slow, fast and then with some rhythm. The yellow highlight signifies where the double move is in the 2nd step below.
T= the Thumb
2=the 2nd finger.
1. Pick the 3rd string with the 2nd finger (If wanted, you can slide down a half tone before picking the string in the second step).
2. Pick the 4th string with the 2nd finger and at the same time your “ring finger” touches the third string from step one as your hand moved down a bit.
3. This is a fluid motion on step two as two string touches happen at once.
4. This can be repeated over and over again as in the tab. This motion in step two saves you a step in your technique.
5. Go slow in your practice, committing to memory and then gradually work up to the speed you want to execute.
Remember, this is my interpretation, but works perfectly for me. So, there may be other opinions of what is and isn’t. Don’t be afraid to discuss this. No feelings hurt here!
Ron Hogan
Nashville, TN
AUDIO SAMPLE
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John Goux
From:
California, USA
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Posted 20 Apr 2020 10:16 pm
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Ron, great stuff.
It’s very interesting to see Buddy’s own version in print. He used the thumb on the bar hand, pulling the bar back, and a variety of right hand techniques to accomplish muting.
Thanks.
John |
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Dave Magram
From:
San Jose, California, USA
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Posted 20 Apr 2020 10:33 pm
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Yes, good stuff, Ron.
It always seemed to me that Buddy’s unique picking style was a hybrid of palm-blocking for his thumb-picked notes, and “finger-tip†blocking (Paul Franklin’s term for “pick-blockingâ€) for his middle-finger picked notes.
Buddy would play most of his single-note phrases with only his thumb and middle finger, using his index finger for chords.
Here’s an interesting clip showing Buddy’s picking style:
Buddy Emmons - Steel Guitar Rag
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=p0fk2KkBc2M
0:32 – 0:38: You can see Buddy picking on E9 with his ring finger “webbed†(Paul Franklin’s term) to his middle finger to block higher string notes as it descends. Notice that he keeps his index finger up and out of the way.
1:02 – 1:12: Same as above, except on C6.
1:24 – 1:28: Same as above, with a different camera angle.
It seems to me that Buddy kept his little finger loosely extended so he could touch the first string to help him locate his right hand correctly.
Even though this tune is played at a moderate tempo, I’ve seen him play blazing fast tempos with this technique.
-Dave |
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Gary Spaeth
From:
Wisconsin, USA
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Posted 21 Apr 2020 4:26 am
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to practice this i play a major scale from 8 to 1 starting at the 1st string then 7 on string 2, 6 on string 3 etc then 5, 1 on 9 an 10 strings. i use the third finger to block as i go down. you could use scales, minors etc to expand the exercise. or you can use melodies like welcome to my world, fly me to the moon etc.
Last edited by Gary Spaeth on 21 Apr 2020 8:58 am; edited 1 time in total |
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Marty Broussard
From:
Broussard, Louisiana, USA
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Posted 21 Apr 2020 4:58 am
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Watching/learning...
_________________
RETIRED
Former steel guitarist for Tracy Byrd & The Byrd Dawgs, Mark Chesnut & The New South Band, Mark Nesler & Texas Tradition, Wayne Toups & ZydeCajun, Belton Richard & The Musical Aces
"Technique is really the elimination of the unnecessary..it is a constant effort to avoid any personal impediment or obstacle to achieve the smooth flow of energy and intent" Yehudi Menuhin |
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Gene Tani
From:
Pac NW
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Larry Bressington
From:
Nebraska
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Posted 21 Apr 2020 5:18 am
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Ron a quick question please....When you move DOWN or UP the strings, does the right hand move up in segments such as move up some, then park then move, or does it sort of float seemlesly whilst you move;
Say a run from string 1 down to 10, how much does the right hand move?
_________________
A.K.A Chappy. |
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Ron Hogan
From:
Nashville, TN, usa
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Posted 21 Apr 2020 5:23 am
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| Larry Bressington wrote: |
Ron a quick question please....When you move DOWN or UP the strings, does the right hand move up in segments such as move up some, then park then move, or does it sort of float seemlesly whilst you move;
Say a run from string 1 down to 10, how much does the right hand move? |
The right hand follows down to postion itself. I don't see the right finger tip block working as you go up the strings, just down. |
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Larry Bressington
From:
Nebraska
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Posted 21 Apr 2020 7:28 am
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Quote; He would say that the method is used when going down the strings and after using the 2nd finger (middle finger).
