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Topic: Practiceing without Reverb or any effects |
Joe Smith
From:
Charlotte, NC, USA
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Posted 21 Apr 2009 8:51 am |
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I have found that if I practice without using any effects including reverb, that it helps me to not pick up the bar when moving around the neck. It also helps me to use the volume pedal for sustain instead of depending on the reverb.
Any of you practice this way? |
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b0b
From:
Cloverdale, CA, USA
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Posted 21 Apr 2009 9:06 am
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Yes, all the time. Using effects during practice encourages sloppy playing. I only turn them on if I'm practicing how to use the effect. Most of my practice is dedicated to hand technique, pedal movements and learning songs. It's better to have the effects turned off for those things.
_________________
-𝕓𝕆𝕓- (admin) - Robert P. Lee - Recordings - Breathe - D6th - Video |
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Joe Smith
From:
Charlotte, NC, USA
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Posted 21 Apr 2009 9:37 am
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| b0b, the way that you practice is working for you because the stuff that I have heard you play sounds really good. |
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Ben Jones
From:
Seattle, Washington, USA
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Posted 21 Apr 2009 10:44 am
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how bout without an amp?
Ive heard conflicting opinions (from pros)on wether this is a wise move or not.
I recently started practicing withou a bar. dont laugh, you know what i mean 
Has improved my right hand a bit. |
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Larry Bell
From:
Englewood, Florida
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Posted 21 Apr 2009 10:54 am
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Practicing without a volume pedal with no effects makes you concentrate on only the sound your hands, the strings and bar, and the amp and speaker are making. It's much easier to spot intonation errors and other technique problems with no fx and no vp. Another fun 'deprivation exercise' some may find useful is to practice with a towel over your fretboard.
In addition, recording yourself when you practice can help you find things you need to work on.
After practicing that way for a whle, when you get into a playing situation with effects you'll notice a couple of things:
- you don't really like the sound of all that verb and delay and
- it's a whole lot easier to control your guitar when you''ve practiced 'riding it bareback' -- at least for some of your practice.
Intonation can be improved with the towel exercise because you have to trust your ears and hand/ear coordination. If your eyes don't have to be constantly checking your bar placement you can concentrate more on WHAT you're playing rather than WHERE you're playing it. I need to spend more time on that one myself. Watch Buddy Emmons -- he's making eye contact with the audience and his intonation is on auto-pilot and PERFECT. He showed up in St. Louis one year -- late 70s -- with a push-pull that had no E9 fretboard.  He played three sets of solo stuff on it. What a guy. 
_________________
Larry Bell - email: larry@larrybell.org - gigs - Home Page
My CD's: 'I've Got Friends in COLD Places' - 'Pedal Steel Guitar'
2021 Rittenberry S/D-12 8x7, 1976 Emmons S/D-12 7x6, 1969 Emmons S/D-12 6x6, 1971 Dobro, Quilter ToneBlock 202 TT-12 |
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Andy Jones
From:
Mississippi
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Posted 21 Apr 2009 12:25 pm
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Thanks,gentlemen,for these suggestions.I have never thought of practicing in this manner.I have practiced in the dark before and it did seem to help.I'll try this today!I'm open to any tips that might improve my playing.
Andy |
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Tony Prior
From:
Charlotte NC
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Posted 21 Apr 2009 2:26 pm
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My friend Joe Smith could play without a bar, without picks and even without a Steel and he would still be great !
Hey Joe, what you up to ?
t |
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Joe Smith
From:
Charlotte, NC, USA
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Posted 21 Apr 2009 3:03 pm
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| Tony Prior wrote: |
My friend Joe Smith could play without a bar, without picks and even without a Steel and he would still be great !
Hey Joe, what you up to ?
t |
Hey Tony my friend, I'm up to 180lbs 
I would like to add that I consider Tony to be one of my dearest friends. We got to get together soon Tony so I can steal some more of your licks. |
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