| Author |
Topic: Pick Blocking/Palm Blocking.. which?? |
Bob Carlucci
From:
Candor, New York, USA
|
Posted 23 May 2005 7:12 am |
|
I am still trying to figure out which I am doing at certain times.. I recently had a few other steel players watch my hand while I played a few high speed ditties..
I asked them to try and figure out exactly what technique I was using and when, because I could not.. ..On moderately fast stuff I palm block all the way. That I am certain of.
Now,on something real fast like Foggy Mountain Breakdown or OBS, I don't see how I could be palm blocking that sort of thing.. I could not move my palm near fast enough to mute all the notes I am playing,yet if I take my palm up off the strings and just use my picks,its a terrible mashed up mess...
My steel playing friends said it looked like I was palm blocking the low strings and pick blocking the higher ones.. What the heck kind of screwed up crap am I doing here??.. They said certain notes in any given hi speed run were ringing just a tad longer than others,and I may have pick blocked those, and others were cut off quickly, indicating they were palm blocked... I guess what I am asking is this.. IF I am JUST palm blocking, is it possible to palm block cleanly at bluegrass speed?.. When I listen to Jernigans old records as well as mmm, lets say JD Maness, I sounds to me like very fast palm blocked notes.
Is that incorrect??. Can pick blocking sound as crisp and precise as palm blocking... I am trying to figure out exactly what I'm up to here.. I really don't know, as goofy as that sounds!!! bob |
|
|
 |
Larry Bell
From:
Englewood, Florida
|
Posted 23 May 2005 7:20 am
|
|
Not nearly as important as 'is it correct' -- DOES IT SOUND RIGHT?
If you watch the most accomplished steel players you will find that their technique varies greatly but they always sound great. The reason is they have found what works for THEM.
I'd block with my nose if that's the best way to get the job done. Learn all appropriate techniques and figure out yourself when and how to use them. That's my opinion, in any case. Someone else mentioned blocking as the part of your technique you never hear. To an extent, that's true, but it's kinda like the electricity: turn it off for a minute and you'll see how invisible/inaudible it is. I think of blocking like a volume pedal -- the best one is the one that does the job without messing up anything else.
------------------
Larry Bell - email: larry@larrybell.org - gigs - Home Page
2003 Fessenden S/D-12 8x8, 1969 Emmons S-12 6x6, 1971 Dobro, Standel and Peavey Amps
|
|
|
|
David L. Donald
From:
Koh Samui Island, Thailand
|
Posted 23 May 2005 7:26 am
|
|
EXACTLY...
Does it work for you?..
yes then it's right.
If you're up to speed and repeatable and it works on stage
then you got it happening.
Don't over analyse it like TIger Woods,
it could be two years before you can play again...  |
|
|
|
Ted Solesky
From:
Mineral Wells, Texas, USA
|
Posted 23 May 2005 8:12 am
|
|
| Bob, whatever comes out clean - that's what counts. I do it both ways without thinking. The more you play, the cleaner it should get. |
|
|
|
Bob Carlucci
From:
Candor, New York, USA
|
Posted 23 May 2005 9:13 am
|
|
Ted... Its not really a question of clean or if it works. It does work and is clean, but I'd like to be able to master both seperately and not always combine them,IF that is what I am doing.
I would like to be able to know for certain when I am using a procedure that may not be the best one for what I trying to do,,,[palm blocking must SURELY slow me down in hi speed circumstances, if I am using it where pick blocking is more applicable].
Its no big deal really.. Just another example of what happens when you are self taught and isolated musically... confusion surfaces from time to time..
I was told to get one of the pick blocking courses[Joe Wright's is a good one I'm told} and develop it further...anyone familiar??? bob |
|
|
|
Donny Hinson
From:
Glen Burnie, Md. U.S.A.
|
Posted 23 May 2005 9:32 am
|
|
| Quote: |
| I would like to be able to know for certain when I am using a procedure that may not be the best... |
When it doesn't work, or it's slowing you down, or it doesn't sound right, you're probably using the wrong procedure. Or, you could be doing the right procedure in the wrong way.
It's that simple.
Ever watch baby? They give up crawling only when they discover that walking is better, faster, and allows them to get to things that crawling doesn't.
It's kinda like that.
But crawling still has its place. Ask any plumber or electrician! [This message was edited by Donny Hinson on 23 May 2005 at 10:33 AM.] |
|
|
|
Marty Pollard
|
Posted 23 May 2005 9:47 am
|
|
Bob, something I kinda fell into back@$$wards recently is palm-MUTING.
On rhythm guitar I early learned palm muting near the bridge; you know, resting the palm on the stings RIGHT AT the bridge and leaving it there the whole time.
So it took me couple years; DUH; to start using it on Tele and just now; DOUBLE DUH; to try it on steel and it's pretty cool for those blazing passages (and sounds a little like a wooden bar). Not for everything but useful... |
|
|
|
Tom Stolaski
From:
Huntsville, AL, USA
|
Posted 23 May 2005 12:05 pm
|
|
| Do you have the Paul Franklin mind set of pick one and stick with it? Don't keep switching back and forth? I started video taping myself playing and noticed a whole lot of different things going on. When I play fast E9th single note stuff, it is all pick blocking. When I am playing C6th stuff, it is more palm blocking than pick blocking. I guess I have settled into whatever feels natural. [This message was edited by Tom Stolaski on 23 May 2005 at 01:08 PM.] |
|
|
|
Dave Ristrim
From:
Whites Creek, TN
|
Posted 23 May 2005 1:09 pm
|
|
| Both! |
|
|
|
Rick Garrett
From:
Tyler, Texas
|
Posted 23 May 2005 1:34 pm
|
|
Hey Bob, man I do both plus I block with the fingers of my left hand some. I can always feel what I'm doing so maybe if you slow those licks down just a tad you can feel exactly what it is you're doing.
Rick |
|
|
|
Joe Miraglia
From:
Jamestown N.Y.
|
Posted 23 May 2005 2:35 pm
|
|
Bob Sometimes I Pick block sometimes I don't, on fast rolls, no need .Your first mistake- don't let other steel players watch you play  Joe[This message was edited by Joe Miraglia on 23 May 2005 at 03:36 PM.] |
|
|
|
Michael Barone
From:
Downingtown, Pennsylvania
|
Posted 23 May 2005 4:41 pm
|
|
Right now I'm trying to improve pick blocking on the chromatic strings. The feel is different than tight string groups. I can palm block there but not that good yet either. Sometimes I accidentally play harmonics while palm blocking. Funny thing, when I intend to play a harmonic, I can't!
------------------
Mike Barone
Sho-Bud Pro-1, Nashville 112, Goodrich Pedal, BJS 15/16 Bar
Bob, I edited this to say that Joe Wright's video on pick blocking is excellent, IMO. He knows how to take the student sequentially from easy to difficult. Great camera angles and allows you study.[This message was edited by Michael Barone on 23 May 2005 at 06:28 PM.] |
|
|
|
Dave Grafe
From:
Hudson River Valley NY
|
Posted 23 May 2005 8:22 pm
|
|
| Quote: |
| I'd block with my nose if that's the best way to get the job done |
|
|
|
|
CrowBear Schmitt
From:
Ariege, - PairO'knees, - France
|
Posted 24 May 2005 12:18 am
|
|
i still do the crawl
(i'm an electrician)
Thank God, i can walk & run
so i do all three
palm blockin', left hand blockin', & the efficient pick blockin' which i have far from mastered
i'd love to play like Smiley, i bet he uses his nose |
|
|
|