So this would speak to the idea of blocking with the heel/palm on the way UP an you chase the strings behind you...and use the 2nd finger coming DOWN because the strings are ahead of you? or ahead of the palm or side of hand, palm blocking the upper strings seems more tricky done well.
Where does a person rest palm when playing strings 8/9/10 individually, running out of changer space to rest on, as so to speak? Thank Ron, great thread.
_________________
A.K.A Chappy. |
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Fred Treece
From:
California, USA
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Posted 21 Apr 2020 9:11 am
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The Paul Method, also.
https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=BBPXH2-AX_0
https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=XFumqjf8dRs
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| Where does a person rest palm when playing strings 8/9/10 individually, running out of changer space to rest on, as so to speak? |
On the palm rest? 
All seriousness aside, on strings 8-9-10, pick blocking would seem to be the thing. Also, with the bar pulled back, maybe this is where Buddy would employ bar hand middle finger to block ringing strings. Curious what others think. |
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Larry Bressington
From:
Nebraska
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Posted 21 Apr 2020 10:41 am
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Thanks Fred, ill check them out tonight. Sorry for the thread drift friends.
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A.K.A Chappy. |
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Ron Hogan
From:
Nashville, TN, usa
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Posted 21 Apr 2020 11:46 am
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I performed a video trying to show the movement of the ring finger block. I had to reposition my hand a little bit by taking my thumb away. The more I look at it the more it reminds me of Paul Franklin‘s webbed fingers technique.
VIDEO SAMPLE
Ron |
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Larry Bressington
From:
Nebraska
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Posted 21 Apr 2020 11:57 am
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Awsome Ron great work thank you, not to put you to work but can you make one showing your right hand as you go from string 1 down to 10, nice and slow, i'm intrested on seeing how much you palm moves back toward you in that movement. I'm intrested in knowing if you move your wrist on a twist axis or if you slide your arm back. I know it's not much movement but it's a deal breaker, it's where i fumble a lot.
You're a smokin player pal...
_________________
A.K.A Chappy. |
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Ron Hogan
From:
Nashville, TN, usa
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Posted 21 Apr 2020 12:36 pm
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I have a warm up exercise out of the tab I did above.
But added a forward move too, that uses the THUMB and SECOND finger that travels up utilizing the crossover method.
It does not have to be played fast. Great exercise before playing.
SAMPLE HERE
Last edited by Ron Hogan on 20 Apr 2022 7:47 am; edited 1 time in total |
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John Goux
From:
California, USA
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Posted 21 Apr 2020 2:25 pm
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Also. On that Steel Gutiar Rag video, at the end, before the glissando strum. he turns his hand and uses the flat between the knuckles. Not a standard playing situation, but shows his willingness to use other parts of his hand to accomplish the muting.
I’ve been watching a lot of Buddy video lately, mostly Bell Cove, which has excellent camera angles to see his right hand.
For single lines, Buddy used way more thumb than middle finger. I’m surprised by how many of his runs involve consecutive thumbs. Moving in either direction, I see so many times where you would think he would have been alternating T-M, but he played it with thumb. I think this helped create his big sound, and his great time feel.
The question would be, is he blocking all those thumbs with his palm, or is this ring finger also part of his muting technique for the consecutive thumb strokes?
John |
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Larry Bressington
From:
Nebraska
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Posted 21 Apr 2020 3:18 pm
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Good observation there John, I admire players that can do double thumb stuff or backwards thumb, that’s gymnastics friends.
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A.K.A Chappy. |
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Ron Hogan
From:
Nashville, TN, usa
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Posted 21 Apr 2020 3:59 pm
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| John Goux wrote: |
Also. On that Steel Gutiar Rag video, at the end, before the glissando strum. he turns his hand and uses the flat between the knuckles. Not a standard playing situation, but shows his willingness to use other parts of his hand to accomplish the muting.
I’ve been watching a lot of Buddy video lately, mostly Bell Cove, which has excellent camera angles to see his right hand.
For single lines, Buddy used way more thumb than middle finger. I’m surprised by how many of his runs involve consecutive thumbs. Moving in either direction, I see so many times where you would think he would have been alternating T-M, but he played it with thumb. I think this helped create his big sound, and his great time feel.
The question would be, is he blocking all those thumbs with his palm, or is this ring finger also part of his muting technique for the consecutive thumb strokes?
John |
John, I’ve seen two quotes from BE stating the ring finger only followed the 2nd finger. Practicing today I also found that move true. I also found that I had been doing this longer then I thought. I hadn’t really dissected it till this post. |
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Ron Hogan
From:
Nashville, TN, usa
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Posted 21 Apr 2020 7:27 pm Re: Buddy E picking hand
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Gene, thx for posting these links. Some were the ones I related to, but couldn't find them.
