Noise when palm blocking
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- Travis Bubenik
- Posts: 92
- Joined: 26 Dec 2020 10:06 pm
- Location: Marfa, Texas
Noise when palm blocking
Hope this question makes sense and isn't terribly stupid - but here's something I've been struggling with a lot lately that I wonder if others deal with/have some advice on:
Whenever I'm practicing unplugged - or at low amp volume - I feel like I'm making good progress on palm blocking better. Good rhythm, notes ringing out clearly and separately from one another, just overall feels good.
But then when I turn my amp up to what you might consider "live" volume - not BLARING - but you know, not bedroom quiet - I just get a lot of "thumping" sound out of the amp from my palm edge hitting the strings.
Is this mostly a technique problem - bouncing the hand around too much, picking too aggressively, etc. - or maybe a hand placement problem (I tend to lay it right over the pickup) - or a tone issue perhaps (too much bass??) I don't think my pickup is totally microphonic - can't hear myself through the amp when I yell into it, etc.
I guess it's probably all of the above, but just curious to hear any tips/tricks/advice on this sorta thing. Thanks y'all.
Whenever I'm practicing unplugged - or at low amp volume - I feel like I'm making good progress on palm blocking better. Good rhythm, notes ringing out clearly and separately from one another, just overall feels good.
But then when I turn my amp up to what you might consider "live" volume - not BLARING - but you know, not bedroom quiet - I just get a lot of "thumping" sound out of the amp from my palm edge hitting the strings.
Is this mostly a technique problem - bouncing the hand around too much, picking too aggressively, etc. - or maybe a hand placement problem (I tend to lay it right over the pickup) - or a tone issue perhaps (too much bass??) I don't think my pickup is totally microphonic - can't hear myself through the amp when I yell into it, etc.
I guess it's probably all of the above, but just curious to hear any tips/tricks/advice on this sorta thing. Thanks y'all.
- Dave Grafe
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- John McClung
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It sounds more like the strings hitting the pickup, so the pickup is too close to the strings. Try doing a quick pat on the strings right over the pickup and see if you get the same thump. Pickup should be about the thickness of 2 quarters (coions) from the strings.
If it's not that, get in touch with me, I teach and advise folks on palm blocking. I'm personally now a hybrid palm+pick blocker.
All best,
John McClung
Pedal Steel Lessons, Casuals, Sessions
Olympia, WA 98512
Website – http://steelguitarlessons.com
Skype name: professortwang
Cell & text: 310-480-0717
If it's not that, get in touch with me, I teach and advise folks on palm blocking. I'm personally now a hybrid palm+pick blocker.
All best,
John McClung
Pedal Steel Lessons, Casuals, Sessions
Olympia, WA 98512
Website – http://steelguitarlessons.com
Skype name: professortwang
Cell & text: 310-480-0717
E9 INSTRUCTION
If you want to have an ongoing discussion, please email me, don't use the Forum messaging which I detest! steelguitarlessons@earthlink.net
If you want to have an ongoing discussion, please email me, don't use the Forum messaging which I detest! steelguitarlessons@earthlink.net
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The thumping noise is from your hand jumping up and down and pushing the lower strings towards the pickup. (The strings actually hitting the pickup normally makes more of a clicking or knocking noise.)
Yes, this is a technique problem, pure and simple. Your hand should NOT be jumping up and down when you play; your palm should barely move, and the blocking done with the edge of your hand should require only a slight movement. In fact, blocking is really more like "unblocking" as you play. You rest the edge of your hand very lightly on the strings, normally, and you only lift the edge of your hand when you want those lower strings to sound. Most all of the movement should be from your fingers alone when you're picking. And when you are doing blocking movements on the higher strings, it's usually done with the edge (or knuckle) of your little finger. But those block/unblocking movements usually do not produce a thumping noise because the mass of the fine strings is so much less.
Hope this helps!
Yes, this is a technique problem, pure and simple. Your hand should NOT be jumping up and down when you play; your palm should barely move, and the blocking done with the edge of your hand should require only a slight movement. In fact, blocking is really more like "unblocking" as you play. You rest the edge of your hand very lightly on the strings, normally, and you only lift the edge of your hand when you want those lower strings to sound. Most all of the movement should be from your fingers alone when you're picking. And when you are doing blocking movements on the higher strings, it's usually done with the edge (or knuckle) of your little finger. But those block/unblocking movements usually do not produce a thumping noise because the mass of the fine strings is so much less.
Hope this helps!
- Fred Treece
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- Travis Bubenik
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- Richard Sinkler
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A bouncing hand leads to what I refer to as choppy playing. Instead of nice smooth transitions between notes, it can sound more like an Uzi firing off the notes (although that effect can be what is called for at times). I say spend your time practicing the "unblocking" technique only until you are not thinking about how to block. Blocking should be an automatic response.
Carter D10 8p/8k, Dekley S10 3p/4k C6 setup,Regal RD40 Dobro, NV400, NV112 . Playing for 53 years and still counting.
- Andrew Goulet
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- Dale Rottacker
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Not being around other Steel Players starting out, I was left to my own interpretation of how Palm Blocking was accomplished and my interpretation looked like I was having severe exaggerated tremors. The closer you can keep your hand to the strings the less you'll look like I did back when. I think you'll also find how little you really have to make contact with the strings you want to block to block them.
The thumping you're hearing I've experienced as well, but not from palm blocking so much as finding that I had the pickup set to close to the strings and taking very little pressure on the strings, even just resting the hand to get that thumping sound, and its usually happening on the lower strings where the tension is less than say on the 3rd string.
The thumping you're hearing I've experienced as well, but not from palm blocking so much as finding that I had the pickup set to close to the strings and taking very little pressure on the strings, even just resting the hand to get that thumping sound, and its usually happening on the lower strings where the tension is less than say on the 3rd string.
Dale Rottacker, Steelinatune™
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*2021 MSA Legend, "Jolly Rancher" D10 10x9
*2021 Rittenberry, "The Concord" D10 9x9
*1977 Blue Sho-Bud Pro 3 Custom 8x6
https://msapedalsteels.com
http://rittenberrysteelguitars.com
https://www.telonics.com/index.php
https://www.p2pamps.com
https://www.quilterlabs.com
- Greg Cutshaw
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