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Topic: Just another beginner's question |
John Ed Kelly
From:
Victoria, Australia
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Posted 16 Mar 2010 6:55 pm |
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Where to look? This is an issue for me.
Do you practiced folks look at your left or right hand when playing? Seems pretty difficult for me to look in both directions at the one time and stay in tune.
Bobby Koefer seems to have solved the problem - he looks at the audience! See the Bob Wills video at: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5sS5jSbV0Vg
Thanks,
John
By the way, when I first viewed this video, I imagined it was somehow reversed as BW had two leftys in the band. One is unusual enough, but two, in my experience is unheard of. Yep, have seen a LH guitarist before, but never a LH fiddler. Also have seen LH trumpet and trombone and drums. |
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Charles Davidson
From:
Phenix City Alabama, USA
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Posted 16 Mar 2010 10:43 pm
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John,I have read articles by a couple of the BIG guys NOT to watch to watch the right hand. Right or wrong, I DON'T know. YOU BETCHA,DYK?BC.
_________________
Hard headed, opinionated old geezer. BAMA CHARLIE. GOD BLESS AMERICA. ANIMAL RIGHTS ACTIVIST. SUPPORT LIVE MUSIC ! |
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Andy Sandoval
From:
Bakersfield, California, USA
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Posted 16 Mar 2010 10:55 pm
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The right hand doin the pickin should develop some automatic memory connected with string grips with practice, while the bar hand will involve a quick glance to see your next position. But you don't want to rely on having to see where your bar is goin every time. I constantly work on using my ears to listen for proper intonation.  Just takes practice.
Last edited by Andy Sandoval on 17 Mar 2010 3:05 am; edited 1 time in total |
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John Ed Kelly
From:
Victoria, Australia
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Posted 17 Mar 2010 2:05 am
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''But you don't want to rely on having to see where your bar is goin every time. I constantly work on using my ears to listen for proper intonation.''
Right Andy......this is my aim............I just wanted to make sure it was achievable.
''I have read articles by a couple of the BIG guys NOT to watch to watch the right hand.''
Thanks Charles.....there seems to be some common agreement about this already. In my instance my picking hand is the left and I use 4 fingers + thumb. You'd think I would have less hand movement and reap some advantage with this with almost one string per finger.......not so unfortunately........not yet anyway.
I wonder if there is such a thing as arm/wrist memory? That is: being able to move up and down without looking at all? Good double bass players seem to be able to do it and certainly Bobby Koefer had it mastered or was he a freak? |
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Paul DiMaggio
From:
Fort Nelson, British Columbia, Canada
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Posted 17 Mar 2010 6:29 am
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| Bobby Koefer a freak?? Hardly. An unorthodox style of playing? Yep! A massive amount of talent? Absolutely! A really good ear? Most definitely! A showman extraordinaire? For sure! But not a freak. |
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Bill McCloskey
From:
Nanuet, NY
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Posted 17 Mar 2010 7:53 am
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| Quote: |
| I wonder if there is such a thing as arm/wrist memory |
yes there is. I practice the hints that Paul Franklin gave a while ago about practicing various fret jumps and they really help developing that memory. My goal is to be able to play blindfolded. |
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Steinar Gregertsen
From:
Arendal, Norway, R.I.P.
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Posted 17 Mar 2010 8:07 am
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| John Ed Kelly wrote: |
I wonder if there is such a thing as arm/wrist memory? |
Oh yes, absolutely. A couple of examples (not directly steel related):
When I teach total beginners on guitar, they naturally use some time when changing from D to A7 and keep their eyes glued to what their fingers are doing. A couple of months later, after learning many other chords, those first "tricky" chord changes go automaticaly. Why? Muscle memory.
Many years ago I had a fretless bass without any position markers at all, not on the fretboard or even on the side of the neck. I was surprised by how little time it took to develop a good intonation, my fingers knew where they needed to be without me "taking aim". Again,- muscle memory.
My first resonator didn't have any fretmarkers, only the 3, 5, 7, 9 and 12 position markers:
 
_________________
"Play to express, not to impress"
Website - YouTube |
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Paul Higgins
From:
United Kingdom
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Posted 17 Mar 2010 9:20 am
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John Ed Kelly
"Where to look? This is an issue for me."
As one beginner to an other.. I can only tell you what Ive experanced. I am teaching my grandaughter acustic quitar.. and with her neck bent over like a crane she started learning D chord E and A.. and she went home with a chord sheet, with in one week she was changing (slowley ) chords.. and because G was on the sheets (for future learning ) she decided she was having a go with in two weeks she was changing between (slowley ) D and G. WITHOUT LOOKING AT HER LEFT HAND she is 9 and yes at 9 they learn quicker than an old fogey me...BUT this is what I am relaying on.... It will come with practice..Hope the helps with moral anyway RdGs Paul |
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