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Topic: I Can't Stop Laughing Long Enough to Learn PickBlocking |
Bo Legg
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Posted 15 Jun 2012 9:08 am |
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I thought I'd give you a few exerps from this new book Stuart is putting together for me.
From the notes: "I guess I'm from the older than dirt school where I pretty much understood you blocked with anything you were capable of reaching the strings with including your private parts". |
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Stuart Legg
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Posted 15 Jun 2012 11:22 am fig1
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Figure 1: This is the way Bo bends his picks for PickBlocking
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Stuart Legg
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Posted 15 Jun 2012 11:25 am
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This is the way Bo blocks with his fingernails
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Stuart Legg
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Posted 15 Jun 2012 11:43 am
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This is the way Bo blocks with his bar hand thumb or the way Paul Franklin makes his PSG sound like a Marimba
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Richard Sinkler
From:
aka: Rusty Strings -- Missoula, Montana
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Posted 15 Jun 2012 12:29 pm
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_________________
Carter D10 8p/8k, Dekley S10 3p/4k C6 setup,Regal RD40 Dobro, Recording King Professional Dobro, NV400, NV112,Ibanez Gio guitar, Epiphone SG Special (open D slide guitar) . Playing for 54 years and still counting. |
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b0b
From:
Cloverdale, CA, USA
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Bo Legg
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Posted 15 Jun 2012 1:01 pm
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Somebody just had to say that my pickblocking and Paul's are nowhere alike except the Marimba part.
Unlike Paul I don't believe I could ever get my 3rd and 4th fingers to find an unblocked string while I'm picking with my thumb and other two fingers.
I can't even get my 3rd and 4th fingers to join in while I'm trying to scratch my rear. |
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Stuart Legg
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Posted 15 Jun 2012 1:04 pm
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| Just think b0b you never have to drag your Marimba along to a gig anymore if you learn pickblocking Bo's way. |
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Bo Legg
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Posted 15 Jun 2012 1:19 pm
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| Stuart now that you have given away most of my secrets the common masses will have the where with all to play at a level approaching Paul Franklin and myself. |
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Nic du Toit
From:
Milnerton, Cape, South Africa
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Posted 15 Jun 2012 2:10 pm
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I Love this post..... really brightened my day!
_________________
1970 P/P Emmons D10 flatback 8x5, BJS Bar, J F picks, Peavey Session 500, Telonics pedal. Boss GX700 effects.
Skype : nidutoit |
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David Scheidler
From:
Arizona, USA
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Posted 14 Jan 2014 6:54 am
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The Steel Guitar Academy website offers a third technique called "knuckle blocking". Yeah, that's going to be real easy to do. I tried it out. Less movement than palm blocking but not very intuitive. Anyone out there using their knuckles to dampen strings?
http://steelguitaramerica.com/instruction/beginners/blocking.shtml |
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Storm Rosson
From:
Silver City, NM. USA
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Posted 14 Jan 2014 9:18 am
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Don't forget "butt blocking", although this technique usually involves audience participation.. (happened to me once in Roswell,NM)  |
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Scott Duckworth
From:
Etowah, TN Western Foothills of the Smokies
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Posted 14 Jan 2014 11:22 am
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Along with the pick, knuckle and butt blocking, if your feet and knees are lazy, you can just pull the strings behind the bar and for get the pedals and knees...
_________________
Amateur Radio Operator NA4IT (Extra)
http://www.qsl.net/na4it
I may, in fact, be nuts. However, I am screwed onto the right bolt... Jesus! |
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chris ivey
From:
california (deceased)
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Posted 14 Jan 2014 11:38 am
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| whichever of you clowns is the artist, you're getting very good at drawing fingers. especially the first finger. |
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Chris Lucker
From:
Los Angeles, California USA
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Posted 14 Jan 2014 12:43 pm
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Yes to knuckle blocking. I never learned to keep my little finger straight so blocking is done with the heel of the hand, the curled under tops of the ring and little fingers, picks and knuckles -- I don't think about it but just use what is available. The weakness is that between the heel of the hand and tip of the curled little finger I sometimes get a little archway that misses its blocking assignment.
