Right hand techniques

Mike Moffitt · From: South Carolina

Not being a new comer to the steel I still have some questions concerning the right hand.I recently began watching the right hands of various players and have tried the so called "Squeezing ball " technique -ala Jeff Newman,etc etc.
However in my attempts to maintain such a position I find I'm not one bit comfortable with it,and am messing up more and more on things I used to play with no problem.
Is it set in stone that the right hand is in correct if not done the Standard way,
My thanks for any and all replys

chris ivey · From: california (deceased)

Andy Sandoval · From: Bakersfield, California, USA

Hi Mike, I've seen and tried things that just didn't work for me either, like the way some guys bend their picks. It's what works best for you I think. Of course there's some things that can develop into bad habits if not corrected. Experimentation and lots of practice is the key.

Chris Buchanan · From: Macomb, IL

It sounds like you've been pick blocking and then tried palm blocking, the technique Jeff Newman taught so well. I think players use one style or another, not both. Both are skills that take years to perfect. I'd choose one and stick with it.
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Paul Sutherland · From: Placerville, California

I disagree with the notion that one has to choose to either palm-block or pick-block. I've been palm-blocking for decades, but about three years ago decided I wanted to learn to pick-block as well. I approached this task with the clear idea that I really like palm-blocking, and I had no intention of abandoning the technique. I just wanted to be able to incorporated a bit of pick-blocking into my playing.

After three years, it's starting to happen. I'm by no means proficient at pick-blocking, but at times the pick-blocking starts flowing out without me even thinking about it. It seems that I play somewhat different licks when pick-blocking.

I don't change right hand position in any significant way when going from one technique to the other. I consciously tried to see if I could use the same hand position (the Jeff Newman position) for both techniques. It seems to work. However, I don't block any string with the ring finger or little finger of the right hand, as Paul Franklin apparently advocates.

Almost certainly my pick-blocking isn't quite right, but if one wants to use both techniques, it is possible.

Richard Sinkler · From: aka: Rusty Strings -- Missoula, Montana

I agree with Paul. I think you should be able to do both. This subject has come up before and it made me wonder if I do one more than the other. So, I started to pay attention to my right hand. What I have noticed is, I do both without even thinking about which to use. My brain just knows which to use for certain licks, etc...

When I started playing 42 years ago, I developed into a pick blocker because I didn't know any different. Then after a few years, I was told that pick blocking was all wrong and palm blocking was the only way to block. So, while learning to palm block, I also concentrated on un-learning pick blocking. Years later, pick blocking became OK. So, I re-learned to pick block and have been using both for most of my years playing. There are other blocking techniques I use, but these are the main two.

I think that everything you can learn is an asset to your ability to play this thing.
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Chris Buchanan · From: Macomb, IL

Choose a style and stick with it. That way you'll be able to play the thing. Try another style but be aware it will be different and therefore difficult, like starting from scratch. You can wait years like Richard or decades like Paul before you try a different style. No doubt eventually you'll try everything and your style will be an amalgamation of techniques. But for right now, I think that explains the difficulty you're having. I personally find palm blocking almost impossible, which is why i stick with pick blocking while practicing palm blocking.
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Cal Sharp · From: the farm in Kornfield Kounty, TN

I've tried squeezing the ball and can't do it. Do whatever feels comfortable. Right Hand Pinky.
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Keith Currie · From: Shellbrook, Saskatchewan, Canada

I asked my son Randle the best way to hold your right hand and he just smiled at me and said the way that works best for you. I agree with that myself.
I have watched a lot of really great players and they dont all do it the same way.

Bent Romnes · From: London,Ontario, Canada

Just look at Lloyd Green, he has his own way, as does Doug Jernigan
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Mike Moffitt · From: South Carolina

Thanks a lot guys,it's great to know that I'm not totally wrong in my right hand,All replies are appreciated.

Brett Day · From: Pickens, SC

I think it's best if you do what's best for you. Tim McCasland, a steel/dobro teacher in Texas said on his Pedal Steel Guitar video that there is no right or wrong way-just do what works best for you. Experimenting with both pickblocking and palm blocking works, and I still experiment with it even though I've been playin steel for thirteen years. When you find the method you're comfortable with, your playing experience becomes even more wonderful

Fred Glave · From: McHenry, Illinois, USA

I block both ways too. I found that for me anyway, when I began correcting the angle of my right arm by letting it hang straight down next to my body everything improved quite a bit.
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Drew Pierce · From: Arkansas, USA

I honestly couldn't say whether I "palm block" or "pick block". I do whatever comes naturally to get the sound I want for the song I'm playing and probably do a combination of things. What I can say is that players that get the best tone, in my opinion, tend to play with a swiping type picking motion to their string attack. That is, not a clawing type motion.

