Palm Blocking
Moderator: Brad Bechtel
- Tim McKane
- Posts: 62
- Joined: 21 Nov 2009 10:33 pm
- Location: North Carolina, USA
Palm Blocking
I have a left hand injury which required me to modify a slide so I can "hold it.
I'm basically relearning with the new slide.
I cannot block the strings behind the bar as is normally done.
I can hopefully achieve the same results palm blocking.
I play a squareneck reso, any tips or videos palm blocking playing a reso would be appreciated
thank you
Tim
I'm basically relearning with the new slide.
I cannot block the strings behind the bar as is normally done.
I can hopefully achieve the same results palm blocking.
I play a squareneck reso, any tips or videos palm blocking playing a reso would be appreciated
thank you
Tim
- Chris Templeton
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Jeff Newman's idea on palm blocking is to approach the strings with a "karate chop", then curl the hand like you might be holding an egg and this will put your hand in a good position for palm blocking.
Excel 3/4 Pedal With An 8 String Hawaiian Neck, Tapper (10 string with a raised fretboard to fret with fingers), Single neck Fessenden 3/5
- Chris Templeton
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double post
Last edited by Chris Templeton on 23 Apr 2015 11:46 am, edited 1 time in total.
Excel 3/4 Pedal With An 8 String Hawaiian Neck, Tapper (10 string with a raised fretboard to fret with fingers), Single neck Fessenden 3/5
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- Chris Templeton
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- Tim McKane
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- Location: North Carolina, USA
Hi Mike
Ron Tipton modified one of his slides with set screws so I could attach the wood top that I made to it
thanks
Ron Tipton modified one of his slides with set screws so I could attach the wood top that I made to it
thanks
Mike Neer wrote:What kind of bar are you using, Tim?
I don't think palm blocking alone is going to give you the desired results. Pick blocking in conjunction with palm blocking might do it.
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Billy Hew Len. https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=6IrSq1rOoL4
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- Tim McKane
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- Roy Thomson
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Tim, good luck with your search for answers. Some good ideas above. I am sure you will overcome.
I do a YouTube demo on the right hand if it is off any help to you.
https://www.youtube.com/user/steelinroy
All the best
Roy
I do a YouTube demo on the right hand if it is off any help to you.
https://www.youtube.com/user/steelinroy
All the best
Roy
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- Tim McKane
- Posts: 62
- Joined: 21 Nov 2009 10:33 pm
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Had a similar thiught -- I don't think any amount of blocking will accomplish what the behind-the-bar dampening does. Getting something heavyish to drag behind the bar is the solution I think. Dobro people will do more tilting than steelers so the material should be somewhat firm, and able to hit anywhere between 1 and 6 strings at a time.Mike Neer wrote:My next question can you attach a piece of rubber, like a pink eraser to the back of the bar? You might be able to use that to help tame those harmonics. Just a thought.
Sounds like a challenging but worthwhile project. Good luck!
2 cheap dobros, several weird old lap steels, and one lifelong ticket to ride on the pedal steel struggle bus.
- Tim McKane
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Hi Hal
that's a great idea!
I met with my local guy(teacher) and he had a few suggestions..
I'm actually working on a new prototype where I can "hold" it like a regular slide
since ring and pinky finger have a mind of their own, I'm binding them together with a Velcro loop to keep them in place.
my index finger is not operative. so I'm looking at a way to bind it to my middle finger, to keep it out of the way
I'm planning on drilling thru to fit Velcro the slide to hold the middle and index finger to the top of the slide.
probably hard to imagine without pics.
i'll post pics when I get to it this weekend
that's a great idea!
I met with my local guy(teacher) and he had a few suggestions..
I'm actually working on a new prototype where I can "hold" it like a regular slide
since ring and pinky finger have a mind of their own, I'm binding them together with a Velcro loop to keep them in place.
my index finger is not operative. so I'm looking at a way to bind it to my middle finger, to keep it out of the way
I'm planning on drilling thru to fit Velcro the slide to hold the middle and index finger to the top of the slide.
probably hard to imagine without pics.
i'll post pics when I get to it this weekend
Hal Braun wrote:I was looking at your picture, and was wondering if instead of mounting the wood block on top, you could mount it on the side? It looks like you could use the same "pinch" grip and let the meat of your palm drag on the string as a damper..
