Beginners Notes #85-7th and 8th String Thing

Dick Sexton · From: Greenville, Ohio

Beginners Notes #85-7th and 8th String Thing

1_______________________________________________________________________
2_______________________________________________________________________
3_______________________________________________________________________
4_______________________________________________________________________
5_______________________________________________________________________
6________________________________________________3______________________
7______10__________8_________6_________5________________________________
8__10______10----8_____8----6F____6F----5_____5----3_________________________
9_______________________________________________________________________
10______________________________________________________________________

1_______________________________________________________________________
2_______________________________________________________________________
3_______________________________________________________________________
4_______________________________________________________________________
5_______________________________________________________________________
6_____3______________________________________________10_______10----10B__
7_______________5G__________7G__________9G_____________________________
8__3_____3----5_______5----7_______7----9E______9E----10______10____________
9_______________________________________________________________________
10______________________________________________________________________

1_______________________________________________________________________
2_______________________________________________________________________
3_______________________________________________________________________
4_______________________________________________________________________
5_______________________________________________________________________
6__3_____3_____________________________________10______10----10B_________
7___________5G____5G___7G____7G__9G______9G___________________________
8_____3_________5__________7__________9E___________10__________________
9_______________________________________________________________________
10______________________________________________________________________

Jim Eller · From: Kodak, TN (Michigan transplant)

Dick,

Just wanted to let ya know, I'm still enjoyin' this stuff.

Thanks,
Jim

Dick Sexton · From: Greenville, Ohio

Thank you Jim,

I try to put something up as it comes to me. Been working on the 7th raise and the 8th string interplay. Some nice stuff there. I'm learning it myself...

I enjoyed the pic of your bike. Nice ride.

Paul Sutherland · From: Placerville, California

Dick

I just wanted to say thank you for the wonderful series you have been posting.

Do I need to learn to pick block to progress with the material you are presenting? I am very comfortable with palm blocking and playing with my thumb and middle finger and crossing over. I see in your Beginners Notes #66 that you are using the index finger as well as the middle finger, and alternating with the thumb and crossing over. Is this to be done with palm blocking, which makes sense to me?

I continue to wonder if pick blocking is really necessary. Are there any top pros that don't pick block?

Thanks again. Paul

Dick Sexton · From: Greenville, Ohio

Paul, Thank you for the good words. It is my pleasure to be here.

Anything I post can be palm blocked. I am learning to pick block myself, but not exclusively. Others more experienced and proficient, may disagree, but I think there is room for both methods. Uh.... And probably a few more. I once knew a picker that blocked almost everything using the thumb of his bar hand. It tired me out just watching him, but he was a pretty good steel player. Keep an open mind, you may come up with a method that surpasses anything developed to this point. How long have we been hearing about pick blocking. Very Happy

"Are there any top pros that don't pick block?" I cant answer that one...

Mark Treepaz · From: Hamburg, New York USA

As I've posted in another topic which was with regard to Speed Picking....

I'm currently studying Jeff Newman's "No Speed Limit" course. I'm also using "The Amazing and Easy Speed Picking Course" by Weldon Myrick & Hal Rugg, as well as referencing some course videos that I have by Steve Palousek and some of Dick Sexton's exercises that I've downloaded from here.

When I first started learning to play PSG, it was emphasized to me that I must learn pick blocking as well as palm blocking. At first I couldn't pick block worth anything. However, over time, I worked hard on my pick blocking, and now most all of the time I pick block almost everything without even thinking about it. It just feels somewhat natural to me now.

What I'm finding interesting is that with Jeff Newman's "No Speed Limit" (of which I'm only approximately 1/3 of the way through) he emphasizes palm blocking and makes no mention of pick blocking. The Myrick/Rugg course doesn't even mention blocking, so I just pick block through it just fine. In fact, I'm pick blocking the exercises in Jeff Newman's course as well, as this feels more natural to me. The Steve Palousek course material also emphasizes pick blocking as well. When I attempt to palm block through any of these exercises, it feels very clumsy and doesn't work very well for me.

Anything that I've learned to this point utilizes the thumb and middle finger for speed picking which is working fine for me. Other than one exercise in Jeff Newman's course which calls for the index finger to be used on only one string, all else is thumb and middle finger.

From what I've read in another with topic with regard to palm blocking/pick blocking, I'm led to believe that Doug Jernigan, Buddy Emmons, Mike Smith and Herby Wallace (just to name a few) were all palm blockers. I don't know this for sure, that's just what I've read. I also seem to recall from a DVD of Tommy White's that he mentions that he too prefers palm blocking.

Here's a link to the topic that I'm referring to about Speed Picking. It's called "Speed Picken - What is the key element?". However, there isn't too much discussion with regard to blocking, which somewhat surprises me.
http://bb.steelguitarforum.com/viewtopic.php?t=165884

I would also do a search on blocking here on the forum. I'll bet you'll find a myriad of opinions as to what is the "best" way to block. That should really confuse you! Smile

_________________
Sho-Bud LDG, Gretsch Syncromatic Lap Steel, Fender Steel King amp, Bach Stradivarious 37 Trumpet, Getzen Eterna Flugelhorn, 68 Fender Precision Bass

Forum Index > Tablature		Next oldest topic :: Next newest topic

All times are GMT - 8 Hours	Jump to: