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Topic: Question about picking technique |
Morgan Scoggins
From:
Georgia, USA
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Posted 10 Oct 2011 6:13 am |
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I started playing 8 string nonpedal steel in August of 2007. I read in the Jerry Byrd Steel Guitar Course That you should use your thumb and index finger when picking two adjacent strings, namley the 1st and 2nd strings.Jerry also stated "Never use just your two fingers".
Well, that's the way I have played for the past four years. Lately I have seen videos of other players using the two fingers to play the high strings. I was fooling around a day or so ago, playing "Faded Love" in A6 tuning ( Herb Remington arrangement). Most all of the melody notes are on the two high strings. I started playing with my two fingers and I couldn't beleive what I was hearing. I got a lot more clean tone and the palm blocking was a lot cleaner. I palyed some more songs and got the same result. I still used my thumb for lower inside strings, but kept using the two finger grip when playing string group 1 and 2 or 2 and 3. I am hoping to get some feed back from SGF folks as to what they use. I hate to go against what the Master, Jerry Byrd says,but I sure do like what I have seen so far.
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"Shoot low boys, the're ridin' Shetlands" |
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Dave Mayes
From:
Oakland, Ca.
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Posted 10 Oct 2011 8:57 am
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Herb does a fantastic job with those "forbidden" two fingers. I'd be willing to bet that very few people have ever thought "imagine how good Herb Remington would be if he used his thumb and middle finger on the top strings like Jerry Byrd did".
Why not master both and see if there are situations where one technique trumps the other? |
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Dave Mayes
From:
Oakland, Ca.
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Posted 10 Oct 2011 9:09 am
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| Sorry, reread your post and it sounds like you have given the JB technique a fair shot. Do what works best for you. The longer I play, the more I see the "gray" areas in any instruction course. |
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Morgan Scoggins
From:
Georgia, USA
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Posted 10 Oct 2011 9:42 am
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Thanks for your reply Dave. You are right about Herb and it is funny that I have spent most of the last four years learning from the materials supplied by JB and Herb. Herb was the player I was refering to when I said something about other players using the two finger grip.
Herb is a wonderful guy. I bought my Steelmaster 8 string from him. I still talk to him every now and then and he is a real pleasure to talk to.
I am going to stick with to two finger grip for now. The difference is really surprising. If Herb can get away with it, I should be able to make it work for me.
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"Shoot low boys, the're ridin' Shetlands" |
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