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Topic: hope this helps someone |
Calvin Walley
From:
colorado city colorado, USA
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Posted 27 Nov 2005 11:35 am |
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every since i started playing i would play strings 3/4 or 4/5 & 5/6 with my thumb and middle finger and i always had a kinda weak mousey sound especialy on strings 3/4 i went and sat down with my steel with Donnie Duncan to get to the bottom of my problem. as it turned out i was getting uneven pressure on the strings, by using my index finger & middle finger to play these strings my weak mousey sound soon was gone it just took a little pratice to get used to the new way to pick these strings ... i hope this helps some other student
calvin
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ZumSteel |
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John Bresler R.I.P.
From:
Thornton, Colorado
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Posted 27 Nov 2005 3:45 pm
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Calvin:
Glad you solved your problem. Jeff Newman always taught to use the thumb and middle finger to pick those strings, Doug Jernigan uses his thumb and first finger. I think it's mostly a matter of choice and which makes it easier for you. Good subject.
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James Sission
From:
Sugar Land,Texas USA
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Posted 27 Nov 2005 4:35 pm
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| That is interesting. Coming from years on a Tele and not using my index finger at all, I have been experimenting with exactly what you’re talking about. At first, I just thought I my guitar pickup didn’t have good "string separation, but I finding out that it’s really me. My index finger is weak and I pick lighter with it than I do my middle finger. I am thinking that in time, I will get better with it.....James |
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Pete Finney
From:
Nashville Tn.
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Posted 27 Nov 2005 6:26 pm
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I would humbly suggest that one should aim to eventually be able to play evenly with any of those combinations, for flexibility, and also as they would all be a part of any three note "grips" anyway.
But I don't know too many players (if any) that wouldn't usually use a combination of thumb and one finger or the other to play two notes at a time, as opposed to the two fingers... My experience would suggest that you also try going back to practice playing those string combinations with thumb and finger again and concentrate just on playing more evenly. I personally think that getting used to JUST using the two fingers would be a bad habit that you shouldn't get started on.
Just my humble opinion(s)of course; whatever works for you ! Though the two great teachers I've had in my day (Buddy Charleton and Jeff Newman) would back me up on this I'm quite sure...[This message was edited by Pete Finney on 27 November 2005 at 06:42 PM.] |
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Calvin Walley
From:
colorado city colorado, USA
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Posted 27 Nov 2005 8:19 pm
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i was at the point that i thought something had to be wrong with the strings , guitar or pick up. i was at my wits end , i am sure more advanced players can control finger pressure on the strings and in time maybe i will be able to also but i seem to be able to play better using my index and middle finger and the sound is at least 200% better
i have watched Donnie play and he plays both ways , but then he has years and years of playing behind him ... hey if your expericing this problem try it and if it doesn't help go back to doing it the other way ...all you will have lost is a few minutes of pratice
calvin
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ZumSteel [This message was edited by Calvin Walley on 27 November 2005 at 09:37 PM.] |
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John Bechtel
From:
Nashville, Tennessee, R.I.P.
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Posted 27 Nov 2005 8:19 pm
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It’s just a thought, but; it might be part of a solution! Why not try using gauged finger~picks? Perhaps lighter gauge on stronger fingers and a heavier gauge on weaker fingers! Maybe .025 on the weaker finger and .020 or .018 on the stronger finger. Then your choice of finger will become less of a factor for sound!
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“Big John” Bechtel
Coming Soon: New Burgundy D–10 Derby (w/6 &  ,
’65 Re-Issue Fender Twin–Reverb Custom™ 15” Eminence.
Current Equipment |
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Kevin Hatton
From:
Buffalo, N.Y.
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Posted 28 Nov 2005 10:46 am
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| When a player like Pete Finney weigh's in with some advice here listen with both ears. If you've ever seen him play with Patty Loveless his execution and tone are flawless. |
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Pete Finney
From:
Nashville Tn.
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Posted 28 Nov 2005 11:19 am
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Thanks for the kind words, Kevin...
One more thought on the subject, and believe me I don't claim to be the last word on ANYTHING, just my two cents...
I would almost guarantee that there's not an experienced, accomplished player on this forum that didn't eventually have to unlearn some "bad" habit of technique that they picked up early on. I had already been playing clubs 5-6 nights a week for quite a while before I ever took a single lesson, and believe when I started lessons with Buddy Charleton I had some bad habits to unlearn, and I did, but it was hard! It sure would have been easier if I'd had somebody around to set me straight a little sooner...
So if you're a relative beginner you should ask yourself what's most important to you... Getting the most enjoyment out of playing right now? Nothing wrong with that choice at all... BUT, if you really want to build a good "foundation" to have a chance to truly grow into being a good player, you might make some different choices. If you can't get a good, even tone on two strings with a thumb and one finger then it's really worth working on, not avoiding. And that's not really advanced, it's more of a fundamental "building block" of playing, in ANY style that I just don't think you can "skip over" if you're serious about learning to play...
Just my opinion again, and to tell you the truth I probably wouldn't have even posted in the first place if this wasn't recommended as a "help" to other players as well...
I'll get off my soapbox now... |
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Nic du Toit
From:
Milnerton, Cape, South Africa
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Nathan Delacretaz
From:
Austin, Texas, USA
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Posted 28 Nov 2005 12:29 pm
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| I've played guitar since I was 9, but it wasn't until taking up steel at age 30 that I got some useful right hand technique happening -- from Ricky Davis and Herb Steiner... Take any and all advice you can get in these early months of playing! |
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Calvin Walley
From:
colorado city colorado, USA
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Posted 28 Nov 2005 1:31 pm
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HEY FOLKS I'M ALL EARS
thats what i like about the forum there's always more than one way to skin a cat
calvin
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ZumSteel |
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Jim Sliff
From:
Lawndale California, USA
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Posted 28 Nov 2005 4:06 pm
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I really work on two-string "grips" using thumb/index, thumb/middle, and index/middle. I'll do the same drill varying between those three until I can get them all sounding the same. Then I know I'm on the right track. After that, it's alternating picking between those same groups on adjacent AND spread strings, plus on a single string. I've noticed that on adjacent strings I tend to use the two fingers rather than the thumb, with the thumb used on spread positions.
That and bar positioning are the two things I was able to carry over from years of dobro. But because of dobro, for me it's blocking that's just about nonexistent except for pick blocking. On dobro all the blocking is with the *left* hand.[This message was edited by Jim Sliff on 28 November 2005 at 04:10 PM.] |
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