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Topic: articulation |
Bob Hoffnar
From:
Austin, Tx
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Posted 26 Sep 2009 2:40 pm |
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I have been experimenting this month with phrasing and articulation. The thing that made my playing bump up a couple levels fast was playing without the use of any slides. I got the idea from listening to a bunch of amazing Noel Boggs chord solos. Forcing myself to not use slurs or glisses on some solos made my playing so much more concise.
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Bob |
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Mike Neer
From:
NJ
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Posted 26 Sep 2009 5:35 pm
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I've never been a big fan of excessive sliding and glissing on the steel.
The thing about articulation is that most lap steel players have not paid enough attention to developing right hand picking. I'm hoping to change that. 
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Links to streaming music, websites, YouTube: Links |
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George Piburn
From:
The Land of Enchantment New Mexico
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Posted 27 Sep 2009 6:01 am edit
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edit
Last edited by George Piburn on 22 Jun 2012 7:27 am; edited 1 time in total |
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Bob Hoffnar
From:
Austin, Tx
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Posted 27 Sep 2009 9:14 am
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For you guys that have spent more time on it than me I wonder if Joaquin Murphey used pick blocking in his single note work. His sound is so strong and clear on each note with no slop ever.
Another thing I started to get together on this last tour was I need to play loud and aggressive. My backup pedalsteel work in NYC was all about finding the subtle inner voices to help out the arrangments much like a viola in a string quartet (counterpoint melodic lines to support the vocal and chord movement) or the french horn section in an orchestra (chord pads). With Wayne its all about driving pedal to the metal straight for the cliff and hoping you clear the rocks. Its a glorious situation because I can practice for a few hours during the day and then I have these brutal 3 hour sets to work in my new chord of the day or whatever while I'm under the gun. My apologies to all that have had to sit through my learning curve. Its coming along fast though. Playing 5 hours a day with live rounds whizzing by my head will either kill me or make me into a better player ! Its a super fun way to go. I'm having a ball at this point. Hopefully I have made through the meat grinder that the first few tours can be for the new guy.
Anyway, the biggest breakthrough I had this last run was to slow down and only play what I can hear in my head before I play it. Then focus on concise articulation as best I can.
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Bob |
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Lee Jeffriess
From:
Vallejo California
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Posted 27 Sep 2009 8:14 pm
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Bob, I think Joaquin back in the day probably mostly pick blocked his single notes, and palm blocked chords when he wanted to stop them dead.
I have never heard of this as a taught method in the 30s/40s (ALA Jeff Newman).
I think like Vance Terry he just happened to pick block before it became a recognized technique.
When I saw him play in his last years, I didn't once notice any palm blocking.
His right hand economy of motion was amazing, it really didn't seem like he was using much effort.
Lee
BTW who's playing standard guitar now? |
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Bob Hoffnar
From:
Austin, Tx
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Posted 28 Sep 2009 12:33 am
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Lee,
The new guitar player is a young guy out of Virginia named Matt Thomas. He has quite a bit of fire and vocabulary. Its been going well. The music is fun these days.
I can't thank you enough for your help at a rough time. It meant allot to me.
Bob
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