| Author |
Topic: shaping your picks (newbie) |
Jeremy Long
From:
Nashville, TN
|
Posted 15 Oct 2008 11:49 pm |
|
I am a bit confused on the issue of bending your picks. I am new to the PSG and have certainly not had to use metal finger picks till now. I've talked to some local steel players who bend their picks so the pick strikes the string at the perfect angle. Made sense to me but I was picking the brain of Billy Phelps at the NAMM show this year and he said "NEVER" bend my picks...yet his were bent. Wow...I'm thoroughly confused now. Any thoughts please?
Jeremy |
|
|
 |
Donny Hinson
From:
Glen Burnie, Md. U.S.A.
|
Posted 16 Oct 2008 2:57 am
|
|
Maybe he meant "never bend my picks" (if you're using them). At any rate, I can say without doubt that most all players shape their picks for a comfortable fit.
Why wouldn't you? |
|
|
|
Robert Cook
From:
Collierville,TN
|
Posted 16 Oct 2008 5:21 am
|
|
My steel instructor showed me how to gently shape the pick to fit the curvature of my finger by using a pair of needle nose pliers. I tried with just my fingers and the pliers did a much better job of shaping the end of the pick right where I needed it.
_________________
Left-handed Pedalmaster-10, Nashville 1000, Fender Twin, Goodrich |
|
|
|
Larry Hamilton
From:
Amarillo,Tx
|
Posted 16 Oct 2008 8:26 am
|
|
Jeff Newman picks are pre-bent and have the perfect bend in the blade for me. Bend and taper the finger wrap to your liking and comfort.
_________________
Keep pickin', Larry |
|
|
|
Ronnie Boettcher
From:
Brunswick Ohio, USA
|
Posted 16 Oct 2008 8:52 am
|
|
I have used "national" picks since the late 50's, for banjo, and later when I got my steel. I have always left the pick bent in the same position it was stamped out with. Have had no problems in 50 years. But I have always used 2 pair of needle nose pliers to bend the band to fit my fingers. Just my 2 cents again.
_________________
Sho-Bud LDG, Martin D28, Ome trilogy 5 string banjo, Ibanez 4-string bass, dobro, fiddle, and a tubal cain. Life Member of AFM local 142 |
|
|
|
Donny Hinson
From:
Glen Burnie, Md. U.S.A.
|
Posted 16 Oct 2008 10:15 am
|
|
| Quote: |
| I've talked to some local steel players who bend their picks so the pick strikes the string at the perfect angle. |
By the way, I shape them for comfort, mostly. IMHO there is no "perfect angle" when it comes to pick contact. You just need to pluck the string enough to get an acceptable tone, and there's lots of ways to do that.
When I'm playin' steel, I ain't worrying about geometry.  |
|
|
|
Gabriel Stutz
From:
Chicago, USA
|
Posted 16 Oct 2008 10:34 am
|
|
I agree with Donny. It's mostly about comfort. As long as the widest surface of the pick is hitting the strings basically paralell with the string you're fine. Once I get my picks bent to my liking I am very protective of them. If someone wants to sit down at my steel to play, I make absolutely sure they don't bend my picks when they do.
Gabriel |
|
|
|
Don Brown, Sr.
From:
New Jersey
|
Posted 16 Oct 2008 11:29 am
|
|
Spot on Gabriel, I'd much rather give my boots, than my picks.  They become a part of you that really takes a long break in period before a new pair will ever feel right.
------------------
Donny, Your quote cracks me up:
| Quote: |
| "When I'm playin' steel, I ain't worrying about geometry." |
A real truth. |
|
|
|
Bill Ford
From:
Graniteville SC Aiken
|
Posted 16 Oct 2008 11:44 am
|
|
Jeremy,
Just wait til you've been playing a few years, and decided to get a new set of finger picks...same thing all over again. But then you will have a much better idea of what you want.
A pair of needle nose pliers with several wraps of tape to keep from scratching works pretty good.
BF
_________________
Bill Ford S12 CLR, S12 Lamar keyless, Misc amps&toys Sharp Covers
Steeling for Jesus now!!! |
|
|
|
Jeremy Long
From:
Nashville, TN
|
Posted 16 Oct 2008 1:30 pm
|
|
Thanks folks!
Jeremy |
|
|
|
David Doggett
From:
Bawl'mer, MD (formerly of MS, Nawluns, Gnashville, Knocksville, Lost Angeles, Bahsten. and Philly)
|
Posted 16 Oct 2008 2:39 pm
|
|
| I use to bend my picks quite a bit, to curve over the tip of my finger, like a lot of players do. But I sometimes like to be able to "frail" by raking across the strings backwards, and this is difficult with the picks strongly curved. Now I only curve the picks slightly. In addition to helping with frailing, it makes it easier to pick cleanly. I noticed Reece Andersen has his picks sticking straight out with no curve at all. |
|
|
|
Bent Romnes
From:
London,Ontario, Canada
|
Posted 16 Oct 2008 3:08 pm
|
|
| I refer to the great Jeff Newman again. He taught us that the picks have to be funnel-shaped, somewhat the shape of your fingertip. To achieve this, Jeff used a pair of needlenose. I now use TWO pair, one for each side of the round: I hold one while I shape the other...into a funnel shape. I use the old Nationals by the way. Works for me. |
|
|
|
Bo Legg
|
Posted 16 Oct 2008 4:27 pm
|
|
I pick block and I have to bend my picks like this so there is no space between the end of the finger and the end of the pick so that a string can't hook between the end of my finger and the pick when I put my fingers down in the strings to pick block.
The picks are bent so they are perpendicular to the end of my finger and just a very slight and smooth bend at the end.
As you can see by the picture when I pick block with this type of pick I actually pick down on the strings instead up like you do with conventional picks.
The little bend on the end changes it to an up pick as I come of the string. This also gives me a lot of tone and volume variations depending on my string attack.
 |
|
|
|
Matthew Walton
From:
Fort Worth, Texas
|
Posted 17 Oct 2008 5:17 am
|
|
| Gabriel Stutz wrote: |
| Once I get my picks bent to my liking I am very protective of them. If someone wants to sit down at my steel to play, I make absolutely sure they don't bend my picks when they do. |
If someone wanted to use my picks, they would have to tear them off my fingers, as I have acrylic overlays.
Speaking of which, does anybody know of a very good nail person (preferably guy) in the Keller area? I need a fill, bad.
_________________
If something I wrote can be interpreted two ways, and one of the ways makes you sad or angry, I meant the other one.
1981 MSA "The Universal" Bb6 S-12 9/5 | 2024 Excel Robostar Bb6 S-12 8/5 | 2009 MSA SuperSlide C6 S-12 | Peavey Nashville 112 |
|
|
|
David Mason
From:
Cambridge, MD, USA
|
Posted 17 Oct 2008 5:49 am
|
|
Ditto on the two pairs of needlenose pliers, or even rounded jeweler's pliers - check the wife's craft kit. My super secret for success* is to have a set of picks that you use for playing, and a whole other set that you have that you can dick with the bands while you're watching TV, dining, bathing....
When your TV picks are more comfortable than your practicing picks, exchange the sets. If you're spending all your practice time fiddling with your picks, it may take a very, very long time to get either your picks or your playing up to snuff. Well, it will anyway, but that's what time's for, thankfully. 
*(YOU capitalize it, dude) |
|
|
|
David Mason
From:
Cambridge, MD, USA
|
Posted 17 Oct 2008 5:50 am
|
|
Ditto on the two pairs of needlenose pliers, or even rounded jeweler's pliers - check the wife's craft kit. My super secret for success* is to have a set of picks that you use for playing, and a whole other set that you have that you can dick with the bands while you're watching TV, dining, bathing....
When your TV picks are more comfortable than your practicing picks, exchange the sets. If you're spending all your practice time fiddling with your picks, it may take a very, very long time to get either your picks or your playing up to snuff. Well, it will anyway, but that's what time's for, thankfully.
*(YOU capitalize it, dude) |
|
|
|
Don Brown, Sr.
From:
New Jersey
|
Posted 17 Oct 2008 10:02 am
|
|
Bo L, You definitely have a strange way of wearing your picks.. Also, how do you ever manage to get a good attack on the strings, wearing them bent to that degree?
Pick blocking is something that most all do anyway, without ever knowing it, if they've played any length of time, and it has absolutely nothing to do with the way the pick is formed. Just a thought for consideration..
If that picture you sketched, is correct, you're showing the upper band to be way up on your finger?
The upper band portion of the Nationals, sit right at my cutical. I've always found it best to make your picks become the most treasured personal items, you have.. For reasons that new players, will only come to know, if they play long enough.. But! times do come when you might have to replace one (as in someone stepping on one or losing one).
I simply put a new one on, and squeeze it together, and shape it how I want it to be and feel. But regardless of how you go about it, it's still going to need the same breaking in period, before it will ever feel right, like your old one/s did, regardless of how you choose to do it.
But I'd definitely recommend that the new folks not ever, bend their picks to that extent, or they'll find they'd have a very tough time of ever picking, without hitting other strings, at best.  |
|
|
|
Bo Legg
|
Posted 17 Oct 2008 3:33 pm
|
|
Don Brown, Sr.
| Quote: |
Pick blocking is something that most all do anyway, without ever knowing it, if they've played any length of time, and it has absolutely nothing to do with the way the pick is formed. Just a thought for consideration..
If that picture you sketched, is correct, you're showing the upper band to be way up on your finger? |
My crude drawing is not to scale and was only meant to to show how the pick was bent at the end of my finger.
I'm taking the broader meaning of pick blocking which as you can see by the drawing that it also includes blocking with the finger nail behind the pick. I block with the thumb pick as well. This is all done by dropping your fingers picks, finger nails and thumb back after you pick.
Then there is a whole bunch of things the you have to do with the bar hand.
Believe me this takes a lot of practice and very little of this comes natural.
Unless you buy into the whole Pick Blocking thing you will not understand why I bend my picks in this manner. |
|
|
|
Don Brown, Sr.
From:
New Jersey
|
Posted 17 Oct 2008 4:55 pm
|
|
Bo, No offense to how you wear your picks at all, but your diagram would possibly have new folks very confused. You must admit, it's not the norm. I'm not saying you have to be like anyone else, I have no idea at all how long you've been playing.
Sorry if I offended you, it was not meant for that purpose at all.
But when you speak of pick blocking, I assume you do that for high speed single string clean picking. There isn't really any mystery to pick blocking, as I said, that is something that simply happens with most anyone who does any amount of clean single string runs.
I think many times, people try making simply things become a mystery. I don't ever remember pick blocking (that term) ever being around before the last few years. Why was that? Because it was something we were all doing, without even knowing it. Palm blocking most certainly we all knew we did that, but the pick blocking was happening without really knowing it was.
Ask any of the older players, and they'll probably all tell you, they never heard of that term, until within the past few years. However, the picking was just as fast, just as clean, and no mystery behind any of it.
That's all I can say on that subject.
But again, each person should fit his/her picks to suit their needs.
Again, sorry if I offended you or anyone else.
Don |
|
|
|
Ronnie Boettcher
From:
Brunswick Ohio, USA
|
Posted 17 Oct 2008 5:12 pm
|
|
Speaking of NATIONAL picks, All are getting to be collector items. The older they are, the more they are worth. In the banjo hangout, a pair of the newest ones are getting $25 a pair, and the older ones $50. I have enough to last me a lifetime, but won't part with any.
_________________
Sho-Bud LDG, Martin D28, Ome trilogy 5 string banjo, Ibanez 4-string bass, dobro, fiddle, and a tubal cain. Life Member of AFM local 142 |
|
|
|
Don Brown, Sr.
From:
New Jersey
|
Posted 17 Oct 2008 5:28 pm
|
|
| Ron, I wonder how many dollars we must have given away, during times when someone would say: "Would you happen to have an extra set of picks?" |
|
|
|
Bo Legg
|
Posted 17 Oct 2008 6:43 pm
|
|
Don Brown, Sr.
| Quote: |
Bo, No offense to how you wear your picks at all, but your diagram would possibly have new folks very confused. You must admit, it's not the norm. Very Happy I'm not saying you have to be like anyone else, I have no idea at all how long you've been playing.
Sorry if I offended you, it was not meant for that purpose at all.
Ask any of the older players, and they'll probably all tell you, they never heard of that term, until within the past few years. However, the picking was just as fast, just as clean, and no mystery behind any of it. |
I’m sorry if I sounded like I was offended. I never take anything on the Forum personally. I was just trying to clarify what I meant by the term Pick Blocking.
The term Pick Blocking is actually an old school term and in 1982 when I learned it was a fairly new technique and was an excepted term for a complete style or technique of blocking which included a lot more things than just blocking with the pick.
How about I change title to this technique to which I refer as
“Blocking With Everything Except Your Palm”
I Practice and compiled all the info I could on Pick Blocking “Blocking With Everything Except Your Palm”in 1982-1983 after researching how other steel players were approaching this technique and it was at that time a fairly new concept. There was a small booklet on this subject that I purchased, learned and then lost. I don’t remember the PSG player that published this. Maybe someone on the Forum knows.
Pick Blocking “Blocking With Everything Except Your Palm” was an excepted term at that time that meant you blocked with your picks, your finger nails behind the picks, the fleshy part of the thumb on the picking hand and you blocked with the thumb in front of the bar and with your fingers past the end of the bar. Pretty much it meant blocking with everything except your palm.
As I stated in my first submit, I bent my picks that way because that is the only way I could use all the techniques within Pick Blocking “Blocking With Everything Except Your Palm”. |
|
|
|
Don Brown, Sr.
From:
New Jersey
|
Posted 17 Oct 2008 9:21 pm
|
|
Bo, I believe this is one of the best ways to let you see, precisely what we were discussing. Watch very closely to Pauls Right hand.
Stumbled onto this, and it's a real good close-up shot of his right hand, while playing some fast riffs.
click here
I think this will say it all.
Enjoy,
Don |
|
|
|
Dick Sexton
From:
Greenville, Ohio
|
Posted 18 Oct 2008 5:27 am Blocking?
|
|
| Don, great video of Mr. Franklin. I think I had seen that once before. I think the question here is, what's he not blocking with? I doubt these great players ever think about blocking, it is something that happens after years of seat time. I went to a Jeff Newman seminar once and was told as a "Newby", the only time you need to lift you right hand off the strings is when you pick and want some noise to come out of that thing. Never had a problem with "palm" blocking after that. Pick blocking, when needed, just came along. There is so much to learn on this thing other then "Pick Blocking", and I bet most that do it, learned it well after some of the other important stuff that must be learned. Of course other openions may vary. Dick S |
|
|
|
Don Brown, Sr.
From:
New Jersey
|
Posted 18 Oct 2008 10:47 am
|
|
| Dick, You've got it. By the time someone dropped their finger (itself) back down on top of the string, I'd say they'd be about 20 notes short or so.. |
|
|
|