Just a thought?
Please forgive my poor artistic skills, but I was thinking about your velcro mention (great idea).. and if you mounted a little "shelf" on the backside of the bar, you could attach the velcro loops to that (getting a slot through that solid bar is going to be painful)
This would tie your unworking fingers together and connect them to the bar.. and you could adjust the length of the "shelf" to either be longer and help in muting.. or, shorter and use the palm as you used to.
Either way, a piece of cutting board material would probably work, and two screw holes drilled through the neck of the bar would not be as hard to accomplish.
You are of course welcome to toss the whole idea if it seems too outlandish
This would tie your unworking fingers together and connect them to the bar.. and you could adjust the length of the "shelf" to either be longer and help in muting.. or, shorter and use the palm as you used to.
Either way, a piece of cutting board material would probably work, and two screw holes drilled through the neck of the bar would not be as hard to accomplish.
You are of course welcome to toss the whole idea if it seems too outlandish
- Tim McKane
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Hi Hal
wow thanks for putting this together!
If my design doesn't work, I will definitely look at building something along your drawing
thank you
Tim
wow thanks for putting this together!
If my design doesn't work, I will definitely look at building something along your drawing
thank you
Tim
Hal Braun wrote:Please forgive my poor artistic skills, but I was thinking about your velcro mention (great idea).. and if you mounted a little "shelf" on the backside of the bar, you could attach the velcro loops to that (getting a slot through that solid bar is going to be painful)
This would tie your unworking fingers together and connect them to the bar.. and you could adjust the length of the "shelf" to either be longer and help in muting.. or, shorter and use the palm as you used to.
Either way, a piece of cutting board material would probably work, and two screw holes drilled through the neck of the bar would not be as hard to accomplish.
You are of course welcome to toss the whole idea if it seems too outlandish
- Tim McKane
- Posts: 62
- Joined: 21 Nov 2009 10:33 pm
- Location: North Carolina, USA
so my new design did not work..
I uses Velcro attached to a different slide for my index finger and middle,, my fingers doesn't have the strength to use it this way
the way I currently hold it in the pic above gives me the best control and strength
I believe Mike and others mentioned attaching felt
I cut a finger off an old glove and taped it to the wood.. I tried it briefly and It seems to mute the strings, and I think I will go some kind of heavy fabric ..
I'll post pics when I'm done
thanks for all the help
Tim
I uses Velcro attached to a different slide for my index finger and middle,, my fingers doesn't have the strength to use it this way
the way I currently hold it in the pic above gives me the best control and strength
I believe Mike and others mentioned attaching felt
I cut a finger off an old glove and taped it to the wood.. I tried it briefly and It seems to mute the strings, and I think I will go some kind of heavy fabric ..
I'll post pics when I'm done
thanks for all the help
Tim
- Roy Thomson
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- Location: Wolfville, Nova Scotia,Canada
Tim I sent you a Forum message that may be of interest to you.
I have a 97 year old Dobro student who has severe arthritis in his left hand. He was able to overcome and continues to enjoy playing his guitar for our sessions. I would put pics of his bar and his left hand "grip" (which may be of help???) but they would take too much space here.
Let me hear from you by personal email if you wish.
Roy
I have a 97 year old Dobro student who has severe arthritis in his left hand. He was able to overcome and continues to enjoy playing his guitar for our sessions. I would put pics of his bar and his left hand "grip" (which may be of help???) but they would take too much space here.
Let me hear from you by personal email if you wish.
Roy
Custom Tabs Various Tunings
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- Kekoa Blanchet
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Does your playing style incorporate open strings? If it doesn't, then the damper doesn't need to move with the bar -- you could just weave a heavy felt strip or piece of rubber tubing between the strings next to the nut.
But from your original post, I see that you play a reso rather than electric guitar. So I'm guessing that you might play a lot of open strings after all, and the above suggestion might not work for you. Still, I thought I'd mention it just in case.
But from your original post, I see that you play a reso rather than electric guitar. So I'm guessing that you might play a lot of open strings after all, and the above suggestion might not work for you. Still, I thought I'd mention it just in case.