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Topic: Question for Paul Franklin................ |
Ray Anderson
From:
Jenkins, Kentucky USA
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Posted 15 Jun 2012 8:56 am |
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| Laying aside all focus on instruments, amps, effects and etc. Knowing that you can't purchase tone and technique, I have come to the conclusion that the right hand is "king". My question to you and your "famed tone" is, would you list in order of importance; 2 practice items for the right hand that are "key"for better tone? This would be for all Noobies and especialy for the ones like myself that don't have time in their favor to search for it.( Got a late start in life.)I'm not to proud to ask for help. Thanks Ray |
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Joseph Meditz
From:
Sierra Vista, AZ
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Posted 16 Jun 2012 2:35 pm
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| Ray Anderson wrote: |
| I have come to the conclusion that the right hand is "king". |
While how and where you pick is important it is only a small fraction of the life of a tone. The picking is over in an instant after which the bar controls the tone and therefore takes up almost all of the player's attention.
The bar controls intonation which really is king and on that PF has posts on this forum. In particular he wrote about the importance of keeping the bar parallel to the frets, something everyone knows. Right? However, he asked if you keep it really, really straight? Laser straight?
After that one post I went back and checked. My bar was far from laser straight. I checked with a tuner and learned that that little bit of skew degrades tone immensely, producing a sour sound. This single post improved my tone considerably. I think of it all the time, a life changing post!
So, for me the left hand is king. It is the center of focus. As such the instrument is aptly named after the bar. |
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Franklin
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Posted 17 Jun 2012 5:44 am
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Ray,
You are the only one who can teach your hands to give you what type of tone you prefer. You can learn through various courses like Newman's or Wright's beginner courses how to get a perfectly clean picking attack with the right hand....And once you perfect blocking a single slow note after its played you're free to explore the tonal possibilities of that note with the examples I've listed below.
Personal tone comes from the combined precision of the right and the left hand. Soul comes from mastering the vibrato and the volume pedal. Those are two separate issues.
Try this......with the right hand alone pick the 5th string. Now pick it again at various other places on the neck.....Listen to how each slight move changes the tone. Most likely you'll hear a lot of sounds you like. I did and I use all the tones I like from time to time.
Try this.....Pick the string in your usual place. Now swivel the finger a little to the right and pick the string again. Keep swiveling and picking the string until its uncomfortable and then do the same towards the left keeping the finger in the exact same place.....Listen to how many variables there are. Explore them.
Now Try This......pick a place on the neck and pick the 5th string softly....now pick it again and again slightly harder each time and listen to the tone change.....This is also how to get dynamics which is also a part of the emotional chain.
Because there are so many variables experiment by mixing these options until the steel starts sounding more pleasing to you......If you're a beginner we're talking a few hours before you hear something you like and a few month's before great results show up when you play....... Perfecting your touch can turn into years of work. Just saying, with musical instruments you'll get out what you put in.
What Joseph said about the left hands accuracy being important to tone is good advice....I found both hands to be equal tone partners......I start hearing a tone I prefer when the accuracy of both hands are in synch.
A very important point to remember while learning anything.......Its not really completely learned until the absence of thought while playing occurs.
Paul |
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Norbert Dengler
From:
germany
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Posted 17 Jun 2012 8:52 pm
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A very important point to remember while learning anything.......Its not really completely learned until the absence of thought while playing occurs.
i dream about getting there...  |
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