Ron |
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Ron Hogan
From:
Nashville, TN, usa
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Posted 21 Jan 2021 6:42 am
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| TTT |
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Steve Mueller
From:
Cincinnati, Ohio, USA
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Posted 21 Jan 2021 12:13 pm
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Great Blocking insights!
_________________
2016 Williams D12 8 x 8, 2015 Williams D12 8 x 8, 2023 Williams S12 4 x 5, Milkman Amps, 1974 Gibson Byrdland |
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Pete McAvity
From:
St. Louis, Missouri USA
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Posted 22 Jan 2021 8:05 am
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Another question, Ron- have you been continuing to use the Buddy approach of using middle finger & thumb for lines & reserving index for chording only? If so, how's it treating you? Specifically, are you able to reach Four Wheel Driveesque tempos? I've been adopting a three point approach advocated by Mr. Franklin & have seen gains in clean (to my ear) blocking in both directions. Since I'm not yet clean at the tempos I want to reach, I'm considering retooling my head & trying the middle & thumb primary thing, but am hesitant to do so if it may limit my progress down the line. I in no way intend to try to cop anyone else's technique as we're all different, but I'm really intrigued with the possibilities. And it looks sooo relaxed! Thanks again for highlighting this right hand stuff!
_________________
Excel Superb D10, Sarno Black Box or Freeloader, Goodrich L120, Boss DD5, Baby Bloomer, 1965 Super Reverb chopped to a head, feeding a mystery PA cab w/ a K130.
They say "thats how it goes". I say "that ain't the way it stays!" |
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Ron Hogan
From:
Nashville, TN, usa
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Posted 23 Jan 2021 5:48 am
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Pete,
I continue to use that ring finger blocking technique only on C6. It works well for me.
On E9 I tend to do a hybrid of palm and pick block as much of that comes kind of natural. If you look close at this E9th video, you can see me using middle and thumb a lot with the index diving in now and then (especially when using the 1,2 and 3rd strings.
VIDEO SAMPLE
On this C6 sample, yes I’m doing the ring finger block, palm and pick block. Middle and thumb a lot. But, I think you should stick to what Paul is prescribing, especially since you’re already deep into it. At the same time, it’s okay to use a bit of every aspect that is available to you.
VIDEO SAMPLE
Ron |
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Ron Hogan
From:
Nashville, TN, usa
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Posted 23 Jan 2021 7:09 am
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Pete, Let me add that I also block with the bar hand. As I pick and move down the strings, my bar hand moves down and as the bar comes away from the strings, it allows my middle finger to mute strings.
It's funny as sometimes you forget what you're doing as it becomes muscle motor memory. You pick best when when you don't have to think about it.
When I'm deep into playing (and sure other advanced players do), I never look at my pick hand, just the bar hand.
Ron |
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Pete McAvity
From:
St. Louis, Missouri USA
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Posted 23 Jan 2021 10:36 am
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Thanks Ron! Yup, I spent about an hour running exercises & songs yesterday, omitting the index. Tone wise, to me, the difference in attack is like the difference between all downstrokes & up/down strumming on a 6 string. I find I can do consistent staccato & punctuate lines much better. I’m finding that following w/ the bar & muting w/ left middle very intuitive as well. I’m 90% sure I’m changing up to this & it already seems a lot smoother transition that I’d anticipated.
_________________
Excel Superb D10, Sarno Black Box or Freeloader, Goodrich L120, Boss DD5, Baby Bloomer, 1965 Super Reverb chopped to a head, feeding a mystery PA cab w/ a K130.
They say "thats how it goes". I say "that ain't the way it stays!" |
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Pete McAvity
From:
St. Louis, Missouri USA
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Posted 23 Jan 2021 12:11 pm
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Thanks Ron! Yup, I spent about an hour running exercises & songs yesterday, omitting the index. Tone wise, to me, the difference in attack is like the difference between all downstrokes & up/down strumming on a 6 string. I find I can do consistent staccato & punctuate lines much better. I’m finding that following w/ the bar & muting w/ left middle very intuitive as well. I’m 90% sure I’m changing up to this & it already seems a lot smoother transition that I’d anticipated.
_________________
Excel Superb D10, Sarno Black Box or Freeloader, Goodrich L120, Boss DD5, Baby Bloomer, 1965 Super Reverb chopped to a head, feeding a mystery PA cab w/ a K130.
They say "thats how it goes". I say "that ain't the way it stays!" |
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