Palm Blocking Help

[George Rothenberger]

I have been playing for 3 years (non Pedal) and finally took lessons. Well respected local player/coach says to put crease of my right hand, the crease below the pinky, in line with the highest string you are picking ( lets say the high E in ACEGACEG) and to round your hand like a golf ball is in there, and to pick-stop pick-stop with the stop being the palm block. BUT I can't seems to get a hand position that makes sense. My hand is at a weird angle when I do that and the index and middle picking fingers are way way at an angle. I just can;t get it all to come together. I listen to him and I try and try. Advice on palm blocking appreciated.

[Greg Booth]

This how I explain it. Find a hand position where your three picks are on the strings AND the fleshy part of your hand below the pinky is totally muting the strings. When you pick, your hand will come up slightly and unmute the strings. When you go down to pick again your hand blocks them as your pick(s) get into position. Some very fine palm blockers will curl their pinky or ring finger under and use that as the blocking implement.

[Fred Treece]

This how I explain it. Find a hand position where your three picks are on the strings AND the fleshy part of your hand below the pinky is totally muting the strings. When you pick, your hand will come up slightly and unmute the strings. When you go down to pick again your hand blocks them as your pick(s) get into position. Some very fine palm blockers will curl their pinky or ring finger under and use that as the blocking implement.

Well that’s a pretty good explanation.

I’ve always wondered about the chicken and egg of palm blocking. Do you find the optimal picking position and then figure out how to block? Or find the optimal blocking position and then figure out how to pick?

There have been many forum discussions on blocking technique. This one goes into pretty great detail on palm blocking, but other techniques are also mentioned. Someone even mentions how the size of his hand figures into it, which now seems obvious to me:
https://bb.steelguitarforum.com/viewtop ... sc&start=0

[Bill McCloskey]

Greg is the man.

These days I only palm block when things have gone off the rails and for some reason something's ringing that shouldn't be ringing.

But other wise, it is pick blocking all the way. It takes practice, but once you get it, it becomes natural and faster than palm blocking.

[Bill McCloskey]

Okay, forget that.

I went to the steel right after writing that and realized I palm block all the time. I put my pinky down on the strings and the side of my hand to block between pick blocking. Funny thing is, I do it so unconsciously at this point, I forgot I was doing it.

[Nelson Checkoway]

I agree that palm blocking can become almost automatic. There’s another way to think about this that might help. Except for the times that you want the strings to ring out, resting your palm on the strings can be the constant or default position. You’re not as much blocking after each note as you are “unblocking” by lifting your hand slightly to play each note and then returning to the muted condition by letting the side of your hand drop back to the strings. Resting your palm on the strings when not playing can feel more natural and relaxed, when the blocking and “unblocking” relies more on gravity then force.

[George Rothenberger]

Thanks to you all, Greg (fellow bluegrasser), Fred,Bill,Nelson. And Fred thanks for the link to the earlier thread with great exercises from Dave Magram and further comments from Larry Bell.
I appreciate the help and will get to it. It never occurred to me the default position is the palm Resting on the strings..
My heartfelt thanks.

[Andy Henriksen]

I have been a claw-handed pick-blocker for several years, and I got the Jeff Newman Right Hand Alpha vids several months ago, in hopes of working more palm blocking into my playing (PSG and lap).

That lesson is ALL about that crease, and the tall hand shape. The best piece of advice in there is shared almost in passing - practice the palm blocking hand shape with drills and repetition when you are PRACTICING, but just let your hand do whatever it naturally wants to do when you are actually playing (at rehearsal, gigs, for fun). The idea is that eventually your hand will start to morph into the new palm-blocking-friendly shape naturally on its own.

And, I find that's true. On slower songs now, I can keep my hand shape closer to Newman's and it feels pretty natural. On faster tunes my hand starts to flatten out. I don't fight it.

[Andy Henriksen]

On faster tunes my hand starts to flatten out. I don't fight it.

...or if I do fight it, it's when I'm in practice mode, and I'm slowing the song WAY down to where I can actually maintain the hand shape and the "bounce."

[Jerry Overstreet]

I can offer a tip here. After years of playing the peaked knuckle right hand style, I noticed my blocking would get a little sloppy sometimes with not muting properly and letting some unwanted notes ring out.

I discovered I was getting lazy with my thumb. This is what I found. If you keep your thumb straight out at nearly a right angle to your hand, you will have to move your whole hand which naturally puts the fleshy edge in a position for proper blocking.

What I would do sometimes, instead of keeping the thumb out was to swing the thumb forward in an arc and not moving the entire hand. Just being lazy.

This may feel a bit odd at first, but in short order it will become natural.

It will also eliminate wearing the pick blade at an angle as the blade will now be at a right angle to the string. This will also help make your thumb notes sharper.

Just an observation.

This is the technique I use on lap steel and resonator guitar as well as pedal steel.

[John McClung]

George, you're getting great advice here, especially from Greg Booth. I have some additional help, email me and I'll send you a link to a video of me teaching a student how to palm block.

I also have a teaching aid that's quite helpful: a cat toy ball I've renamed the "Professor Twang Sphere of Right Hand Goodness." It's been a real help in shaping students' hands, better in size than either a ping pong ball or a golf ball. I used to get these in local pet stores, but for some reason no one carries them anymore. So now I buy from Amazon.

A cheaper option is craft styrofoam spheres, 1.4" in size.

Jeff Newman's "Right Hand Alpha" (DVD course) is also very helpful.

Good luck!

https://www.amazon.com/12pcs-Sponge-Rai ... 071GX457C/

[Douglas Schuch]

I’ve always wondered about the chicken and egg of palm blocking. Do you find the optimal picking position and then figure out how to block? Or find the optimal blocking position and then figure out how to pick?

I think, if you find the optimum picking position, you will end up a pick-blocker! At least, that is my experience!

Disclaimer - I suck at palm-blocking, and avoid it if at all possible.

However, a recent thread did a lot to help me in my attempts - the post of a picture of Buddy Charleston's hand position - the discussion led to his elbow - in close to his body. I did not do that before. Now, when I do, my thumb is easier to extend, my picks align with the strings better for solid picking, and a little rotation of the forearm allows better palm blocking that previously. Perhaps your instruction already has you thinking about that, but thought I'd toss it out there.

[Don Barnhardt]

There is no one style fits all. We have different shaped hands and what works for one might be awkward if not impossible for another. All the suggestions you have received are good, try them out and you may need to experiment on your own. The end result (muting) is what matters.