Blocking Question

Ward Wilsey · From: Kirkwood, Missouri, USA

Beginner question here...I have trouble blocking licks where I play notes on strings 1&2. I was wondering how others do it. For example...



1 ___3_______________


2 ___3______________


3 _3_________________


4 _3________________


5 _____3a~3_________


6 __________3_______


7 __________________


8 __________3_______


9 __________________


10__________________

Is the best way to block those notes on strings 1&2 to pick block? palm? I can't tell what feels more comfortable, they're both a little ackward. Pick blocking seems to throw me off going back to string 5, while palm blocking feels funny because its hard to block without twisting my wrist. Which way is better (for you) and why?

Ken Williams · From: Arkansas

Ward, one way to block 1 and 2 might be to use the fingers of left hand that extend past the rounded end of the bar. You could do this by moving the bar back off those strings after you've picked them. Hope that makes sense. As far as palm verses pick blocking I think the jury is still out. Probably a combination of both would be great skill to have.

Ken
http://home.ipa.net/~kenwill

[This message was edited by Ken Williams on 01 December 2003 at 12:27 PM.]

C Dixon · From: Duluth, GA USA

mega dittos Ken, I would suspect that is the way most seasoned players do it.

carl

Mark Herrick · From: Bakersfield, CA

Exactly what I was posting when my network administrator decided to bring the network down without telling anyone...

Most people move the bar forward and back across the strings as they play to cover only as many strings as they need at the moment.

Ron Page · From: Penn Yan, NY USA

As one of the less accomplished players here, I can tell you that if you're watching your pick hand closely, you're making a mistake. Watch that bar hand, almost exclusively, and DO move the tip of the bar to cover only the strings you're picking-- nothing higher. That way you get the advantage of some clean muting by the left-hand fingertips.

I had a discussion with Herby Wallace about this recently in Lexington. I was complementing Herby on his "Approach To E9th" where he clearly illustrated this bar technique with photos. Prior to that I'd paid too much attention to the picking hand.

I find that I use pick blocking (muting a the string you've just picked with a pick; not necessarily the same pick) when it seems to flow naturally in the fingering. The hand movement is more compact and palm blocking becomes unnecessary when you're sticking with the same 2 or 3 strings in a run.

------------------
HagFan

[This message was edited by Ron Page on 01 December 2003 at 01:15 PM.]

Bob Hoffnar · From: Austin, Tx

You will not have that problem if you move your right hand over the strings as you play. The shape of your hand should not change depending on what strings you are playing.
If you are more comfortable playing on strings 4 and 5 then you should keep you hand in the same shape it is in and move it over strings 1 and 2.

I think that pick or palm blocking might not be the problem.

Is this making any sense ? Somebody bail me out if I haven't described this right.

Bob

Ernest Cawby · From: Lake City, Florida, USA, R.I.P.

I think the best tone is on the nose of the bar, so if you are playing up and come down on the strings your fingers on the left hand will block the notes you have just left.
Keeping the creese of the right hand in the right place helps pick the right strings, that way you have a referance point that is always in the same place. This means moving both hands up and down the neck.

How is that for guess work

ernie

b0b · From: Cloverdale, CA, USA

I've moved this topic to the "Pedal Steel" section of the Forum.

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