A question for the pro's............

Ray Montee · Post by **Ray Montee** » 1 Sep 2007 11:05 am

When Forumites speak of plucking three or more strings at one time, and the term "GRIP" or "Grabs" is used, does that mean they clutch the desired strings with all fingers and then clutch them together at one time in a grabbing type gesture?

I've heard it spoken in several posts over the years.

Bill Ford · Post by **Bill Ford** » 1 Sep 2007 1:31 pm

Ray,
I think "grip" is used to say two or more strings are played together, or as a chord(if you can call two notes a chord)

Bill

Jonathan Cullifer · Post by **Jonathan Cullifer** » 1 Sep 2007 5:12 pm

I think it's just the motion or the way it looks. My pick attack was developed one finger at a time and doesn't vary much whether I play one, two, or three strings at once. It does, however, vary based on what strings I'm playing and what fret I'm on.

Tim Bridges · Post by **Tim Bridges** » 1 Sep 2007 5:54 pm

Far from a pro, but I relate to a grip as strings, if/when played together as a group, form a chord. It gives you a "home base", or organizational approach to the instrument. The more I play, the more I see patterns, intervals, relationships between various grips. THEN, you can start connecting the dots with single strings, or harmonic two and three note "steps". I may be way off base, but I believe this is a poor explanation of what Reece Anderson was stimulating discussion and thought about on his thread about practice.

David L. Donald · Post by **David L. Donald** » 1 Sep 2007 8:24 pm

For me Grip means.
What position you must have to hgrab the desired strings.

Thinking E9 here.
strings 10-8-6-5-4
or strings 6-5-4-3 or strings 6-4-2 or strings 4-2

5 or 4 or 3 or 2 string grips are used.
no matter if it is a rolling banjo line or a group pluck.
The grip is the position you need to do it.

Earnest Bovine · Post by **Earnest Bovine** » 1 Sep 2007 9:55 pm

But on the pipa, you would pick down with the fingers, and up with the thumb.

Nic du Toit · Post by **Nic du Toit** » 2 Sep 2007 12:51 am

I've always understood it as referring to hand/finger position when playing, for example, strings 3, 5 and 6.......to ensure that the finger co-ordination allows that group of strings sound the way you intended; whether plucked together, or as a quick arpeggio.
Nic

Donny Hinson · Post by **Donny Hinson** » 2 Sep 2007 3:12 am

I could be wrong, but I don't think many pros would be talking "grips and grabs". I also don't think they'd be using terms like "mash" and "kick", as in "mash" the A&B pedals or "left kick left" for left knee lever left.

basilh · Post by **basilh** » 2 Sep 2007 3:29 am

Donny, you're not wrong !

basilh · Post by **basilh** » 2 Sep 2007 3:29 am

Stupid double post AGAIN ..
Caused by the delay in the confirmation of posting and the impetuosity of youth (I don't think)

Michael Douchette · Post by **Michael Douchette** » 2 Sep 2007 3:40 am

And the winner is...

Donny.

I understand the basis of the original question, but I personally haven't used those terms in ages. They were helpful when I was getting started...

basilh · Post by **basilh** » 2 Sep 2007 3:58 am

I would consider "Mash, Kick and Grab" to be derogatory and demeaning to our chosen instrument.

I'm not so sure about 'Grips' I've often spoken to pros who use THAT particular term, the same ones who would wince and shudder at the mention of (in particular) MASH !

Whether right or wrong, I take a specified 'grip' to mean picking SIMULTANEOUSLY three or more strings that are NOT adjacent.

Nic du Toit · Post by **Nic du Toit** » 2 Sep 2007 4:31 am

Ray,
Now you know who the pros are !

Erv Niehaus · Post by **Erv Niehaus** » 2 Sep 2007 5:50 am

My favorite "grips" are:
The 4,5 & 6th strings
The 5, 6 & 8th strings
and the 6, 8 & 10th strings.
I try to avoid the 3rd string whenever I can.

basilh · Post by **basilh** » 2 Sep 2007 6:38 am

Erv, so YOU consider three adjacent strings as being a 'grip' ?

I would have thought that the terminology refers to something different to the normal picking positions like Thumb and 2nd finger or 1st and 2nd fingers etc.
Once more than two strings are played SIMULTANEOUSLY and ALL the strings are not adjacent, THEN it becomes a grip position. (To Me)

For example :-
(These are only examples and not intended to be harmonically correct in the 'open' tuning without pedals or knee levers being utilized)

I consider grip no.1 as 1st and 2nd fingers on adjacent strings and the thumb at least one string further removed from the shape.

strings 10, 8 and 7 = grip type 1
strings 6, 4 and 3 = grip type 1

Grip 2 to be thumb 1st and 2nd fingers to be at least two strings apart,

strings 10, 8 and 6 = Grip type 2
strings 7, 5 and 3 = Grip type 2

and grip 3 to be the thumb and 1st finger on adjacent strings and the 2nd finger at least one string further out from the shape.

strings 10, 9 and 7 = grip type 3
strings 7, 6 and 4 = grip type 3

I would consider the terminology "GRIP" to mean this type of pick positioning.

Of course I'm probably "On My Own" regarding this way of thinking, but I believe it to be 'Logical'

Basil

Nic du Toit · Post by **Nic du Toit** » 2 Sep 2007 6:50 am

Basil,

I'm with you on this........you just explained it much better.
What other terminoloy should one then use to describe these 'grips', seeing that some of us object to the word 'grip'?

basilh · Post by **basilh** » 2 Sep 2007 6:54 am

I DON'T find 'grip' per se objectionable, the term "Gap Picking" has been used over here AND "grip".

Al Marcus · Post by **Al Marcus** » 2 Sep 2007 5:08 pm

Basil and David explained it pretty well.
If I can remember, Reece used a 4 finger Grip in his jazz playing to get those nice extended chords. He got me to do it too. 3 finger Grips are used a lot too......al.

:)

Ray Montee · Post by **Ray Montee** » 2 Sep 2007 5:42 pm

As a for instance:
JERRY BYRD used the two finger picks PLUS the thumb pick for eliciting sound from two or more........additional strings; chords.
When plucking the strings with the two finger picks, he did so in a rolling motion and when the thumb pick was strummed across one or more strings, forming a chord.........one can hear a much softer or mellower SOUND than what I envision when I hear constant reference being made to gripping or grabbing.
It's just a figure of speech.....but I wonder how many new comers find this kind of contradictory language to be confusing and therefore, a stumbling block?
I've never heard a Sax or Clarinet player explain a dozen or more ways to BLOW into those things. Perhaps I'm wrong, but I can't recall.......
Just like the practice of some folks ALWAYS starting with the TOP STRING(E-down) vs. those who insist on starting at the bottom and going up.
NEITHER is wrong but, WHERE IS OUR STANDARDIZARION? No common language. Seems like everyone is trying to reinvent the wheel, when it comes to steel guitar and our language.

Dick Wood · Post by **Dick Wood** » 2 Sep 2007 6:23 pm

So Donny, are you saying that I shouldn't use PUNCH the pedals or THROW a lever anymore?

Michael Douchette · Post by **Michael Douchette** » 2 Sep 2007 6:26 pm

Ray, "WHERE IS OUR STANDARDIZATION?"

After our instrument has been around, oh, say 500 years or so like a piano... we'll probably have standard terminology. Heck, we don't even have a "standard" setup or tuning!

Erv Niehaus · Post by **Erv Niehaus** » 3 Sep 2007 7:59 am

A grip is a grip is a grip as far as I'm concerned. Anytime you grap ANY three strings, it's a grip. At least where I'm from but you're not where I'm from.

basilh · Post by **basilh** » 3 Sep 2007 8:48 am

Dick Wood wrote:So Donny, are you saying that I shouldn't use PUNCH the pedals or THROW a lever anymore?

I think of pedals being DEPRESSED and levers as ACTUATED

basilh · Post by **basilh** » 3 Sep 2007 8:50 am

Erv Niehaus wrote: Anytime you grap ANY three strings, it's a grip. At least where I'm from but you're not where I'm from.

You're right Erv, where I'm from they'd GRAB them.

Tamara James · Post by **Tamara James** » 3 Sep 2007 9:02 am

basilh wrote:
Dick Wood wrote:I think of pedals being DEPRESSED
My pedals are quite happy.

The Steel Guitar Forum

A question for the pro's............

A question for the pro's............

I don't have a real problem with "grip".......but