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Topic: Bird finger usage.... |
Josh Sharpe
From:
Waycross, Georgia, USA
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Posted 26 Mar 2010 10:53 am |
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I'm not referring to the derogatory usage.
I was wondering if anyone else has trouble using their bird finger in leads.
I have been playing pedal steel for about 3 years and I know I have a looooonnnngggg way to go. But, I realized a few months ago that the only time I feel comfortable using my bird finger is when I'm playing 3 notes at once in a chord. It feels very uncomfortable using it during leads.
I have been working on it and it seems that when I use it properly it helps with palm blocking.
Does anyone else have this problem? Any tips? Is it that much of a problem?
I'm just trying to figure out how much of a hack a I am exactly.
_________________
S-10 Carter. Peavey Nashville 112.
Bands I'm in :
American Anodyne http://www.americananodyne.com
Floorboard Songs http://www.reverbnation.com/floorboardsongs |
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Jim Pitman
From:
Waterbury Ctr. VT 05677 USA
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Posted 26 Mar 2010 11:07 am
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Yeh, My middle finger is not as strong as my index, but over the years I've learned to incorporate it. I think doing three finger rolls on the dobro for years helped. Now I always pick the upper string(s) in a given chord grip position during a single note run with it.
On the other hand (no pun)I used to think that poor technique could get in the way of progress until I listened to Django Reinhardt. It's amazing what he could finger on a guitar neck with just two fingers. If he had more fingers would he have played better? I'm not sure. |
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Bobby Burns
From:
Tennessee, USA
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Posted 26 Mar 2010 11:18 am
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| I use my middle finger quite a bit. I often play single string line by alternating between my thumb and middle finger. It works kind of like the up and down strokes you may use with a flatpick when playing a standard guitar. When trying to play palm blocked west coast style stuff, it's easier for me to get the right sound this way. I know a lot of guys who alternate between thumb and index to do the same thing, but thumb and middle is a lot easier for me. |
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Jeff Hyman
From:
West Virginia, USA
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Posted 26 Mar 2010 11:24 am
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| I'm with Bobby on this one. I don't know if it has anything to do with the first vs middle finger... but it is easier for me to do a backward roll vs a forward roll. |
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Ben Jones
From:
Seattle, Washington, USA
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Jim Simon
From:
Moses Lake, WA
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Posted 26 Mar 2010 2:21 pm
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Josh:
A very interesting question for me as I suffer with exactly the opposite of your situation. I am more comfortable and dextrous with my middle finger than the index. Your question made my think about this. I realized that my technique on standard was the culprit. For 51 years I have played my Tele with a pick held between the thumb and index finger. I use my middle finger for double stops and lead notes. Hense my index finger does not operate independent of the thumb. When I switch over to steel I fight a similar battle as you except with a different finger. All of this long winded example tells me it is a matter of muscle memory and strength.
Jim |
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Charles Davidson
From:
Phenix City Alabama, USA
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Posted 26 Mar 2010 2:32 pm
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Most of the time I use thumb and middle for lead lines,If I'm playing a banjo type roll then I use thumb,index and middle,guess that comes from my banjo playing days.  YOU BETCHA,DYK?BC.
_________________
Hard headed, opinionated old geezer. BAMA CHARLIE. GOD BLESS AMERICA. ANIMAL RIGHTS ACTIVIST. SUPPORT LIVE MUSIC ! |
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Frank Sprague
From:
Custer , Washington, USA
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Posted 26 Mar 2010 7:46 pm
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Hey Josh -
When I was starting out , maybe 3 or 4 months into it , Bumped my index finger in between a splitting mall and a piece of birch firewood - had to drill the nail , then lost the nail ,the whole bit , no fingerpick there for some time ! However , being the stubborn sucker I am , I kept at it with just my thumb and "bird " finger . . Payed off now ,but at the time it wasn't too cool - try holding your index finger up out of the way and practice single notes , scales etc.. . I think it's Mickey Adams that has some picking excercises on You-Tube that I found really helpful to get all the fingers on the same team . . . Good luck
_________________
The only things in life I truly hate - fleas , fruit flies , and building furniture |
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Allan Jirik
From:
Wichita Falls TX
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Posted 26 Mar 2010 8:02 pm
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| Being primarily a banjo player I don't have that problem, but I'll tell you what problem I do have- I'm having a heck of a time finding the optimum bend for the middle finger pick. I can chord pretty well but when I use that finger for single string picking I miss the string quite a bit. I can't see any answer except to keep fooling with the pick to get it bent properly. I like my banjo picks to be wrapped around my finger, but my steel picks have to stick out from the finger quite a bit in order to catch the strings. |
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Bill Dobkins
From:
Rolla Missouri, USA
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Posted 26 Mar 2010 9:37 pm
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I couldn't play without using my middle finger.
I use a flat pick between my thumb and index, due to a accident where I almost lost all three.
I just can't find a pick that feels right on my index
as I lost the end of it. 
_________________
Custom Rittenberry SD10
Boss Katana 100 Amp
Positive Grid Spark amp
BJS Bars
Z~Legend Pro,Custom Tele
Honor our Vet's.
Now pass the gravy. |
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Clete Ritta
From:
San Antonio, Texas
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Posted 26 Mar 2010 11:41 pm
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| Ben Jones wrote: |
| Thumb and middle...":cross picking", can anyone confirm that? |
Ben,
I think cross picking doesnt have as much to do with what fingers, but just the alternating of thumb and a finger. The thumb "crosses over" or skips a string, as opposed to all thumb sweeping. In this Mickey Adams lesson on YouTube, he uses thumb and index.
| Josh Sharpe wrote: |
| I was wondering if anyone else has trouble using their bird finger in leads. |
I tend to use all three, generally the thumb and index on adjacent strings and the thumb and middle for non-adjacent string skips, especially grabbing the 1st string.
