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Topic: Flying Right Elbow? |
Bill Terry
From:
Bastrop, TX
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Posted 26 Jun 2009 11:06 am |
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I notice a lot of the avatars on here show guys sitting behind a steel, and many of these pics show the right elbow sticking out, sometimes almost like a wing. I was taught (by Ricky Davis) to tuck that right elbow in, which in turn puts your forearm at an angle more closely at 90 degrees to the fretboards and also tends to put your right hand more toward a correct position. I bet Ricky spent at least 15 mins talking and showing me good posture before we played a note that day.
For me, once I was accustomed to the new posture with the right arm tucked in, it made a lot of difference in comfort if nothing else, but I also believe it helped me keep my arm and hand relaxed and more efficient. Is this a common teaching precept? I notice that the great majority of pro players adhere to this principle.
I'm not saying you can't play well with a flying elbow, (check out Jim Furyk's golf swing if you think unorthodox can't work) but what do you guys who teach think?
_________________
Lost Pines Studio
"I'm nuts about bolts" |
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Bob Hoffnar
From:
Austin, Tx
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Posted 26 Jun 2009 12:59 pm
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Buddy Charleton showed me the same thing that Ricky showed you. Elbos out would seem to mean there is tension in the arms and upper body. Tension is no good for tone or intonation. Elbos out can also mean that the wrists are bent which can lead to injury.
One of the main reasons you usually don't see pro players sticking there elbos out is that if you practice and play hour after hour every day its just extra work holding your arms up like that.
_________________
Bob |
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Lee Baucum
From:
McAllen, Texas (Extreme South) The Final Frontier
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Posted 26 Jun 2009 1:00 pm
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My picking and palm-blocking are very much improved when I can remember to keep that elbow tucked in. I don't believe I'm guilty of the "flying elbow" syndrome; however, I do find that right elbow moving about 2 to 3 inches away from my side. I have to keep reminding that arm to stay where it's supposed to be. One of these days it will learn.
Bob - When did you move to Austin?
Lee, from South Texas |
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Mike Schwartzman
From:
Maryland, USA
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Posted 26 Jun 2009 1:55 pm
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One of the 1st instructions I got as a newcomer was to keep that right elbow tucked. For a good while I was kind of wrestling with the concept and had to keep reminding myself to not do "the chicken wing thing".
After a while I decided to re-analyze my whole posture, and I discovered that I was making things a little tough on myself by sitting too high over the steel. I have to sit a bit higher than some because of an ongoing physical problem, but after making a small adjustment to sit a little lower, that right elbow tucked nicely.
I agree that the tucked elbow position definitely makes for a more relaxed picking approach in my case, and as mentioned... YMMV.
_________________
Emmons Push Pull, BMI, Session 400, Home of the Slimcaster Tele. |
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Ray Montee
From:
Portland, Oregon (deceased)
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Posted 26 Jun 2009 2:53 pm And what about the right picking hand?
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Apparent to some of us older players, is the realization that in addition to naming the strings from the BOTTOM UP, rather than from the high "E" string down, many photo's show the right hand fingers perpenticular to the string/frets instead of in a natural curl-under with a rolling of the thumb and finger picks together rather than the grab or raking of the strings toward the player.
Am I accurate or inaccurate? |
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Steve Hitsman
From:
Waterloo, IL
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Posted 27 Jun 2009 5:07 am
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| Quote: |
| Buddy Charleton showed me the same thing that Ricky showed you. |
First thing he told me, too. Then he asked why my guitar was higher in the back than the front. I took his advice on both... huge difference. |
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Bob Hoffnar
From:
Austin, Tx
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Posted 27 Jun 2009 7:16 am
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Its one of the things you get from a good teacher in person. They can notice the critical ergonomic issues and help you with them.
_________________
Bob |
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Alan Brookes
From:
Brummy living in Southern California
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Posted 27 Jun 2009 10:49 am Re: And what about the right picking hand?
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| Ray Montee wrote: |
...many photo's show the right hand fingers perpenticular to the string/frets instead of in a natural curl-under with a rolling of the thumb and finger picks together rather than the grab or raking of the strings toward the player.
Am I accurate or inaccurate? |
You're absolute right, Ray. I've noticed this many times, also on album covers. I think it's because they're not actually playing at the time the photo is taken, and the photographer, not being a player himself, has put the hand in the position he thinks is most photogenic. (The public doesn't notice anyway. You could put an Ancient Japanese Nose-flute on the cover of a steel album and the public wouldn't know any difference. Only this week I saw an album by a classical guitarist which showed a 12-string plectrum guitar on the cover...)   |
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Richard Sinkler
From:
aka: Rusty Strings -- Missoula, Montana
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Posted 27 Jun 2009 11:06 am
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| Or, there are those of us that it just appears to be "flying out" when actually it is against our side and it's our stomach that is flying out. |
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