Look at any YouTube videos of Buddy Emmons, Jimmy Day, Lloyd Green, John Hughey, etc., and notice how their fingers and pick attack tend to be on a more diagonal angle to the strings, rather than perpendicular in an eagle claw kind of position. That swiping motion generates a fatter sound than a more abrupt 90 degree attack.

Of course, for speed picking fast songs you probably want a more straight on attack to get a quicker, more staccato sound. In that case, I probably tend to block with my pinky more than anything.
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Curt Trisko · From: St. Paul, Minnesota, USA

I'm still a beginner and my right hand technique slowly changed from "eagle claw" to "squeeze the ball". From reading this forum, I never would've thought that changing your technique could happen so naturally or gradually. I think that it's a matter of 1) having your hand and wrist muscles and tendons get used to it, and 2) subtle experimentation at what hand position allows you the best combination of speed and blocking. Like Fred, I've found that improved technique isn't about its individual components; rather, it comes in sets. Having your wrist positioned in a certain way means that your arm will naturally come in towards your body and that the side of your hand will naturally float above the strings in a way conducive to palm blocking.

My impression is that pedal steel is such a relatively new instrument that technique is based on a player's developing intuition more than anything else. The pedal steel is not designed to be intrinsically ergonomic the way a violin or drum set is, so it's not surprising that people can disagree on the optimal technique.

Drew Pierce · From: Arkansas, USA

That's some good insight, Curt. I've found that the more I think about blocking, the worse my playing gets. When I first started playing steel, I didn't know what the term meant. In the process of copying the sounds I heard on records, I was blocking without knowing that was what I was doing. To a large extent, it's still that way.
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Rick Myrland · From: New Orleans

While mindlessly flipping through YouTube I found this clip of Mike Johnston's drum lesson on increasing hand speed very interesting, even if you watch just the first half of this 5 minute video. Seems to me this can just as easily be adopted to right hand technique--fingers instead of hands?

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=aysxOq3KWGQ
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CrowBear Schmitt · From: Ariege, - PairO'knees, - France

Good one Rick ! Mr. Green

that darn right hand is the hardest part & requires a lot of time, perseverance & patience to get down
what i have learned in right hand technique is that one wants to avoid wasting energy needlessly
consecrate the energy to the fingers : picking da notes
no need to move the hand up & down a lot - that's wasting energy
keep your hand ON the steel & dig in w: the fingers in place before you pick
then pick & either : 1 stick'em back in & mute : pick blocking
or 2 mute w: the palm : palm blocking
chord grip exercise are good to start w: imo
running triplets w: Thumb Index Middle on 876 765 654 543 & back down is neetaroony
considering the psg to be a "mini harp " it is essential to only pick & let ring or sound the picked strings / NOT the others
that's the hard part for a beginner
playing psg is probably more about muting than pickin' lol
i'll agree that like guitar players, right hands are " unique "
i love to watch Doug Jernigan's right hand cause it really looks like a tarantula
even if there is a "standard ", right hands do differ
get comfortable first & then adapt/improve as you go on
as i got used to picking & got comfortable, i found my hand to be more like a claw w; a busted wrist at a right angle
& keeping my arm close to my body
i used this exercise that a fo'bro' put up here:
put a folded newspaper or a light folded magazine under your arm up against the body
if it falls while you pick, you lost
for a beginner, this will seem difficult at first but if the desire to play such a contraption is genuine
& mucho time & perseverance are consecrated to it...
in due time you'll notice that it all falls into place
how comfort sets in & just how nice the execution & sound of the notes are
is'nt musik fun ?... Winking

Edward Rhea · From: Medford Oklahoma, USA

Maybe a little bias, since he was my teachers' teacher, the few videos of Ricky Davis playing that I've seen demonstrate excellent hand technique and he uses both pick/palm blocking and is definitely no slouch! I'm new and practice both, but have more success with pick blocking. As far as hand position....everything feels awkward until you create that muscle memory. Keeping my elbow close to my body is a whole nother battle.
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