Clete |
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b0b
From:
Cloverdale, CA, USA
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Posted 27 Mar 2010 9:29 am from The Pedal Press, April 1978
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Clete Ritta
From:
San Antonio, Texas
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Posted 27 Mar 2010 11:20 am
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Great stuff b0b,
Thanks for the clarification and exercises.
Clete |
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Bill Dobkins
From:
Rolla Missouri, USA
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Posted 27 Mar 2010 7:00 pm
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b0b, I can't get the photos to open ????
_________________
Custom Rittenberry SD10
Boss Katana 100 Amp
Positive Grid Spark amp
BJS Bars
Z~Legend Pro,Custom Tele
Honor our Vet's.
Now pass the gravy. |
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b0b
From:
Cloverdale, CA, USA
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Posted 27 Mar 2010 8:18 pm
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Don't know why, Bill. They are old black and white GIF files. What browser are you using? Use Firefox instead.
_________________
-𝕓𝕆𝕓- (admin) - Robert P. Lee - Recordings - Breathe - D6th - Video |
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Bill Dobkins
From:
Rolla Missouri, USA
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Posted 27 Mar 2010 9:11 pm
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That's ok b0b, I just changed my service. I finally got high speed and still setting some stuff up.
Anyway I scared to mess with it because I'm so computer stupid.
Thanks BD
_________________
Custom Rittenberry SD10
Boss Katana 100 Amp
Positive Grid Spark amp
BJS Bars
Z~Legend Pro,Custom Tele
Honor our Vet's.
Now pass the gravy. |
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Josh Sharpe
From:
Waycross, Georgia, USA
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Posted 27 Mar 2010 10:17 pm
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Thanks everyone for the advice. Based on everyone's posts, I suppose I'll just have to work on my dexterity in that finger. It sure doesn't come naturally to me but I'll get it!
Thanks again everyone!
_________________
S-10 Carter. Peavey Nashville 112.
Bands I'm in :
American Anodyne http://www.americananodyne.com
Floorboard Songs http://www.reverbnation.com/floorboardsongs |
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John Neff
From:
Athens, GA
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Posted 27 Mar 2010 11:02 pm
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| Everybody should check out how great a player this guy is. Sounds like you've got a few things figured out, Josh! |
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Ben Jones
From:
Seattle, Washington, USA
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Posted 28 Mar 2010 7:37 am
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I cant see bObs photos either, and i just listened to Josh's myspace and John N. is right, he should be giving me advice not the other way around  |
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Sonny Jenkins
From:
Texas Masonic Retirement Center,,,Arlington Tx
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Posted 28 Mar 2010 8:26 am
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b0b's exercise variation,,,start with 3 strings,T,F,T,F,T,,,,then 4 strings, T,F,T,F,T,F,T,,,then 5 strings,,T,F,T,F,T,F,T,F.T,,keep adding strings all the way across until you have them all.
You can build dexterity in the "off" finger by just using a pick on that finger,,,"noodle" all the same exercises that you would normally do,,,your mind will "hear" the familiar sounds and make your "off" finger perform. |
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Josh Sharpe
From:
Waycross, Georgia, USA
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Posted 28 Mar 2010 6:32 pm
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Thanks so much for the compliments guys! And that means a lot coming from you John, as you're one of my favorites around today!
However, I can't help but think you must have listened to HAYSHAKER's myspace page and not the other two bands I have listed (which, I recorded all the steel for). The pedal steel on HAYSHAKER's page was recorded before I was in the band (or even played pedal steel! ha) by an amazing player named John Lemaster from Jacksonville, FL. If you want to hear what I actually sound like with HAYSHAKER, you can on Facebook (http://www.facebook.com/#!/pages/HAYSHAKER/176426529943?ref=ts). I recorded steel on those songs (except "Scrapwork").
Oh and John, if you have a minute you might get a kick out of the song on our Facebook called "Tin Roof Snare". When I wrote the steel line to that I immediately realized that I was totally ripping off your style! Sorry if its too obvious! I listen to DBT so much, it was bound to come out!
Josh
_________________
S-10 Carter. Peavey Nashville 112.
Bands I'm in :
American Anodyne http://www.americananodyne.com
Floorboard Songs http://www.reverbnation.com/floorboardsongs |
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Josh Sharpe
From:
Waycross, Georgia, USA
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John Neff
From:
Athens, GA
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Posted 5 Apr 2010 12:31 pm
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| Just listened to "Tin Roof Snare" and a couple others. Sounds great. Great intonation. |
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Ben Jones
From:
Seattle, Washington, USA
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Posted 5 Apr 2010 1:01 pm
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Hey Josh, thanks man...I play a nashville ltd sd10 thru an evans via a goodrich pot vp and an older version BYOC delay pedal.
The Hayshaker cuts sounded good on facebook!
Cheers |
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Josh Sharpe
From:
Waycross, Georgia, USA
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Posted 7 Apr 2010 9:37 am
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Thanks a lot John and Ben! I'm not quite sure what you mean by intonation though.  But, thanks all the same.
And Ben, keep doing what you're doing. You sound great! I really like the songs too. How long have you been playing PSG?
Josh
_________________
S-10 Carter. Peavey Nashville 112.
Bands I'm in :
American Anodyne http://www.americananodyne.com
Floorboard Songs http://www.reverbnation.com/floorboardsongs |
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