_________________
Chris Lucker
Red Bellies, Bigsbys and a lot of other guitars. |
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Stuart Legg
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Posted 14 Jan 2014 10:31 pm
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| Storm love your Butt Blocking that would go perfectly with my Butt Braille Tab that lets you concentrate on your Steel playing while you sit on the tab! |
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Storm Rosson
From:
Silver City, NM. USA
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Posted 15 Jan 2014 8:40 am
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 ... |
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Michael Hummel
From:
Ottawa, Ontario, Canada
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Posted 15 Jan 2014 9:02 am
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I'm almost exactly like Chris L. I have my ring finger tucked under and use it and its knuckle to block. I find it easier to have my little finger stretched out. I also have the little "arch" where strings sometimes fit and don't get blocked.
For some bizarre reason, starting out as a 6-string player (where right hand palm blocking, at least of chords, is de rigueur) I found palm blocking on pedal steel to be completely unnatural and did everything with pick blocking. I've been working on it really hard and now I find I use some weird kind of hybrid. Like most folks, I guess.
_________________
MSA Classic 5+4
Too many 6-strings and amps to list |
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Alan Brookes
From:
Brummy living in Southern California
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Posted 15 Jan 2014 10:13 am
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| Stuart Legg wrote: |
| Storm love your Butt Blocking that would go perfectly with my Butt Braille Tab that lets you concentrate on your Steel playing while you sit on the tab! |
Would that be similar to Nut Blocking?  |
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Storm Rosson
From:
Silver City, NM. USA
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Posted 15 Jan 2014 11:16 am
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 Prolly depends on your anatomy |
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Bo Legg
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Posted 15 Jan 2014 5:40 pm
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To get back on subject I am working on getting my 3rd and 4th finger to move with the 2nd finger like they are webbed together.
It is hard to break old habits that you've used for years.
I wonder if I could seu the guy that put out that course I learned pick blocking from? |
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David Scheidler
From:
Arizona, USA
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Posted 15 Jan 2014 6:10 pm
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Bo:
Sorry if I hijacked your original post. I made the mistake of replying to your link to this thread. Look at the trouble I've caused!
I guess enough practice can undo any "bad" habit, although it is challenging to undo muscle memory. The best case scenario is probably to learn a combination of blocking techniques and use the one(s) that works best for the song or lick you're playing. |
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Mickey Adams
From:
Bandera Texas
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Posted 18 Aug 2015 1:01 pm
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Am I the guy with lots of lessons and no complete songs?...LMAO....Its not that I will lose any sleep tonight, my girlfriend just wants to know....
_________________
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Ian Rae
From:
Redditch, England
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Posted 18 Aug 2015 1:24 pm
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| Chris Lucker wrote: |
| I sometimes get a little archway that misses its blocking assignment. |
Just picking up on the one serious point (I'm boring like that) - I am working on blocking the Jeff Newman way. The hand is well forward with the fingers coming back on themselves, so that that gap is less likely to coincide with a struck string. Also keeping the elbow in and relaxed seems to help. Not sure why - maybe it just deadens the weight of the hand a little.
If you want to know what problems the other creases in your palm are likely to cause, you should consult your local palmist.
_________________
Make sleeping dogs tell the truth!
Homebuilt keyless U12 7x5, Excel keyless U12 8x8, Williams keyless U12 7x8, Telonics rack and 15" cabs |
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John Billings
From:
Ohio, USA
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Posted 18 Aug 2015 1:36 pm
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I could never play with my picks bent like that. Mine are basically straight, and only stick out an 1/8 or so beyond the flesh. I pick very firmly.
_________________
Dr. Z Surgical Steel amp, amazing!
"74 Bud S-10 3&6
'73 Bud S-10 3&5(under construction)
'63 Fingertip S-10, at James awaiting 6 knees
'57 Strat, LP Blue
'91 Tele with 60's Maple neck
Dozen more guitars!
Dozens of amps, but SF Quad reverb, Rick Johnson cabs. JBL 15, '64 Vibroverb for at home.
'52 and '56 Pro Amps |
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